diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 538123e2..966afd33 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: "3.12"
 
+      - name: Refresh data directories
+        if: steps.rate.outputs.skip != 'true'
+        run: python scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
+        continue-on-error: true
+
       - name: Build packs
         if: steps.rate.outputs.skip != 'true'
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/watch.yml b/.github/workflows/watch.yml
index 5c4e9cbe..987a3a0a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/watch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/watch.yml
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ jobs:
           python scripts/generate_db.py --bios-dir bios --output database.json
           python scripts/auto_fetch.py --all 2>&1 | tee /tmp/fetch_report.txt || true
 
+      - name: Refresh data directories
+        run: python scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py --force
+
       - name: Deduplicate BIOS files
         run: python scripts/dedup.py
 
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b789a92c..001757db 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ bios/Sony/PlayStation 3/PS3UPDAT.PUP
 bios/Sony/PlayStation Vita/PSVUPDAT.PUP
 bios/Sony/PlayStation Vita/PSP2UPDAT.PUP
 
+# Data directories (fetched at build time)
+data/
+
 # Large files stored as GitHub Release assets (additional)
 bios/Arcade/MAME/artwork/snspell.zip
 bios/Arcade/MAME/MAME 0.174 Arcade XML.dat