diff --git a/arvo/ford.hoon b/arvo/ford.hoon
index dbf9e2ae8f..d09377ae2e 100644
--- a/arvo/ford.hoon
+++ b/arvo/ford.hoon
@@ -803,7 +803,8 @@
       |=  [cof=cafe vax=vase gen=twig]
       =+  puz=(mule |.((~(mint ut p.vax) [%noun gen])))
       ?-  -.puz
-        |  (flaw cof p.puz)
+        |  ~&  [%maim-fail p.puz]
+           (flaw cof p.puz)
         &  %+  (coup cof)  (mock [q.vax q.p.puz] (mole ska))
            |=  val=*
            `vase`[p.p.puz val]