diff --git a/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py b/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
index a00bbf8f..81905b74 100644
--- a/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
+++ b/scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py
@@ -544,6 +544,15 @@ def main() -> None:
         if args.key not in registry:
             log.error("unknown key: %s (available: %s)", args.key, ", ".join(registry))
             raise SystemExit(1)
+        allowed = registry[args.key].get("for_platforms")
+        if args.platform and allowed and args.platform not in allowed:
+            # The platform restriction applied only without --key: dolphin-sys
+            # was refreshed for RomM, which never reads it.
+            log.error(
+                "%s does not serve %s (for_platforms: %s)",
+                args.key, args.platform, ", ".join(allowed),
+            )
+            raise SystemExit(2)
         outcomes = {
             args.key: refresh_entry(
                 args.key, registry[args.key], force=args.force, dry_run=args.dry_run
diff --git a/tests/test_refresh_failures.py b/tests/test_refresh_failures.py
index 07db23a7..ef589050 100644
--- a/tests/test_refresh_failures.py
+++ b/tests/test_refresh_failures.py
@@ -138,5 +138,22 @@ class TheVersionIsReadBeforeTheDownload(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(json.loads(versions.read_text())["sys"]["sha"], "build-1")
 
 
+class AKeyMustServeThePlatform(unittest.TestCase):
+    """--platform narrowed only a full refresh: under --key it was ignored and
+    dolphin-sys was refreshed for RomM, which never reads it."""
+
+    def test_a_key_outside_the_platform_is_refused(self):
+        import subprocess  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+        refused = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, "scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py", "--key", "dolphin-sys",
+             "--platform", "romm", "--dry-run"],
+            cwd=root, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=120, check=False,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(refused.returncode, 2)
+        self.assertIn("does not serve romm", refused.stdout + refused.stderr)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()