diff --git a/scripts/generate_pack.py b/scripts/generate_pack.py
index 0b5ba8a7f..a7892e3b6 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_pack.py
@@ -3160,6 +3160,12 @@ def _main(held: contextlib.ExitStack) -> None:
         help="Extract and verify pack integrity (path + hash)",
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    from verify import work_from_repo_root
+
+    work_from_repo_root(
+        args, parser,
+        ["db", "platforms_dir", "bios_dir", "output_dir", "emulators_dir", "from_md5_file"],
+    )
     packresolve.set_offline(bool(args.offline))
     if args.platform:
         require_platform(args.platform, args.platforms_dir)
diff --git a/scripts/verify.py b/scripts/verify.py
index dfae360a1..c7078a22e 100644
--- a/scripts/verify.py
+++ b/scripts/verify.py
@@ -109,6 +109,30 @@ DEFAULT_BIOS_DIR = "bios"
 # that pass no directory.
 _REPO_PLATFORMS = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "platforms")
 DEFAULT_EMULATORS_DIR = "emulators"
+REPO_ROOT = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+
+
+def work_from_repo_root(
+    args: argparse.Namespace, parser: argparse.ArgumentParser, path_flags: list[str]
+) -> None:
+    """Run from the repository root, whichever directory the command started in.
+
+    database.json records every file from the root and the data registry
+    names its caches the same way, so a run from scripts/ ended on a
+    FileNotFoundError traceback. A path the caller typed is read from where
+    they typed it, a default from the root.
+    """
+    if os.path.realpath(os.getcwd()) == os.path.realpath(REPO_ROOT):
+        return
+    for flag in path_flags:
+        value = getattr(args, flag, None)
+        if value and value != parser.get_default(flag):
+            setattr(args, flag, os.path.abspath(value))
+    os.chdir(REPO_ROOT)
+    if getattr(args, "platform", None):
+        # Read before the move, the registry was not there to map
+        # "RetroArch" to its slug.
+        args.platform = platform_arg(args.platform)
 
 
 # Status model: aligned with Batocera BiosStatus (batocera-systems:967-969)
@@ -2367,6 +2391,7 @@ def _main(held: contextlib.ExitStack) -> None:
         "present with an unconfirmed hash is a warning, not a failure",
     )
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    work_from_repo_root(args, parser, ["db", "platforms_dir", "emulators_dir"])
     if args.platform:
         require_platform(args.platform, args.platforms_dir)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index 42e2d6b5b..52d402416 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -5995,5 +5995,36 @@ class PipelineOutputDirIsTheOneItWrites(unittest.TestCase):
         )
 
 
+class ToolsRunFromAnyDirectory(unittest.TestCase):
+    """From scripts/, verify.py and generate_pack.py ended on a
+    FileNotFoundError traceback about platforms/_registry.yml."""
+
+    def _run(self, cwd: Path, *argv: str) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+        return subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, *argv], cwd=cwd, capture_output=True, text=True,
+            timeout=600,
+        )
+
+    def test_listing_works_from_scripts(self):
+        for script in ("verify.py", "generate_pack.py"):
+            with self.subTest(script=script):
+                proc = self._run(
+                    ROOT / "scripts", str(ROOT / "scripts" / script),
+                    "--platform", "RetroArch", "--list-systems",
+                )
+                self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 0, proc.stderr)
+                self.assertNotIn("Traceback", proc.stderr)
+                self.assertIn("sony-playstation", proc.stdout)
+
+    def test_a_typed_path_is_read_from_where_it_was_typed(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=TMP_ROOT) as tmp:
+            proc = self._run(
+                Path(tmp), str(ROOT / "scripts" / "generate_pack.py"),
+                "--manifest-targets", "--output-dir", "lists",
+            )
+            self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 0, proc.stderr)
+            self.assertTrue(Path(tmp, "lists", "retroarch.json").is_file())
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()