diff --git a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
index 997eeefaf..75ba7ba8d 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/ames.hoon
@@ -2790,11 +2790,18 @@
           ::
           (emit [/ames]~ %pass wire %b %rest next-wake)
         =/  nax-bone=^bone  (mix 0b10 bone)
+        =?  peer-core  (~(has by snd.peer-state) nax-bone)
+          %.  peer-core
+          %+  trace  odd.veb
+          =/  dat  [her.channel bone=nax-bone message-num=message-num -.task]
+          |.("remove naxplanation flow {<dat>}")
         =.  peer-state
           =,  peer-state
           %_  peer-state
+            ::  preemptively delete nax flows (e.g. nacks for initial %watches)
+            ::
+            snd      (~(del by (~(del by snd) bone)) nax-bone)
             rcv      (~(del by rcv) bone)
-            snd      (~(del by snd) bone)
             corked   (~(put in corked) bone)
             closing  (~(del in closing) bone)
             krocs    (~(del in krocs) bone)
diff --git a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/gall.hoon b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/gall.hoon
index 842d9d356..6e3efa64c 100644
--- a/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/gall.hoon
+++ b/pkg/arvo/sys/vane/gall.hoon
@@ -523,6 +523,11 @@
         ?~  error=error.sign-arvo
           ~
         `[[%leaf (trip tag.u.error)] tang.u.error]
+      ::  send a %cork if we get a nack upon initial subscription
+      ::
+      =?  mo-core
+          &(?=(^ err) |(?=(%watch-as remote-request) ?=(%watch remote-request)))
+        (mo-pass [%sys wire] %a %cork ship)
       ::
       ?-  remote-request
         %watch-as  (mo-give %unto %watch-ack err)