diff --git a/scripts/common.py b/scripts/common.py
index 53376652..40e5bad1 100644
--- a/scripts/common.py
+++ b/scripts/common.py
@@ -275,19 +275,24 @@ def load_target_config(
         raise ValueError(msg)
 
     cores = set(str(c) for c in targets[canonical].get("cores", []))
+    return apply_target_overrides(cores, overrides, canonical)
 
-    default_ovr = overrides.get("_default", {})
-    ovr = overrides.get(canonical, {})
-    for c in default_ovr.get("add_cores", []):
-        cores.add(str(c))
-    for c in default_ovr.get("remove_cores", []):
-        cores.discard(str(c))
-    for c in ovr.get("add_cores", []):
-        cores.add(str(c))
-    for c in ovr.get("remove_cores", []):
-        cores.discard(str(c))
 
-    return cores
+def apply_target_overrides(
+    cores: set[str], overrides: dict, target: str
+) -> set[str]:
+    """Cores of one target once the platform's overrides are applied.
+
+    ``_default`` applies to every target of the platform, then the target's
+    own entry: a name the scraper reads as a core on every board (a machine
+    variant, a launcher) is written once instead of once per board.
+    """
+    result = set(cores)
+    for scope in ("_default", target):
+        entry = overrides.get(scope) or {}
+        result |= {str(c) for c in entry.get("add_cores") or []}
+        result -= {str(c) for c in entry.get("remove_cores") or []}
+    return result
 
 
 def list_available_targets(
diff --git a/scripts/generate_pack.py b/scripts/generate_pack.py
index c61717ca..9530c2a9 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_pack.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
 from common import (
+    apply_target_overrides,
     artifact_lock,
     ArtifactLockBusy,
     build_target_cores_cache,
@@ -1896,12 +1897,14 @@ def generate_target_manifests(targets_dir: str, output_dir: str) -> None:
         # file instead: the user asked for a filter and got the full pack.
         overrides_path = targets_path / "_overrides.yml"
         alias_map: dict[str, list[str]] = {}
+        platform_overrides: dict = {}
         if overrides_path.is_file():
             with open(overrides_path) as f:
                 all_overrides = yaml_load(f) or {}
-            for tname, ovr in (
+            platform_overrides = (
                 all_overrides.get(yml_file.stem, {}).get("targets", {}) or {}
-            ).items():
+            )
+            for tname, ovr in platform_overrides.items():
                 names = [a for a in (ovr or {}).get("aliases", []) if isinstance(a, str)]
                 if names:
                     alias_map[tname] = names
@@ -1925,7 +1928,12 @@ def generate_target_manifests(targets_dir: str, output_dir: str) -> None:
                     f"{yml_file}: target {target_name!r} cores must be unique "
                     "non-empty strings"
                 )
-            result[target_name] = cores
+            # The same add/remove lists the pack builder applies: a list
+            # published without them makes the installer skip files of a
+            # core the pack for that target ships.
+            result[target_name] = sorted(
+                apply_target_overrides(set(cores), platform_overrides, target_name)
+            )
 
         for target_name, names in alias_map.items():
             if target_name not in result:
diff --git a/tests/test_check_freshness.py b/tests/test_check_freshness.py
index 05e7c331..e017cf74 100644
--- a/tests/test_check_freshness.py
+++ b/tests/test_check_freshness.py
@@ -166,6 +166,28 @@ class CoreResolutionTests(unittest.TestCase):
             {"ghost": ["android", "linux"]},
         )
 
+    def test_a_default_override_drops_a_name_on_every_target(self):
+        index = cf.profile_name_index(self.PROFILES)
+        targets = {
+            "targets": {
+                "x86_64": {"cores": ["A500", "ghost"]},
+                "rpi": {"cores": ["A500", "na"]},
+            }
+        }
+        overrides = {
+            "plat": {
+                "targets": {
+                    "_default": {"remove_cores": ["A500"]},
+                    "rpi": {"remove_cores": ["na"]},
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        removed = cf._removed_cores(overrides, "plat")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            cf.unresolved_target_cores(targets, index, removed),
+            {"ghost": ["x86_64"]},
+        )
+
     def test_coreinfo_gaps_fold_case_and_flag_standalone_profiles(self):
         names = ["FreeIntvTSOverlay", "eka2l1", "wqxemu", "mednafen_psx"]
         unprofiled, standalone = cf.coreinfo_gaps(names, self.PROFILES)
diff --git a/tests/test_e2e.py b/tests/test_e2e.py
index 0e469a2a..6edd9a72 100644
--- a/tests/test_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/test_e2e.py
@@ -1747,6 +1747,33 @@ class TestE2E(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("core_a", cores)
         self.assertIn("core_b", cores)
 
+    def test_target_default_override_reaches_every_target(self):
+        """`_default` drops a name on every target, then the target adds its own."""
+        self._write_target_fixtures()
+        from common import load_target_config
+
+        targets_dir = os.path.join(self.platforms_dir, "targets")
+        overrides = {
+            "testplatform": {
+                "targets": {
+                    "_default": {"remove_cores": ["core_a"], "add_cores": ["core_z"]},
+                    "target-full": {"aliases": ["full"], "add_cores": ["core_a"]},
+                },
+            },
+        }
+        with open(os.path.join(targets_dir, "_overrides.yml"), "w") as f:
+            yaml.dump(overrides, f)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            load_target_config("testplatform", "target-minimal", self.platforms_dir),
+            {"core_z"},
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            load_target_config("testplatform", "full", self.platforms_dir),
+            {"core_a", "core_b", "core_c", "core_z"},
+        )
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            load_target_config("testplatform", "_default", self.platforms_dir)
+
     def test_target_single_target_noop(self):
         self._write_target_fixtures()
         from common import load_target_config
diff --git a/tests/test_install.py b/tests/test_install.py
index 51cfaf4f..2722d366 100644
--- a/tests/test_install.py
+++ b/tests/test_install.py
@@ -821,6 +821,33 @@ class TargetFlagIsAppliedOrRefused(unittest.TestCase):
                         f"{alias} disagrees with what the builder resolves",
                     )
 
+    def test_every_published_target_is_the_list_the_builder_resolves(self):
+        """add_cores and remove_cores reach the installer, not only the builder.
+
+        The published lists were the scraped ones, untouched by the
+        overrides: Batocera x86_64 lacked citron and xenia, which the pack
+        for that target ships, and carried the Amiga machine variants and
+        the launchers the builder drops.
+        """
+        import sys as _sys
+
+        _sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO_ROOT / "scripts"))
+        from common import load_target_config
+
+        manifests = sorted((REPO_ROOT / "install" / "targets").glob("*.json"))
+        if not manifests:
+            self.skipTest("no target manifest generated yet")
+        for path in manifests:
+            targets = json.loads(path.read_text())
+            for target, cores in targets.items():
+                if cores is None:
+                    continue
+                with self.subTest(platform=path.stem, target=target):
+                    resolved = load_target_config(
+                        path.stem, target, str(REPO_ROOT / "platforms")
+                    )
+                    self.assertEqual(cores, sorted(resolved))
+
 
 class TestBaseUrlScheme(unittest.TestCase):
     """The bootstraps insist on HTTPS; the installer must not be laxer."""