diff --git a/scripts/scraper/base_scraper.py b/scripts/scraper/base_scraper.py
index 25112559..6c0c2a6d 100644
--- a/scripts/scraper/base_scraper.py
+++ b/scripts/scraper/base_scraper.py
@@ -164,6 +164,11 @@ def fetch_bytes(
 class BaseScraper(ABC):
     """Abstract base class for platform BIOS requirement scrapers."""
 
+    # False for a platform whose file list is inherited and whose scraper
+    # reads only its core list (RetroPie). Otherwise an empty read is an
+    # upstream that changed shape, never a platform with no file.
+    lists_files: bool = True
+
     def __init__(self, url: str = "") -> None:
         self.url = url
         self._raw_data: str | None = None
@@ -366,6 +371,12 @@ def scraper_cli(
         reqs = scraper.fetch_requirements()
     except (OSError, ValueError, RuntimeError) as e:
         _exit_on_scrape_error(e)
+    if scraper.lists_files and not reqs:
+        # Written, an empty read became a platform with no system that
+        # verify and the pack count 0/0 and call consistent.
+        _exit_on_scrape_error(RuntimeError(
+            f"{scraper_class.__module__}: upstream returned no BIOS entry"
+        ))
 
     if args.dry_run:
         by_system: dict[str, list] = {}
@@ -425,6 +436,12 @@ def scraper_cli(
                 if req.zipped_file:
                     entry["zipped_file"] = req.zipped_file
                 config["systems"][sys_id]["files"].append(entry)
+        if scraper.lists_files and not any(
+            (system or {}).get("files") for system in (config.get("systems") or {}).values()
+        ):
+            _exit_on_scrape_error(RuntimeError(
+                f"{scraper_class.__module__}: the generated platform lists no file"
+            ))
         # Merge into existing YAML: preserve fields the scraper doesn't generate
         # (data_directories, case_insensitive_fs, manually added metadata).
         # The scraper replaces systems + files, everything else is preserved.
diff --git a/scripts/scraper/retropie_scraper.py b/scripts/scraper/retropie_scraper.py
index 14e791b0..14ef1ff9 100644
--- a/scripts/scraper/retropie_scraper.py
+++ b/scripts/scraper/retropie_scraper.py
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ _PACKAGE_DIRS = _SCRIPT_SECTIONS
 class Scraper(BaseScraper):
     """Scraper for the RetroPie package list."""
 
+    lists_files = False
+
     def __init__(self, url: str | None = None) -> None:
         # The package list is read from master: the commit read is recorded.
         if url is None:
@@ -122,6 +124,8 @@ class Scraper(BaseScraper):
                 else:
                     found.add(match.group(1))
 
+        if not found:
+            raise ValueError(f"{self.url}: no rp_module_id under {SCRIPTMODULES}/")
         self._modules = sorted(found)
         return self._modules
 
diff --git a/tests/test_scraper_contract.py b/tests/test_scraper_contract.py
index 4b2d961c..edc7451c 100644
--- a/tests/test_scraper_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_scraper_contract.py
@@ -941,5 +941,66 @@ class HashScraperRefusesAnEmptyRead(unittest.TestCase):
                 self.assertTrue(f._is_cache_fresh())
 
 
+
+class EmptyScrapeWritesNothing(unittest.TestCase):
+    """An upstream that changed shape parses to nothing: the run fails and
+    the committed platform file stays as it was."""
+
+    def _run(self, scraper_class, output: Path) -> int:
+        from scraper.base_scraper import scraper_cli  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        argv = ["scraper", "-o", str(output)]
+        with mock.patch.object(sys, "argv", argv), \
+                mock.patch("sys.stderr", new_callable=io.StringIO):
+            try:
+                scraper_cli(scraper_class)
+            except SystemExit as exc:
+                return int(exc.code or 0)
+        return 0
+
+    def test_no_requirement_exits_non_zero(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            output = Path(tmp) / "platform.yml"
+            output.write_text("systems:\n  a:\n    files:\n    - name: x\n")
+            self.assertEqual(self._run(_StubScraper, output), 1)
+            self.assertIn("name: x", output.read_text())
+
+    def test_a_generated_file_without_files_exits_non_zero(self):
+        class NoSystems(_StubScraper):
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__([BiosRequirement(name="a.bin", system="s")])
+
+            def generate_platform_yaml(self) -> dict:
+                return {"platform": "x", "systems": {}}
+
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            output = Path(tmp) / "platform.yml"
+            self.assertEqual(self._run(NoSystems, output), 1)
+            self.assertFalse(output.exists())
+
+    def test_a_platform_that_inherits_its_files_may_list_none(self):
+        class CoresOnly(_StubScraper):
+            lists_files = False
+
+            def generate_platform_yaml(self) -> dict:
+                return {"inherits": "retroarch", "cores": ["mgba"]}
+
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            output = Path(tmp) / "platform.yml"
+            with mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=io.StringIO):
+                self.assertEqual(self._run(CoresOnly, output), 0)
+            self.assertIn("mgba", output.read_text())
+
+    def test_retropie_without_a_package_raises(self):
+        archive = RetroPiePackageList._archive(
+            {"scriptmodules/supplementary/autostart.sh": 'rp_module_id="autostart"\n'}
+        )
+        from scraper.retropie_scraper import Scraper  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        scraper = Scraper(url="https://codeload.github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/tar.gz/" + "0" * 40)
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            scraper.module_ids(archive)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()