diff --git a/crates/mind-body/src/self_run.rs b/crates/mind-body/src/self_run.rs
index 6fb0af5..a919156 100644
--- a/crates/mind-body/src/self_run.rs
+++ b/crates/mind-body/src/self_run.rs
@@ -795,17 +795,19 @@ impl<'a> SelfInbox<'a> {
         Self { mind, start, plan: render_plan(plan_quota, now_ms), told, waiting: Vec::new(), heard, run: run.clone(), carried, echoed: Vec::new(), serving, last_answers, flush_written: false, flushing: false, replies: 0, unadmitted: Vec::new() }
     }
 
-    /// Admits each reply the mind has not taken, in order; one try each. A refusal or an unreachable mind keeps the reply and never ends the session.
+    /// Admits each reply the mind has not taken, in order; one try each. A refusal or an unreachable mind keeps that reply and every one behind it
+    /// (the admission ordinal is the order the Persona hears them in, so none may overtake a refused one) and never ends the session.
     fn admit_unadmitted(&mut self) {
         let label = self.run.id.0.rsplit(':').next().unwrap_or(&self.run.id.0).to_string();
-        let mut kept = Vec::new();
-        for reply in std::mem::take(&mut self.unadmitted) {
+        let mut queue = std::mem::take(&mut self.unadmitted).into_iter();
+        for reply in queue.by_ref() {
             let taken = matches!(self.mind.admit(AGENT, &label, vec![PipelineDocument::Reply(reply.clone())]), Ok(PipelineAdmissionOutcome::Committed { .. } | PipelineAdmissionOutcome::AlreadyAdmitted { .. }));
             if !taken {
-                kept.push(reply);
+                self.unadmitted.push(reply);
+                break;
             }
         }
-        self.unadmitted = kept;
+        self.unadmitted.extend(queue);
     }
 
     /// One result of the main thread: with words, one reply answering the briefs the CLI has taken since the last reply (the first 64, in tell
diff --git a/crates/mind-body/src/self_run/tests/reply.rs b/crates/mind-body/src/self_run/tests/reply.rs
index 0a9244a..0a4e37c 100644
--- a/crates/mind-body/src/self_run/tests/reply.rs
+++ b/crates/mind-body/src/self_run/tests/reply.rs
@@ -106,3 +106,15 @@ fn a_reply_the_mind_did_not_take_is_tried_once_more_when_the_run_ends() {
     assert!(ran.outcome.is_ok());
     assert_eq!(text_of(&mind, 1), "last words");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn a_refused_piece_of_a_long_result_holds_back_the_pieces_behind_it() {
+    let mind = live_mind();
+    let seen = Seen::of(&mind);
+    seen.fail_admits.set(1);                                   // the first piece is refused
+    let long = "w".repeat(REPLY_TEXT_LIMIT * 2 + 1);
+    let ran = carry_with(&seen, vec![Out(echo()), Out(at("m1", 10)), Out(saying(&long))], Some(0), false);
+    assert!(ran.outcome.is_ok());
+    let ordinals: Vec<u64> = (1..=3).map(|n| mind.view(K::Reply, &format!("{INSTANCE}:reply:selfrun-a-r{n}")).unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("piece {n} lost")).admission.ordinal).collect();
+    assert!(ordinals.windows(2).all(|w| w[0] < w[1]), "the pieces reached the mind out of order: {ordinals:?}");
+}