diff --git a/scripts/packextras.py b/scripts/packextras.py
index 544958f47..739be2718 100644
--- a/scripts/packextras.py
+++ b/scripts/packextras.py
@@ -1296,11 +1296,12 @@ def emulator_region_drops(
     """
     import region as region_mod
     from packpaths import _resolve_destination
-    from validation import filter_files_by_mode
+    from validation import _build_validation_index, filter_files_by_mode
 
     region_index = region_mod.build_region_index(dict(selected))
     region_groups: dict[str, list[tuple[str, str]]] = {}
     held: set[str] | None = set() if db is not None else None
+    validation_index = _build_validation_index(dict(selected)) if db is not None else {}
     for emu_name, profile in sorted(selected):
         # Decided over what the pack keeps, as on the platform side: an
         # optional winner removed afterwards left its slot empty.
@@ -1312,13 +1313,35 @@ def emulator_region_drops(
                 region_groups.setdefault(group_id, []).append(
                     (dest, fe.get("name", ""))
                 )
-                if held is not None and resolve_local_file(
-                    dict(fe, source_profile=emu_name), db, dest_hint=dest
-                )[0]:
+                if held is not None and _emulator_ships(
+                    fe, emu_name, profile, db, dest, validation_index
+                ):
                     held.add(dest)
     return region_mod.resolve_region_drops(region_groups, region_index, regions, held)
 
 
+def _emulator_ships(
+    file_entry: dict, emu_name: str, profile: dict, db: dict, dest: str,
+    validation_index: dict,
+) -> bool:
+    """Whether the emulator pack ships this entry: held, and not refused by
+    the core's own check, the test _ships applies on the platform side.
+    """
+    from validation import validated_choice, with_archive_members
+
+    local, _status = resolve_local_file(
+        {**with_archive_members(file_entry, profile.get("files", [])),
+         "source_profile": emu_name},
+        db, dest_hint=dest,
+    )
+    if not local:
+        return False
+    _chosen, disagreement = validated_choice(
+        file_entry, local, db, validation_index, "bios", None, emulators={emu_name},
+    )
+    return disagreement is None
+
+
 def _emulator_region_group(
     emu_name: str, profile: dict, file_entry: dict, dest: str
 ) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/test_region.py b/tests/test_region.py
index cf0771fff..cd3f79412 100644
--- a/tests/test_region.py
+++ b/tests/test_region.py
@@ -1113,5 +1113,63 @@ class NoMarketStopsAtAustralia(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(tagged, [])
 
 
+class ARefusedRegionalFileHoldsNoSlot(unittest.TestCase):
+    """rg_us.bin is held but its md5 contradicts the one the core checks, so
+    the emulator pack refuses it. Counted held, it won the region and the
+    Japanese BIOS was withdrawn: --emulator --region us shipped no BIOS for
+    the system, and verify, reading the same drops, did not see it."""
+
+    def test_the_fallback_stays_in_pack_and_report(self):
+        import hashlib
+        import shutil
+        import tempfile
+        import zipfile
+
+        import yaml
+
+        from generate_pack import generate_emulator_pack
+        from verify import verify_emulator
+
+        common._emulator_profiles_cache.clear()
+        repo = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+        (repo / "tmp").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+        root = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=repo / "tmp"))
+        self.addCleanup(shutil.rmtree, root, True)
+        previous = os.getcwd()
+        os.chdir(root)
+        self.addCleanup(os.chdir, previous)
+        files, by_name = {}, {}
+        for name, data in (("rg_us.bin", b"NOT THE US DUMP"), ("rg_jp.bin", b"JP DUMP")):
+            path = Path("bios") / name
+            path.parent.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+            path.write_bytes(data)
+            sha1 = hashlib.sha1(data).hexdigest()
+            files[sha1] = {"path": str(path), "name": name, "size": len(data),
+                           "md5": hashlib.md5(data).hexdigest()}
+            by_name[name] = [sha1]
+        db = {"files": files, "indexes": {"by_name": by_name, "by_md5": {},
+                                          "by_crc32": {}, "by_path_suffix": {}}}
+        Path("emulators").mkdir()
+        Path("emulators/rgemu.yml").write_text(yaml.safe_dump({
+            "emulator": "RgEmu", "type": "libretro", "systems": ["sys"],
+            "files": [
+                {"name": "rg_us.bin", "region": ["north-america"], "required": True,
+                 "md5": hashlib.md5(b"THE US DUMP").hexdigest(), "validation": ["md5"]},
+                {"name": "rg_jp.bin", "region": ["japan"], "required": True},
+            ],
+        }))
+        with contextlib.redirect_stdout(io.StringIO()):
+            zip_path = generate_emulator_pack(
+                ["rgemu"], "emulators", db, "bios", "out", regions=["north-america"],
+                offline=True, platforms_dir="platforms",
+            )
+        with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_path) as zf:
+            self.assertIn("rg_jp.bin", zf.namelist())
+        report = verify_emulator(
+            ["rgemu"], "emulators", db, regions=["north-america"], platforms_dir="platforms",
+        )
+        self.assertIn("rg_jp.bin", report["pack_destinations"])
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()