diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/bus.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/bus.go
index adb896b..d1a7af3 100644
--- a/node-tools/internal/bus/bus.go
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/bus.go
@@ -157,6 +157,97 @@ type Conn struct {
 	onNew  []func(Membership)
 	subs   []*nats.Subscription
 	Logf   func(format string, args ...any)
+	// answering is every subject this runtime answers on, so a subscription the bus refused can be
+	// asked for again (novox/hq issue 222).
+	answering map[string]*answered
+	// RetryAfter is how long after a refusal a subscription is asked for again, by attempt; past the
+	// last, it is given up and said. A variable so a test need not wait minutes.
+	RetryAfter []time.Duration
+}
+
+// answered is one subject the runtime answers on: what to subscribe again with, and how often it was
+// refused.
+type answered struct {
+	subject, queue string
+	cb             nats.MsgHandler
+	sub            *nats.Subscription
+	refusals       int
+	stopped        bool
+}
+
+// retryAfter is the default wait before each new attempt: a push sends the bus's user list in the
+// same breath as the machine that needs it, and the bus reloads it a moment later — five minutes
+// covers a slow push, and a grant that never comes is said and left.
+var retryAfter = []time.Duration{2 * time.Second, 5 * time.Second, 10 * time.Second, 20 * time.Second,
+	30 * time.Second, 60 * time.Second, 60 * time.Second, 120 * time.Second}
+
+var (
+	refusedSubject = regexp.MustCompile(`Subscription to "(\S+)"`)
+	refusedQueue   = regexp.MustCompile(`using queue "(\S+)"`)
+)
+
+func answeringKey(subject, queue string) string { return subject + "\x00" + queue }
+
+// refused is the bus saying no to a subscription. **Asked again, not given up** (novox/hq issue 222):
+// what an account may answer is the bus's user list, written on the bus's machine, and a push that
+// assigns a module somewhere sends that machine and the bus's in the same breath — the runtime can
+// subscribe in the moment before the bus has reloaded. Refused once, the subscription stayed dead
+// until some later membership happened to re-serve it, and the module ran unreachable meanwhile.
+func (c *Conn) refused(err error) {
+	if !errors.Is(err, nats.ErrPermissionViolation) {
+		return
+	}
+	m := refusedSubject.FindStringSubmatch(err.Error())
+	if len(m) < 2 {
+		return
+	}
+	queue := ""
+	if q := refusedQueue.FindStringSubmatch(err.Error()); len(q) >= 2 {
+		queue = q[1]
+	}
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	a := c.answering[answeringKey(m[1], queue)]
+	if a == nil || a.stopped {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+	waits := c.RetryAfter
+	if waits == nil {
+		waits = retryAfter
+	}
+	if a.refusals >= len(waits) {
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		c.Logf("[mesh-tools] the bus still refuses %s after %d attempts; not served here until the mesh issues it again", a.subject, a.refusals)
+		return
+	}
+	wait := waits[a.refusals]
+	a.refusals++
+	attempt := a.refusals
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+	c.Logf("[mesh-tools] the bus refused %s; asking again in %s (attempt %d)", a.subject, wait, attempt)
+	time.AfterFunc(wait, func() {
+		c.mu.Lock()
+		defer c.mu.Unlock()
+		if a.stopped {
+			return
+		}
+		if a.sub != nil {
+			_ = a.sub.Unsubscribe()
+		}
+		var sub *nats.Subscription
+		var err error
+		if a.queue != "" {
+			sub, err = c.nc.QueueSubscribe(a.subject, a.queue, a.cb)
+		} else {
+			sub, err = c.nc.Subscribe(a.subject, a.cb)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			c.Logf("[mesh-tools] asking again for %s failed: %v", a.subject, err)
+			return
+		}
+		a.sub = sub
+		c.subs = append(c.subs, sub)
+	})
 }
 
 // Connect dials the bus as the credential's module. A module's subjects come from its credential,
@@ -170,8 +261,14 @@ func Connect(cred Credential) (*Conn, error) {
 	if node == "" {
 		node = "?"
 	}
+	var c *Conn
 	opts := []nats.Option{
 		nats.Name(node + "." + cred.Module),
+		nats.ErrorHandler(func(_ *nats.Conn, _ *nats.Subscription, err error) {
+			if c != nil {
+				c.refused(err)
+			}
+		}),
 		// Reconnect forever: the bus restarting is an upgrade, not a reason to exit.
 		nats.MaxReconnects(-1),
 	}
@@ -192,8 +289,8 @@ func Connect(cred Credential) (*Conn, error) {
 		nc.Close()
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	c := &Conn{nc: nc, js: js, self: cred.Module, node: cred.Node, cred: cred,
-		issued: map[string]*Membership{}, Logf: log.Printf}
+	c = &Conn{nc: nc, js: js, self: cred.Module, node: cred.Node, cred: cred,
+		issued: map[string]*Membership{}, Logf: log.Printf, answering: map[string]*answered{}}
 	c.Follow(cred.Module)
 	return c, nil
 }
@@ -362,7 +459,20 @@ func (c *Conn) answerOn(subject, queue string, h Handler) (func(), error) {
 		return func() {}, err
 	}
 	c.track(sub)
-	return func() { _ = sub.Unsubscribe() }, nil
+	a := &answered{subject: subject, queue: queue, cb: cb, sub: sub}
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	c.answering[answeringKey(subject, queue)] = a
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+	return func() {
+		c.mu.Lock()
+		a.stopped = true
+		if c.answering[answeringKey(subject, queue)] == a {
+			delete(c.answering, answeringKey(subject, queue))
+		}
+		current := a.sub
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		_ = current.Unsubscribe()
+	}, nil
 }
 
 // nullable keeps a nil result as JSON null rather than dropping the key: the TypeScript reply always
diff --git a/node-tools/internal/bus/refused_test.go b/node-tools/internal/bus/refused_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..026db51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/node-tools/internal/bus/refused_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package bus
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/nats-io/nats.go"
+)
+
+// novox/hq issue 222: a subscription the bus refused is asked for again. A push sends the machine
+// that needs a grant and the bus's machine together; the runtime may subscribe the moment before the
+// bus reloads, and a refusal must not leave the module unreachable until some later membership.
+func TestARefusedSubscriptionIsAskedForAgain(t *testing.T) {
+	url := os.Getenv("MESH_TEST_NATS")
+	if url == "" {
+		t.Skip("MESH_TEST_NATS unset")
+	}
+	c, err := Connect(Credential{URL: url, Module: "alpha", Node: "anchor"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer c.Close()
+	var mu sync.Mutex
+	var said []string
+	c.Logf = func(f string, a ...any) { mu.Lock(); said = append(said, fmt.Sprintf(f, a...)); mu.Unlock() }
+	c.RetryAfter = []time.Duration{50 * time.Millisecond, 50 * time.Millisecond}
+
+	subject := "mesh.mod.alpha.tool.ping.anchor"
+	stop, err := c.answerOn(subject, "", func(json.RawMessage) (any, error) { return "pong", nil })
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	first := c.answering[answeringKey(subject, "")].sub
+
+	// What the bus says when the grant is not there yet.
+	c.refused(fmt.Errorf("%w: Permissions Violation for Subscription to %q", nats.ErrPermissionViolation, subject))
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	for {
+		c.mu.Lock()
+		again := c.answering[answeringKey(subject, "")].sub
+		c.mu.Unlock()
+		if again != first {
+			break
+		}
+		if time.Now().After(deadline) {
+			t.Fatal("the refused subscription was not asked for again")
+		}
+		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	asker, err := nats.Connect(url)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer asker.Close()
+	reply, err := asker.Request(subject, []byte("{}"), 2*time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("the subject asked for again does not answer: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(string(reply.Data), "pong") {
+		t.Fatalf("the subject asked for again answered %s", reply.Data)
+	}
+
+	// Past its attempts it is given up, and said.
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		c.refused(fmt.Errorf("%w: Permissions Violation for Subscription to %q", nats.ErrPermissionViolation, subject))
+		time.Sleep(80 * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+	mu.Lock()
+	gaveUp := strings.Contains(strings.Join(said, "\n"), "still refuses "+subject)
+	mu.Unlock()
+	if !gaveUp {
+		t.Errorf("never gave up on a subject that stays refused:\n%s", strings.Join(said, "\n"))
+	}
+
+	// A subject the runtime stopped answering is not asked for again.
+	stop()
+	c.refused(fmt.Errorf("%w: Permissions Violation for Subscription to %q", nats.ErrPermissionViolation, subject))
+	if _, still := c.answering[answeringKey(subject, "")]; still {
+		t.Error("a stopped subject is still tracked")
+	}
+}