diff --git a/pkg/vere/io/ames.c b/pkg/vere/io/ames.c
index 424d6ca109..842e9086b0 100644
--- a/pkg/vere/io/ames.c
+++ b/pkg/vere/io/ames.c
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ _ames_lane_into_cache(u3p(u3h_root) lax_p, u3_noun who, u3_noun las) {
 /* _ames_lane_from_cache(): retrieve lane for who from cache, if any
 */
 static u3_weak
-_ames_lane_from_cache(u3p(u3h_root) lax_p, u3_noun who, c3_o nal) {
+_ames_lane_from_cache(u3p(u3h_root) lax_p, u3_noun who, c3_o nal_o) {
   u3_weak lac = u3h_git(lax_p, who);
 
   if (nal == c3n && u3_none != lac ) {
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ _ames_lane_from_cache(u3p(u3h_root) lax_p, u3_noun who, c3_o nal) {
 
     //  consider entries older than 2 minutes stale, ignore them
     //
-    if ( 120000 > u3_time_gap_ms(u3k(den), now) ) {
+    if ( nal_o == c3y || 120000 > u3_time_gap_ms(u3k(den), now) ) {
       lac = u3k(u3h(lac));
     } else {
       lac = u3_none;