diff --git a/scripts/generate_pack.py b/scripts/generate_pack.py
index 06340b6b..501bd742 100644
--- a/scripts/generate_pack.py
+++ b/scripts/generate_pack.py
@@ -1224,6 +1224,14 @@ def _pack_data_tree(
     return added
 
 
+def _same_bytes(path: str, other: str | None) -> bool:
+    if not other:
+        return False
+    if os.path.realpath(path) == os.path.realpath(other):
+        return True
+    return compute_hashes(path)["sha1"] == compute_hashes(other)["sha1"]
+
+
 def generate_emulator_pack(
     profile_names: list[str],
     emulators_dir: str,
@@ -1279,6 +1287,9 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
         set()
     )  # parent dirs of added files (path conflict detection)
     seen_hashes: set[str] = set()  # SHA1 dedup for same file, different path
+    # Loose file packed at each folded destination, to tell a profile asking
+    # for the same file there from one asking for other bytes.
+    packed_at: dict[str, str] = {}
     data_dir_notices: list[str] = []
     data_registry = load_data_dir_registry(
         platforms_dir or os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "platforms")
@@ -1390,15 +1401,18 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                 slots.setdefault(dest, []).append(fe)
 
             for dest, alternatives in slots.items():
-                if dest.lower() in seen_lower:
-                    continue
-                if _has_path_conflict(dest, seen_destinations, seen_parents):
-                    continue
+                # Name order, first file wins, case folded: verify replays
+                # the rule and reports a later profile's file as missing.
+                block = placement_block(
+                    dest, seen_destinations, seen_lower, seen_parents, True
+                )
 
                 provided = next(
                     (fe for fe in alternatives if fe.get("storage") == "user_provided"),
                     None,
                 )
+                if provided is not None and block:
+                    continue
                 if provided is not None:
                     # Instructions, not a file: written beside the slot the
                     # user fills, and counted apart from what the pack holds.
@@ -1421,6 +1435,7 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                 chosen: tuple[dict, str, str | None] | None = None
                 fallback: tuple[dict, str, str | None] | None = None
                 refusal: str | None = None
+                refused_path: str | None = None
                 for fe in alternatives:
                     local_path, status = resolve_file(
                         {**fe, "source_profile": emu_name},
@@ -1446,6 +1461,7 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                     if disagreement:
                         reason = disagreement.split(" says ", 1)[-1]
                         refusal = refusal or f"{fe['name']} -{reason}"
+                        refused_path = refused_path or local_path
                         continue
                     if better != local_path:
                         chosen = (fe, better, None)
@@ -1459,6 +1475,20 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                     break
                 chosen = chosen or fallback
 
+                if block:
+                    held = (
+                        chosen[1] if chosen is not None and chosen[2] != "external"
+                        else None if chosen is not None else refused_path
+                    )
+                    if chosen is not None or held is not None:
+                        if block == "taken" and held and _same_bytes(
+                            held, packed_at.get(dest.lower())
+                        ):
+                            # The file already at this path, asked for twice.
+                            continue
+                        missing_files.append(alternatives[0]["name"])
+                        continue
+
                 if chosen is None:
                     if refusal:
                         rejected_files.append(refusal)
@@ -1508,6 +1538,7 @@ def generate_emulator_pack(
                 seen_destinations.add(dest)
                 _register_path(dest, seen_destinations, seen_parents)
                 seen_lower.add(dest.lower())
+                packed_at[dest.lower()] = local_path
                 total_files += 1
 
     # Remove empty ZIP (no files packed and no missing = nothing to ship)
diff --git a/scripts/verify.py b/scripts/verify.py
index 9768a032..f8d35ea9 100644
--- a/scripts/verify.py
+++ b/scripts/verify.py
@@ -1463,7 +1463,12 @@ def verify_emulator(
     A region priority list narrows the report the same way a pack built with the
     same list would be narrowed, through the emulator pack's own drop set.
     """
-    from packpaths import _archive_destination, _resolve_destination
+    from packpaths import (
+        _archive_destination,
+        _register_path,
+        _resolve_destination,
+        placement_block,
+    )
 
     load_emulator_profiles(emulators_dir)
     zip_contents = build_zip_contents_index(db)
@@ -1491,7 +1496,16 @@ def verify_emulator(
 
         region_drops = emulator_region_drops(selected, standalone, regions)
 
-    for emu_name, profile in selected:
+    # The emulator pack walks profiles in name order and keeps the first
+    # file at a path, folding case: a later profile's different file there
+    # (zesarux pentagon.rom after speccy's PENTAGON.ROM) is not in the pack.
+    sha1_by_path = {
+        entry.get("path"): sha1 for sha1, entry in db.get("files", {}).items()
+    }
+    placed: dict[str, tuple[str | None, str, str]] = {}
+    placed_files: set[str] = set()
+    placed_parents: set[str] = set()
+    for emu_name, profile in sorted(selected):
         files = expand_directory_entries(
             filter_files_by_mode(profile.get("files", []), standalone),
             db,
@@ -1701,7 +1715,48 @@ def verify_emulator(
             held = [a for a in alternatives if a[0]["status"] == Status.OK]
             if held and len(alternatives) > 1:
                 alternatives = held[:1]
+            # What the emulator pack places here: an accepted file, else a
+            # file whose hash the profile contradicts. A refused copy is held
+            # but never packed.
+            fallback_reason = "declared hash contradicted by the local file"
+            packed = next(
+                (a[0].get("path") for a in alternatives
+                 if a[0]["status"] == Status.OK and a[0].get("path")),
+                None,
+            ) or next(
+                (a[0].get("path") for a in alternatives
+                 if a[0]["status"] == Status.UNTESTED
+                 and a[0].get("reason") == fallback_reason and a[0].get("path")),
+                None,
+            )
+            held = packed or next(
+                (a[0].get("path") for a in alternatives
+                 if a[0]["status"] != Status.MISSING and a[0].get("path")),
+                None,
+            )
+            block = placement_block(
+                dest, placed_files, set(placed), placed_parents, True
+            )
+            block_reason = ""
+            if block and held is not None:
+                other_sha1, owner, other_dest = placed.get(dest.lower(), (None, "", ""))
+                if block == "path_conflict":
+                    block_reason = "a packed file occupies its directory"
+                elif block == "case_twin":
+                    block_reason = (
+                        f"packed only as {other_dest}, from {owner}"
+                        if sha1_by_path.get(held) == other_sha1
+                        else f"the pack holds {owner}'s {other_dest} at this path"
+                    )
+                elif sha1_by_path.get(held) != other_sha1:
+                    block_reason = f"the pack holds {owner}'s {other_dest} at this path"
+            elif not block and packed is not None:
+                placed[dest.lower()] = (sha1_by_path.get(packed), emu_name, dest)
+                _register_path(dest, placed_files, placed_parents)
             for result, required, hle in alternatives:
+                if block_reason and result["status"] != Status.MISSING:
+                    result["status"] = Status.MISSING
+                    result["reason"] = block_reason
                 result["destination"] = dest
                 details.append(result)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_emulator_pack_counts.py b/tests/test_emulator_pack_counts.py
index 61fc95c0..44209d4e 100644
--- a/tests/test_emulator_pack_counts.py
+++ b/tests/test_emulator_pack_counts.py
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@ from pathlib import Path
 REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent
 
 # kronos: an archive unit under its archive_prefix and a loose same-named file.
+# speccy,zesarux: the pack keeps speccy's PENTAGON.ROM and drops zesarux's
+# 32 KB pentagon.rom, which verify called covered.
 CASES = (
     "raze", "rust_dos", "hatari", "xash3d_fwgs", "catacombgl", "openjk", "sonic2013",
-    "kronos",
+    "kronos", "speccy,zesarux",
 )
 
 
@@ -49,7 +51,8 @@ class PackAndReportAgree(unittest.TestCase):
                     cwd=REPO_ROOT, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=900, check=False,
                 ).stdout
                 summary = next(line for line in pack.splitlines() if "_BIOS_Pack.zip:" in line)
-                verdict = next(line for line in report.splitlines() if line.startswith(f"{emulator}:"))
+                label = emulator.replace(",", " + ")
+                verdict = next(line for line in report.splitlines() if line.startswith(f"{label}:"))
                 ok = int(re.search(r"(\d+)/\d+ OK", verdict).group(1))
                 self.assertEqual(_count(summary, "files packed"), ok, (summary, verdict))
                 self.assertEqual(_count(summary, "missing"), _count(verdict, "missing"))