diff --git a/scripts/core_probe.py b/scripts/core_probe.py
index e2b303899..d16082927 100644
--- a/scripts/core_probe.py
+++ b/scripts/core_probe.py
@@ -110,6 +110,18 @@ def content_identity(path: Path, label: str | None) -> dict:
     }
 
 
+def describe_env_value(value: str) -> str:
+    """An environment value as a record keeps it: a file by name and sha256.
+
+    The path is a detail of the host that ran the probe, the bytes are what
+    the run depended on.
+    """
+    path = Path(value)
+    if path.is_absolute() and path.is_file():
+        return f"{path.name} sha256:{file_digest(path, 'sha256')}"
+    return value
+
+
 def parse_assignment(text: str, flag: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
     key, sep, value = text.partition("=")
     if not sep or not key:
@@ -878,7 +890,7 @@ def probe(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         "inputs": {
             "content": content_identity(Path(args.content), args.content_label) if args.content else None,
             "options": dict(args.option),
-            "env": dict(args.env),
+            "env": {key: describe_env_value(value) for key, value in args.env},
             "frames": args.frames,
             "warmup": args.warmup,
             "repetitions": repetitions,
diff --git a/tests/test_core_probe.py b/tests/test_core_probe.py
index 21cde243f..d66dc2770 100644
--- a/tests/test_core_probe.py
+++ b/tests/test_core_probe.py
@@ -147,6 +147,12 @@ class ParsingTests(unittest.TestCase):
             handle.flush()
             self.assertEqual(core_probe.elf_comment(Path(handle.name)), [])
 
+    def test_env_file_recorded_by_name_and_hash(self) -> None:
+        library = Path(sys.executable).resolve()
+        described = core_probe.describe_env_value(str(library))
+        self.assertEqual(described, f"{library.name} sha256:{core_probe.file_digest(library, 'sha256')}")
+        self.assertEqual(core_probe.describe_env_value("2000-01-01 00:00:00"), "2000-01-01 00:00:00")
+
     def test_cue_tracks(self) -> None:
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=REPO_ROOT / "tmp" / "tests") as tmp:
             cue = Path(tmp, "d.cue")
diff --git a/wiki/tools.md b/wiki/tools.md
index ad6c98dc2..fdedf65d1 100644
--- a/wiki/tools.md
+++ b/wiki/tools.md
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ strace the record says that tracing was unavailable.
 | `--frames`, `--warmup` | frames timed, and frames run before timing starts |
 | `--press FRAME:BUTTON[:LEN]` | hold a libretro joypad button on port 0 (`a`, `b`, `start`, `up`...). A menu may need 15 frames or more to see it |
 | `--joypad-ports N` | ports given a joypad after loading, as RetroArch does (default 2) |
-| `--env KEY=VALUE` | environment of the core process. A core that reads the host clock repeats only with the clock fixed, for example `LD_PRELOAD` of libfaketime with `FAKETIME` |
+| `--env KEY=VALUE` | environment of the core process. A core that reads the host clock repeats only with the clock fixed, for example `LD_PRELOAD` of libfaketime with `FAKETIME`. A value naming a file is recorded by file name and sha256 |
 | `--frame-hash-every K`, `--png-dir` | sha1 of every K-th frame, and those frames as PNG |
 | `--state-var SECTION.VAR` | a variable of a Mednafen save state, as an observable |
 | `--state-dir` | keep the save state taken at the end of the first repetition |