diff --git a/docs/TOOLS.md b/docs/TOOLS.md
index 31c0990ef..0109ce0a8 100644
--- a/docs/TOOLS.md
+++ b/docs/TOOLS.md
@@ -599,7 +599,8 @@ error. Before anything stops, a run whose Console flags hold `--sso` refuses
 `sso-target` for a target Console without it, `sso-config` when the target's own
 `checkConsole` refuses the config's `console` key (or there is none, in which
 case, from another copy, it names the first step: activate the target without
-`--sso`, then write `console.sso`), and `sso-slot` for each provider's slot file
+`--sso`, then write `console.sso`; on a named instance both commands carry
+`--instance NAME`), and `sso-slot` for each provider's slot file
 that is missing, a symlink, not a regular file, not owned by this uid, has group
 or other bits, resolves inside the repository or the copies, or is empty. It
 uses `lstat`, `stat` and `realpath` on the slot and never reads it. `--plan`
diff --git a/packages/cli/tests/stack-release.test.mjs b/packages/cli/tests/stack-release.test.mjs
index daae6efb7..ed86589cb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/tests/stack-release.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/cli/tests/stack-release.test.mjs
@@ -1683,6 +1683,14 @@ test('T57 row 200: activate --sso, its refusals before any stop, and the rollbac
   assert.ok(stepText(a).includes(`Z drop --sso; ${B}'s Console does not support it, so the Console flags come from ${set}/${show}\n`));
   await noLeak(a);
  });
+ await t.test('row 238 (#1744): on a named instance the sso-config first step names --instance NAME in both commands',async(t)=>{
+  const e=await mk(t),a=await named(e,'alpha');await seed(a);
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(readFileSync(a.cfg,'utf8')).console,undefined);
+  await refused(a,['activate',C1,'acme','--sso'],'sso-config',`${C1}'s Console would refuse its --sso start: there is no console.sso in the system config; activate ${C1} --instance alpha without --sso first, then write console.sso, then run activate ${C1} --instance alpha --sso`);
+  const out=await planOnly(a,3,'activate',C1,'acme','--sso');
+  assert.ok(out.includes(`refuses sso-config: ${C1}'s Console would refuse its --sso start: there is no console.sso in the system config; activate ${C1} --instance alpha without --sso first, then write console.sso, then run activate ${C1} --instance alpha --sso`),out.join('\n'));
+  await noLeak(a);
+ });
 });
 
 // --- rehearse (D2, row 163; the brief's "Stack rehearsal on a scratch root") ---
diff --git a/scripts/stack-release.sh b/scripts/stack-release.sh
index 6befd2c96..cbc99c137 100755
--- a/scripts/stack-release.sh
+++ b/scripts/stack-release.sh
@@ -929,12 +929,13 @@ sso_checks() {
     sso_supported || { check_refuse sso-target "$TO's Console does not support --sso"; return 0; }
     local cfg="${MOSAIC_CONFIG:-$HOME/.config/mosaic-dev/config.json}" out id slot path why
     # N4 (webby-0019, sage-1403): a pre-phase-1 loader refuses a console key, so with the key not yet
-    # written and the stack on another copy, the first step is the re-pin without --sso.
-    local first=""
+    # written and the stack on another copy, the first step is the re-pin without --sso. On a named
+    # instance both commands carry --instance NAME (row 238).
+    local first="" inst="${INSTANCE_FLAGS[*]:+ ${INSTANCE_FLAGS[*]}}"
     if ! out="$(node -e "$SSO_JS" -- "$COPIES/$TO" "$cfg" 2>&1)"; then
         out="${out%%$'\n'*}"
         [ "$out" != "there is no console.sso in the system config" ] || [ "$P_COPY" = "$TO" ] ||
-            first="; activate $TO without --sso first, then write console.sso, then run activate $TO --sso"
+            first="; activate $TO$inst without --sso first, then write console.sso, then run activate $TO$inst --sso"
         check_refuse sso-config "$TO's Console would refuse its --sso start: $out$first"
         return 0
     fi