diff --git a/scripts/auto_fetch.py b/scripts/auto_fetch.py
index 4f3dbf69..3704a5c4 100644
--- a/scripts/auto_fetch.py
+++ b/scripts/auto_fetch.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     require_directory,
     list_registered_platforms,
     load_database,
@@ -418,7 +419,7 @@ def generate_issue_body(missing: list[dict], platform: str) -> str:
 
 def main() -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(allow_abbrev=False, description="Auto-fetch missing BIOS files")
-    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", help="Platform to check")
+    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", type=platform_arg, help="Platform to check")
     parser.add_argument("--all", action="store_true", help="Check all platforms")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Don't download, just report"
diff --git a/scripts/common.py b/scripts/common.py
index dd9daac7..df830466 100644
--- a/scripts/common.py
+++ b/scripts/common.py
@@ -449,6 +449,24 @@ def suggest_names(typed: list[str], available: list[str], listing_flag: str) ->
     return f"{listing_flag} lists all {len(available)}."
 
 
+def platform_arg(value: str) -> str:
+    """--platform as typed, mapped to the registry's slug when it names one.
+
+    The site and the pack names say RetroArch and MiSTer FPGA; verify and
+    generate_pack refused both while install.py took them. Letters and
+    digits decide, as for pack names; anything else reaches require_platform
+    unchanged and gets its suggestion.
+    """
+    key = re.sub(r"[^a-z0-9]", "", value.lower())
+    if yaml is None or not os.path.isdir("platforms"):
+        return value
+    known = list_registered_platforms("platforms", include_archived=True)
+    for name in known:
+        if re.sub(r"[^a-z0-9]", "", name.lower()) == key:
+            return name
+    return value
+
+
 def require_platform(name: str, platforms_dir: str = "platforms") -> None:
     """Exit with a usable message when no platform answers to a name.
 
diff --git a/scripts/cross_reference.py b/scripts/cross_reference.py
index 61c82ffe..fcc09057 100644
--- a/scripts/cross_reference.py
+++ b/scripts/cross_reference.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     ProfileSelectionError,
     _norm_system_id,
     directory_members,
@@ -761,7 +762,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument("--db", default=DEFAULT_DB)
     parser.add_argument("--emulator", "-e", help="Analyze single emulator")
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--platform", "-p", help="Restrict analysis to one platform's cores"
+        "--platform", "-p", type=platform_arg, help="Restrict analysis to one platform's cores"
     )
     parser.add_argument("--target", "-t", help="Hardware target (e.g., switch, rpi4)")
     parser.add_argument("--json", action="store_true", help="JSON output")
diff --git a/scripts/diff_truth.py b/scripts/diff_truth.py
index 916e845e..a9a8cf20 100644
--- a/scripts/diff_truth.py
+++ b/scripts/diff_truth.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import sys
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     list_registered_platforms,
     load_platform_config,
     native_layer,
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     group.add_argument(
         "--all", action="store_true", help="diff all registered platforms"
     )
-    group.add_argument("--platform", help="diff a single platform")
+    group.add_argument("--platform", type=platform_arg, help="diff a single platform")
     # One output form: --json beside --format markdown printed JSON and
     # dropped the markdown without a word.
     output = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
diff --git a/scripts/export_native.py b/scripts/export_native.py
index 96200beb..a6fa3692 100644
--- a/scripts/export_native.py
+++ b/scripts/export_native.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ sys.path.insert(0, str(Path(__file__).resolve().parent))
 
 from artifacts import file_lock, write_bytes_atomic, write_text_atomic
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     list_registered_platforms,
     load_platform_config,
     native_layer,
@@ -513,7 +514,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     )
     group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
     group.add_argument("--all", action="store_true", help="every platform")
-    group.add_argument("--platform", help="a single platform")
+    group.add_argument("--platform", type=platform_arg, help="a single platform")
     parser.add_argument("--output-dir", default="dist/upstream")
     parser.add_argument("--truth-dir", default="dist/truth")
     parser.add_argument("--platforms-dir", default="platforms")
diff --git a/scripts/generate_pack.py b/scripts/generate_pack.py
index d1320b53..7238dd88 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_pack.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import resolve_platform_cores as _platform_cores
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     require_directory,
     target_listing_line,
     suggest_names,
@@ -2874,7 +2875,7 @@ def main() -> None:
 
 def _main(held: contextlib.ExitStack) -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(allow_abbrev=False, description="Generate platform BIOS ZIP packs")
-    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", help="Platform name (e.g., retroarch)")
+    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", type=platform_arg, help="Platform name (e.g., retroarch)")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--all", action="store_true", help="Generate packs for all active platforms"
     )
diff --git a/scripts/generate_truth.py b/scripts/generate_truth.py
index 236ddab6..e83ad6b7 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_truth.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_truth.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import sys
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     list_registered_platforms,
     load_database,
     load_emulator_profiles,
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ def parse_args(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> argparse.Namespace:
     )
     group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
     group.add_argument("--all", action="store_true", help="all registered platforms")
-    group.add_argument("--platform", help="single platform name")
+    group.add_argument("--platform", type=platform_arg, help="single platform name")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--output-dir",
         default=DEFAULT_OUTPUT_DIR,
diff --git a/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py b/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
index e36f865e..97e455e3 100644
--- a/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
+++ b/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import urllib.request
 import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from artifacts import file_lock as _file_lock
-from common import require_platform, yaml_load
+from common import platform_arg, require_platform, yaml_load
 
 try:
     import yaml
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Preview without downloading"
     )
-    parser.add_argument("--platform", help="Only refresh entries for this platform")
+    parser.add_argument("--platform", type=platform_arg, help="Only refresh entries for this platform")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--registry", default=DEFAULT_REGISTRY, help="Path to _data_dirs.yml"
     )
diff --git a/scripts/slots.py b/scripts/slots.py
index 64c296db..9b22e28e 100644
--- a/scripts/slots.py
+++ b/scripts/slots.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 import nativemode
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     archive_entry,
     build_zip_contents_index,
     check_inside_zip,
@@ -818,7 +819,7 @@ def main() -> int:
         description="Report destinations where an emulator profile contradicts "
         "the file a platform baseline would ship.",
     )
-    parser.add_argument("--platform", help="one platform instead of all")
+    parser.add_argument("--platform", type=platform_arg, help="one platform instead of all")
     parser.add_argument("--db", default="database.json")
     parser.add_argument("--platforms-dir", default="platforms")
     parser.add_argument("--emulators-dir", default="emulators")
diff --git a/scripts/verify.py b/scripts/verify.py
index 40704888..c9350a56 100644
--- a/scripts/verify.py
+++ b/scripts/verify.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import slots
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import (
+    platform_arg,
     target_listing_line,
     suggest_names,
     require_platform,
@@ -2106,7 +2107,7 @@ def main() -> None:
 
 def _main(held: contextlib.ExitStack) -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(allow_abbrev=False, description="Platform-native BIOS verification")
-    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", help="Platform name")
+    parser.add_argument("--platform", "-p", type=platform_arg, help="Platform name")
     parser.add_argument(
         "--all", action="store_true", help="Verify all active platforms"
     )
diff --git a/tests/test_system_selection.py b/tests/test_system_selection.py
index 00559e43..6fdc8ef7 100644
--- a/tests/test_system_selection.py
+++ b/tests/test_system_selection.py
@@ -128,6 +128,24 @@ class AMistypedPlatformIsNamed(unittest.TestCase):
                 self.assertIn("Did you mean 'batocera'?", proc.stderr)
         self.assertFalse(out.exists())
 
+    def test_the_names_the_site_prints_are_accepted(self):
+        """`--platform RetroArch` and `--platform "MiSTer FPGA"` were refused
+        by verify and generate_pack while install.py took them."""
+        from common import platform_arg  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        previous = os.getcwd()
+        os.chdir(REPO_ROOT)
+        self.addCleanup(os.chdir, previous)
+        self.assertEqual(platform_arg("RetroArch"), "retroarch")
+        self.assertEqual(platform_arg("MiSTer FPGA"), "misterfpga")
+        self.assertEqual(platform_arg("retroarh"), "retroarh")
+        for name in [p.name for p in (REPO_ROOT / "scripts").glob("*.py")
+                     if re.search(r'add_argument\(\s*"--platform"', p.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))]:
+            with self.subTest(script=name):
+                source = (REPO_ROOT / "scripts" / name).read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+                call = re.search(r'add_argument\(\s*"--platform"[^)]*\)', source).group(0)
+                self.assertIn("type=platform_arg", call)
+
     def test_the_list_holds_every_script_taking_a_platform(self):
         taking = {
             path.name for path in (REPO_ROOT / "scripts").glob("*.py")