diff --git a/scripts/fleet-role.jq b/scripts/fleet-role.jq
index 7b1db03b..8e6ce583 100644
--- a/scripts/fleet-role.jq
+++ b/scripts/fleet-role.jq
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ $config as $c
       voter: ($labelled and condition_true(voter_condition) and ((.metadata.annotations // {})[removed_annotation] // "") == ""),
       eligible: ($labels[$c.eligible_label] == "true"),
       pinned: ($labels[$c.pinned_label] == "true"),
+      cordoned: (.spec.unschedulable // false),
       removed: (((.metadata.annotations // {})[removed_annotation] // "") != ""),
       regrade_level: $labels[$c.level_label]}] as $all
 | ($all | map(select(.voter)) | sort_by(.name)) as $voters
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ $config as $c
        role: (if $node.voter then "voter" else "standby" end),
        eligible: $node.eligible,
        pinned: $node.pinned,
+       cordoned: $node.cordoned,
        verdict: (if ($gaps | length) > 0 then "unknown" elif ($faults | length) > 0 then "unfit" else "fit" end),
        reasons: (if ($gaps | length) > 0 then $gaps else $faults end),
        link: $m.link,
@@ -274,7 +276,7 @@ $config as $c
 # The swap. A slow link makes both of its ends unfit, since a voter is unfit when its round trip to any other voter is, so the voter to replace is the one at fault: the unfit voter the most hosts' unfit verdicts are attributed to, the worst-ranked among those with as many. It goes out only if it is eligible and not pinned; when it is not, replacing a voter that shares a slow link with it would fix nothing, so nothing is swapped. The best fit eligible standby that ranks above it comes in, judged against the voters that would remain.
 | ([$hosts[] | select(.role == "voter" and .verdict == "unfit") | . + {accounts_for: ($attribution[.name] // [] | length)}] | sort_by(.rank) | reverse | sort_by(-.accounts_for) | first) as $culprit
 | (if $culprit != null and $culprit.eligible and ($culprit.pinned | not) then $culprit else null end) as $out
-| ([$hosts[] | select(.role == "standby" and .eligible)
+| ([$hosts[] | select(.role == "standby" and .eligible and (.cordoned | not))
     | (if $out == null then .m else (.m | without($out.name)) end) as $m
     | select((gaps($m) | length) == 0 and (faults($m) | length) == 0)
     | . + {rank: rank($m)}] | sort_by(.rank)) as $fit_candidates
diff --git a/tests/unit/fleet_role_support.py b/tests/unit/fleet_role_support.py
index 5471304e..7df64045 100644
--- a/tests/unit/fleet_role_support.py
+++ b/tests/unit/fleet_role_support.py
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ def node(
     learner: bool = False,
     eligible: bool = False,
     pinned: bool = False,
+    cordoned: bool = False,
     ready: bool = True,
     ready_for: float = 24 * 3600,
     level: str | None = None,
@@ -387,6 +388,7 @@ def node(
         conditions.append({"type": VOTER_CONDITION, "status": "True", "lastTransitionTime": transition_time(ready_for)})
     return {
         "metadata": {"name": name, "labels": labels},
+        "spec": {"unschedulable": True} if cordoned else {},
         "status": {
             "conditions": conditions,
             "addresses": [{"type": "InternalIP", "address": address or "127.0.0.1"}, {"type": "Hostname", "address": name}],
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_fleet_role.py b/tests/unit/test_fleet_role.py
index da13f3c0..0249124f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_fleet_role.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_fleet_role.py
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ class Host:
     learner: bool = False
     eligible: bool = False
     pinned: bool = False
+    # An operator's cordon: the host takes no new work, so it is never the voter that comes in.
+    cordoned: bool = False
     ready: bool = True
     ready_for: float = 24 * 3600
     level: str | None = None
@@ -96,7 +98,7 @@ def populate(cluster: Cluster, hosts: list[Host]) -> None:
     """Gives the cluster these Nodes and, for each host, a probe entry of its last `samples` samples ending now (less stale_by)."""
     voters = [h.name for h in hosts if h.voter]
     cluster.nodes = [
-        node(h.name, voter=h.voter, learner=h.learner, eligible=h.eligible, pinned=h.pinned, ready=h.ready, ready_for=h.ready_for, level=h.level) for h in hosts
+        node(h.name, voter=h.voter, learner=h.learner, eligible=h.eligible, pinned=h.pinned, cordoned=h.cordoned, ready=h.ready, ready_for=h.ready_for, level=h.level) for h in hosts
     ]
     entries = {}
     for h in hosts:
@@ -389,6 +391,13 @@ def test_within_a_link_type_the_lower_round_trip_ranks_first_then_the_lower_fsyn
                 hosts += [Host("e", eligible=True, **{**base, **overrides["e"]}), Host("f", eligible=True, **{**base, **overrides["f"]})]
                 self.assertEqual(self.pass_(hosts)["decision"]["swap"], {"out": "a", "in": expected})
 
+    def test_a_cordoned_standby_is_never_the_voter_that_comes_in(self) -> None:
+        hosts = healthy(a={"tcp": UNFIT_RTT_MS + 50}, d={"cordoned": True})
+        status = self.pass_(hosts)
+        self.assertEqual(status["decision"]["action"], "none")
+        self.assertEqual(status["decision"]["because"][0], "voter a is unfit and no eligible standby is fit and ranks above it")
+        self.assertTrue(status["hosts"]["d"]["cordoned"])
+
     def test_a_candidate_must_rank_above_the_voter_it_replaces(self) -> None:
         # The unfit voter is wired; the only fit standby is on a link the cluster cannot see, which ranks below wired.
         hosts = healthy(a={"tcp": UNFIT_RTT_MS + 50}, d={"link": "unknown"})