diff --git a/scripts/pipeline.py b/scripts/pipeline.py
index d068389e..d59e1319 100644
--- a/scripts/pipeline.py
+++ b/scripts/pipeline.py
@@ -198,9 +198,13 @@ def check_consistency(verify_output: str, pack_output: str) -> bool:
                     f"  {v_label}: verify {v_ok}/{v_total} == pack {p_ok}/{p_total} OK"
                 )
             else:
+                # The invariant runs both ways: a builder more optimistic
+                # than the report ships files the report never vouched for.
                 print(
-                    f"  {v_label}: verify {v_ok}/{v_total}, pack {p_ok}/{p_total} OK (pack resolves more)"
+                    f"  {v_label}: MISMATCH pack {p_ok}/{p_total} OK "
+                    f"> verify {v_ok}/{v_total}"
                 )
+                all_ok = False
         else:
             print(f"  {v_label}: {v_ok}/{v_total} (no separate pack)")
             all_ok = False
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index ef3b2414..80d33955 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -482,6 +482,20 @@ class PipelineRegressions(unittest.TestCase):
         with contextlib.redirect_stdout(io.StringIO()):
             self.assertFalse(pipeline.check_consistency(verify, pack))
 
+    def test_a_pack_more_optimistic_than_verify_is_a_failure(self):
+        """The invariant held one way only: a pack counting more OK files
+        than the report passed as 'pack resolves more'."""
+        verify = "DupTest: 0/1 OK, 1 untested [md5]"
+        pack = "\n".join(
+            [
+                "Generating pack for DupTest [source=full]...",
+                "  x/DupTest_1_BIOS_Pack.zip: 1 files packed (1 baseline + 0 from cores), "
+                "1/1 files OK [md5]",
+            ]
+        )
+        with contextlib.redirect_stdout(io.StringIO()):
+            self.assertFalse(pipeline.check_consistency(verify, pack))
+
     def test_nothing_parsed_is_not_consistent(self):
         """A changed output format must not pass with no platform compared."""
         with contextlib.redirect_stdout(io.StringIO()):