diff --git a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/setup_burns.py b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/setup_burns.py
index 265d608..cc5fd0f 100644
--- a/forgetest/forgetest/suite/setup_burns.py
+++ b/forgetest/forgetest/suite/setup_burns.py
@@ -176,9 +176,6 @@ def emission_ok(ctx, last, seen):
               "the result does not record the beam sensor: %s", e)
     ctx.log("the beam sensor rose %s (seen: %s)", e.get("thermopile_delta"), e.get("beam_sensor_seen"))
     w = seen.record()
-    ctx.evidence["emission_seen"] = w
-    ctx.log("seen from here: LASER_ON count peak %s, tube current peak %s over %d polls",
-            w["laser_on_max"], w["hv_max"], w["reads"])
     ctx.check(w["reads"] > 0, "the test could not read the witnesses from sysfs during the burn")
     ctx.check((w["laser_on_max"] or 0) > 0,
               "the kernel's LASER_ON count never read nonzero from here during the burn (%d reads); the "
@@ -231,6 +228,12 @@ def burn(ctx, wid, arm, pick, want):
         last = run_check(ctx, wid, on_prompt, 900, on_poll=seen)
     finally:
         ctx.clear_notice()
+        # What the test read itself goes on record however the burn ends:
+        # reported dark, failed, timed out, or aborted.
+        w = seen.record()
+        ctx.evidence["emission_seen"] = w
+        ctx.log("seen from here: LASER_ON count peak %s, tube current peak %s over %d polls",
+                w["laser_on_max"], w["hv_max"], w["reads"])
     emission_ok(ctx, last, seen)
     r = last.get("result") or {}
     missing = [k for k in want if k not in r]
diff --git a/forgetest/tests/test_setup_burns.py b/forgetest/tests/test_setup_burns.py
index 7d9e9bc..3dfdc2a 100644
--- a/forgetest/tests/test_setup_burns.py
+++ b/forgetest/tests/test_setup_burns.py
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ class BurnRunTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def run_test(self, tid):
         t = catalog.load_suite()[tid]
-        run = Run("test", t.id, t.title)
+        run = self.run = Run("test", t.id, t.title)     # kept for a run that fails
         run.unattended = True           # the ready gate passes; the arm cue is a notice
         t.fn(Context(run, None, t))
         return run
@@ -434,6 +434,9 @@ class BurnRunTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(Failed) as cm:
             self.run_test("setup.focus")
         self.assertIn("the tube current never rose", str(cm.exception))
+        # what the test read itself is on record beside the daemon's word
+        seen = self.run.evidence["emission_seen"]
+        self.assertEqual((seen["laser_on_max"], seen["hv_max"]), (118, 431))
         self.assert_found()
 
     def test_a_head_off_its_home_fails_before_any_start(self):
@@ -469,6 +472,15 @@ class BurnRunTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assert_found()
         self.assert_restarted_on_found()
 
+    def test_a_burn_whose_tube_current_the_test_never_saw_rise_fails(self):
+        # The LASER_ON count read nonzero from here, and the tube current
+        # never left zero: the second witness is judged on its own reads.
+        self.plant("pic/hv_current", "0")
+        with self.assertRaises(Failed) as cm:
+            self.run_test("setup.focus")
+        self.assertIn("tube current never read over %d from here" % setup_burns.HV_ON, str(cm.exception))
+        self.assert_found()
+
     def test_a_burn_with_a_silent_beam_sensor_passes(self):
         # A head whose beam sensor gives no output: the tube current and
         # LASER_ON saw the beam, so the burn counts.
@@ -511,6 +523,7 @@ class BurnRunTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with self.assertRaises(Aborted):
             t.fn(Context(run, None, t))
         self.assertEqual(self.daemon.aborted, ["laser.focus"])
+        self.assertIn("emission_seen", run.evidence)    # the test's own reads, on record all the same
         self.assert_found()
         self.assert_restarted_on_found()