Nature, Published online: 12 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08483-wAtomically dispersed inert oxide nano-overlays on a highly active Pt/-Mo2N catalyst can block the redundant surface sites of -Mo2N responsible for surface oxidation of this reactive support and the resulting deactivation, without compromising the intrinsic activity of active Pt@Mo2N interface.