diff --git a/crates/didbot-operator/src/bin/didbot-operator.rs b/crates/didbot-operator/src/bin/didbot-operator.rs
index 4f2f2f73..8178cfbc 100644
--- a/crates/didbot-operator/src/bin/didbot-operator.rs
+++ b/crates/didbot-operator/src/bin/didbot-operator.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ enum Verb {
         #[arg(long, conflicts_with = "revoke")]
         check: bool,
         /// Delete your bot.did.operator record for <NAME>, which pauses it and everything
-        /// beneath it at the deployment's next poll
+        /// beneath it after the deployment's grace window (six hours by default). `didbot
+        /// account lock <NAME>` stops an account now, and `didbot estop --pause` a server
         #[arg(long)]
         revoke: bool,
         /// A server's hostname, or an account's
@@ -471,8 +472,10 @@ async fn revoke_record(name: &str, operator: &str, json: Json) -> Result<(), Ref
         |_| {
             format!(
                 "deleted {}, which named {}\n\
-                 the deployment reads this at its next operator poll and pauses that account \
-                 and everything beneath it; this command does not wait for that to happen.",
+                 it and everything beneath it pause after the deployment's grace window (six \
+                 hours by default); this command does not wait for that to happen.\n\
+                 `didbot account lock {name} --server <HOSTNAME>` stops an account now, and \
+                 `didbot estop --pause --server <HOSTNAME>` a server.",
                 revoked.record_uri, revoked.subject
             )
         },
diff --git a/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/account.rs b/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/account.rs
index ec95b331..45540886 100644
--- a/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/account.rs
+++ b/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/account.rs
@@ -552,8 +552,8 @@ pub struct Revoked {
 ///
 /// The read is what makes this safe to run against a typo: a key that holds
 /// some other account's claim is left alone and named in the refusal. The
-/// deployment reads the deletion at its next operator poll, which is what
-/// pauses the account and everything beneath it.
+/// deployment's operator poll pauses the account and everything beneath it
+/// once it has gone the grace window without reading the record.
 pub async fn revoke<W: RecordDeleter + RecordReader>(
     own_pds: &W,
     operator_did: &str,
diff --git a/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/walk.rs b/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/walk.rs
index 41f3aa18..029a87a8 100644
--- a/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/walk.rs
+++ b/crates/didbot-operator/src/operate/walk.rs
@@ -71,8 +71,10 @@ pub enum WalkError {
     /// both.
     #[error(
         "{operator} holds no bot.did.operator/{name}: the edge from {account} up to it is \
-         paused, whether the record was taken back or never written, and a deployment \
-         hosting {account} stops it and everything beneath it at its next poll"
+         paused, whether the record was taken back or never written. A deployment hosting \
+         {account} stops it and everything beneath it after the deployment's grace window \
+         (six hours by default); `didbot account lock` stops an account now, and `didbot \
+         estop --pause` a server"
     )]
     Paused {
         /// The account below the edge.
diff --git a/docs/cli.md b/docs/cli.md
index 2a01dae7..c74a7381 100644
--- a/docs/cli.md
+++ b/docs/cli.md
@@ -325,8 +325,9 @@ didbot app end-logins --client https://app.example/client.json \
 the operator's own repository rather than the deployment: it deletes
 `bot.did.operator/<NAME>` there, through the delete action of the same scope
 the claim was written with, after reading the record back and confirming it
-names that account. The deployment finds that at its next poll and pauses
-the account and everything beneath it.
+names that account. The deployment pauses the account and everything beneath
+it after its grace window, six hours by default. `didbot account lock <NAME>`
+stops an account at once, and `didbot estop --pause` stops a server.
 
 ## The agent host's commands
 
diff --git a/plan/ownership.md b/plan/ownership.md
index f33889f4..5e5dce28 100644
--- a/plan/ownership.md
+++ b/plan/ownership.md
@@ -154,9 +154,9 @@ new account is the authorization.
       --revoke <NAME> <OPERATOR>` reads `bot.did.operator/<NAME>` out of the
       human's own repository, confirms it names that account, and deletes it
       through the delete action of the scope the claim was written under.
-      The deployment's poll pauses the account and everything beneath it;
-      `didbot operate --check` names the edge as paused from then on
-      (`operate::walk::WalkError::Paused`).
+      The deployment's poll pauses the account and everything beneath it
+      after the grace window; `didbot operate --check` names the edge as
+      paused from then on (`operate::walk::WalkError::Paused`).
 
 - [x] **The operator acts on one hosted account.** `POST
       /dashboard/api/accounts/{did}/lock`, `unlock`, `lift-quarantine`,