diff --git a/scripts/check_freshness.py b/scripts/check_freshness.py
index d12d251b..7f582294 100644
--- a/scripts/check_freshness.py
+++ b/scripts/check_freshness.py
@@ -399,7 +399,11 @@ def check_native(platforms_dir: Path, cache_dir: Path, truth_dir: Path) -> list[
         exporter_class = exporters.get(name)
         if not exporter_class:
             continue
-        truth, scraped = export_native.load_inputs(name, truth_dir, str(platforms_dir))
+        try:
+            truth, scraped = export_native.load_inputs(name, truth_dir, str(platforms_dir))
+        except export_native.StaleTruth as exc:
+            findings.append(Finding("native", name, STALE, detail=str(exc)))
+            continue
         systems, _ = build_native_model(truth or {}, scraped)
         wanted = export_native.wanted_sources(exporter_class(), systems, scraped)
         reason = native_cache_state(
diff --git a/scripts/export_native.py b/scripts/export_native.py
index 9ef4a8a5..5a623b67 100644
--- a/scripts/export_native.py
+++ b/scripts/export_native.py
@@ -265,8 +265,11 @@ class StaleTruth(ValueError):
 @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=None)
 def _truth_sources(platforms_dir: str) -> tuple[dict, dict, dict | None]:
     """Registry, profiles and database, as generate_truth reads them."""
-    with open(Path(platforms_dir) / "_registry.yml") as handle:
-        registry = (yaml_load(handle) or {}).get("platforms", {})
+    registry_path = Path(platforms_dir) / "_registry.yml"
+    registry: dict = {}
+    if registry_path.exists():
+        with open(registry_path) as handle:
+            registry = (yaml_load(handle) or {}).get("platforms", {})
     profiles = load_emulator_profiles("emulators")
     db = load_database(TRUTH_DB) if Path(TRUTH_DB).exists() else None
     return registry, profiles, db
diff --git a/scripts/refresh_stale.py b/scripts/refresh_stale.py
index 4aa643ab..c9ebb363 100755
--- a/scripts/refresh_stale.py
+++ b/scripts/refresh_stale.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ Mapping (stale -> command):
                             -o platforms/<name>.yml
                             then the native refresh below: the original
                             the export patches must be the one just scraped
-    native/<name>           python scripts/export_native.py --platform <name>
+    native/<name>           python scripts/generate_truth.py --platform <name>, then
+                            python scripts/export_native.py --platform <name>
                             --refresh-cache
     targets/<name>          python -m scripts.scraper.targets.<module>
                             -o platforms/targets/<name>.yml
@@ -169,6 +170,10 @@ def plan_jobs(
         log = LOG_DIR / f"{area}__{_slug(subject)}.log"
         then: tuple[tuple[str, ...], ...] = ()
         if area == "platforms":
+            # The truth reads the platform file: regenerated first, or the
+            # native refresh refuses it as older than the profiles.
+            then = (tuple(_truth_refresh(subject)), tuple(_native_refresh(subject)))
+        elif area == "native":
             then = (tuple(_native_refresh(subject)),)
         jobs.append(
             Job(area=area, subject=subject, command=command, log_path=log, then=then)
@@ -177,6 +182,10 @@ def plan_jobs(
     return jobs, surfaced, ignored
 
 
+def _truth_refresh(platform: str) -> list[str]:
+    return [sys.executable, "scripts/generate_truth.py", "--platform", platform]
+
+
 def _native_refresh(platform: str) -> list[str]:
     return [
         sys.executable,
@@ -192,7 +201,9 @@ def _command_for(
 ) -> list[str] | None:
     """Map a stale finding to its refresh command, or None if manual."""
     if area == "native":
-        return _native_refresh(subject)
+        # export_native refuses a truth older than the profiles, so the
+        # truth comes first and the original follows (Job.then).
+        return _truth_refresh(subject)
 
     if area == "platforms":
         entry = registry.get(subject) or {}
diff --git a/tests/test_export_native_layer.py b/tests/test_export_native_layer.py
index 1cbcdb91..6e93642d 100644
--- a/tests/test_export_native_layer.py
+++ b/tests/test_export_native_layer.py
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class TheNativeLayerIsThePlatformsOwn(unittest.TestCase):
                 "        curated: true\n"
             )
             pack_view = common.load_platform_config("demo", str(platforms))
-            _truth, native = load_inputs("demo", platforms, str(platforms))
+            _truth, native = load_inputs("demo", platforms / "truth", str(platforms))
 
         self.assertEqual(
             [f["name"] for f in pack_view["systems"]["nec-pc-88"]["files"]],
diff --git a/tests/test_refresh_stale.py b/tests/test_refresh_stale.py
index e647088e..42ecb139 100644
--- a/tests/test_refresh_stale.py
+++ b/tests/test_refresh_stale.py
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ class Planning(unittest.TestCase):
             jobs[0].command[1:],
             ["-m", "scripts.scraper.retrobat_scraper", "-o", "platforms/retrobat.yml"],
         )
+        # The truth reads the platform file and export_native refuses one
+        # older than the profiles: regenerated between the two.
         self.assertEqual(
             [list(c[1:]) for c in jobs[0].then],
-            [["scripts/export_native.py", "--platform", "retrobat", "--refresh-cache"]],
+            [["scripts/generate_truth.py", "--platform", "retrobat"],
+             ["scripts/export_native.py", "--platform", "retrobat", "--refresh-cache"]],
         )
 
     def test_a_native_row_of_a_rescraped_platform_is_not_a_second_job(self):
@@ -57,10 +60,12 @@ class Planning(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_a_stale_original_alone_is_refreshed(self):
         jobs, _, _ = self._plan(finding("native", "lakka"))
         self.assertEqual(
-            jobs[0].command[1:],
-            ["scripts/export_native.py", "--platform", "lakka", "--refresh-cache"],
+            jobs[0].command[1:], ["scripts/generate_truth.py", "--platform", "lakka"]
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [list(c[1:]) for c in jobs[0].then],
+            [["scripts/export_native.py", "--platform", "lakka", "--refresh-cache"]],
         )
-        self.assertEqual(jobs[0].then, ())
 
     def test_a_platform_without_a_scraper_is_surfaced(self):
         jobs, surfaced, _ = self._plan(finding("platforms", "lakka"))