diff --git a/scripts/cross_reference.py b/scripts/cross_reference.py
index dbf32475..f1b2c941 100644
--- a/scripts/cross_reference.py
+++ b/scripts/cross_reference.py
@@ -830,10 +830,19 @@ def main() -> None:
         )
         config = load_platform_config(args.platform, args.platforms_dir)
         relevant = resolve_platform_cores(config, profiles, target_cores=target_cores)
+        run_anywhere = (
+            set(resolve_platform_cores(config, profiles)) if args.target else relevant
+        )
         profiles = {k: v for k, v in profiles.items() if k in relevant}
         standalone_cores = standalone_set(config)
 
     if not profiles:
+        if args.emulator and args.target and set(args.emulator.split(",")) & run_anywhere:
+            raise SystemExit(
+                f"ERROR: {args.emulator} is not built for {args.platform}'s "
+                f"{args.target} target; {args.platform} runs it elsewhere "
+                f"(drop --target to see its files)"
+            )
         if args.emulator:
             raise SystemExit(f"ERROR: {args.emulator} is not run by {args.platform}")
         print(f"{args.platform or 'The tree'} runs no profiled emulator.", file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index f51ab6c2..37e11a87 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -4935,5 +4935,21 @@ class TheReadmeCountsSystemsAsListSystemsDoes(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(announced, listed)
 
 
+
+class ATargetIsNamedWhenItRemovesTheCore(unittest.TestCase):
+    """--platform batocera --target rpi4 --emulator dolphin said "dolphin is
+    not run by batocera", which runs it on every x86 board."""
+
+    def test_the_message_names_the_target(self):
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/cross_reference.py", "--platform", "batocera",
+             "--target", "bcm2711", "--emulator", "dolphin"],
+            cwd=ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=600,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(result.returncode, 1)
+        self.assertIn("bcm2711 target", result.stderr)
+        self.assertNotIn("is not run by", result.stderr)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()