diff --git a/scripts/check_freshness.py b/scripts/check_freshness.py
index a1116142d..a91875ab4 100644
--- a/scripts/check_freshness.py
+++ b/scripts/check_freshness.py
@@ -822,6 +822,9 @@ def check_coreinfo(
     record_path: Path = CORE_INFO_RECORD,
 ) -> list[Finding]:
     blobs = core_info_blobs(cache_dir, offline)
+    if blobs is None and offline:
+        # Offline with no cached listing, nothing was asked of the upstream.
+        return [Finding("coreinfo", "libretro-core-info", SKIPPED, detail="offline")]
     if blobs is None:
         return [Finding("coreinfo", "libretro-core-info", UNKNOWN, detail="listing unavailable")]
     names = list(blobs)
diff --git a/tests/test_check_freshness.py b/tests/test_check_freshness.py
index 05b6cc70b..33871a167 100644
--- a/tests/test_check_freshness.py
+++ b/tests/test_check_freshness.py
@@ -310,6 +310,15 @@ class CoreResolutionTests(unittest.TestCase):
             with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
                 cf.record_core_info({"a": "2"}, ["ghost"], record)
 
+    def test_offline_without_a_cached_listing_is_skipped(self):
+        """Offline, the row read UNKNOWN and failed the run as an upstream
+        that could not be read, though nothing was asked of it."""
+        with mock.patch.object(cf, "core_info_blobs", return_value=None):
+            (row,) = cf.check_coreinfo(self.PROFILES, "", True)
+            self.assertEqual((row.status, row.detail), (cf.SKIPPED, "offline"))
+            (row,) = cf.check_coreinfo(self.PROFILES, "", False)
+            self.assertEqual(row.status, cf.UNKNOWN)
+
     def test_the_committed_record_holds_git_blobs(self):
         recorded = cf.load_core_info_record()
         self.assertIsNotNone(recorded)