diff --git a/scripts/pipeline.py b/scripts/pipeline.py
index e46ed4f2..aa815ed4 100644
--- a/scripts/pipeline.py
+++ b/scripts/pipeline.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ come from .cache/large/ only.
 Usage:
     python scripts/pipeline.py                    # active platforms
     python scripts/pipeline.py --include-archived # all platforms
-    python scripts/pipeline.py --skip-packs       # steps 1 to 3b, then 7 and 8
+    python scripts/pipeline.py --skip-packs       # steps 0 to 3b, 4d, 7 and 8
     python scripts/pipeline.py --skip-docs        # skip steps 7 and 8
     python scripts/pipeline.py --offline          # no network, see above
 """
@@ -427,7 +427,9 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument(
         "--skip-packs",
         action="store_true",
-        help="Only regenerate DB and verify, skip pack generation",
+        help="Skip steps 4 to 6 except 4d: packs, manifests and their checks. "
+        "Steps 7 and 8 still rewrite README.md and docs/, add --skip-docs to "
+        "stop after verify",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--skip-docs", action="store_true", help="Skip README and site generation"
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index 52d40241..4d4ae2eb 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -6026,5 +6026,24 @@ class ToolsRunFromAnyDirectory(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(Path(tmp, "lists", "retroarch.json").is_file())
 
 
+class SkipPacksHelpSaysWhatRuns(unittest.TestCase):
+    """--help said "Only regenerate DB and verify" while the run went on to
+    rewrite derivable.json, README.md and docs/."""
+
+    def test_the_help_names_the_steps_that_still_run(self):
+        proc = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/pipeline.py", "--help"],
+            cwd=ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=60, check=True,
+        )
+        text = " ".join(proc.stdout.split())
+        self.assertNotIn("Only regenerate DB and verify", text)
+        self.assertIn("Steps 7 and 8 still rewrite README.md and docs/", text)
+
+    def test_every_step_it_names_is_one_it_skips(self):
+        source = (ROOT / "scripts" / "pipeline.py").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        skipped = set(re.findall(r"--- (\w+)/8 [^\n]*SKIPPED \(--skip-packs\)", source))
+        self.assertEqual(skipped, {"4", "4b", "4c", "6"})
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/wiki/tools.md b/wiki/tools.md
index 3db2d9df..06731d05 100644
--- a/wiki/tools.md
+++ b/wiki/tools.md
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ Pipeline flags:
 | Flag | Effect |
 |------|--------|
 | `--offline` | skip every step that needs the network (2, 2a, 2a2, 2b, 2b2) |
-| `--skip-packs` | skip steps 4, 4b, 4c, 6 and the consistency check |
+| `--skip-packs` | skip steps 4, 4b, 4c, 6 and the consistency check. README and site are still rewritten unless `--skip-docs` is given too |
 | `--skip-docs` | skip steps 7 and 8 |
 | `--include-archived` | include archived platforms in verify, packs, truth and export |
 | `--target TARGET` | filter verify, packs and truth by hardware target |