diff --git a/scripts/verify.py b/scripts/verify.py
index 17c89783..d0169248 100644
--- a/scripts/verify.py
+++ b/scripts/verify.py
@@ -1122,8 +1122,11 @@ def _print_undeclared_section(result: dict, verbose: bool) -> None:
     if not undeclared:
         return
 
-    bios_files = [u for u in undeclared if u.get("category", "bios") == "bios"]
+    # Everything that is not game data is firmware the core loads, archives
+    # included: a bios_zip sat in neither list, so a required one that was
+    # missing was never printed.
     game_data = [u for u in undeclared if u.get("category", "bios") == "game_data"]
+    bios_files = [u for u in undeclared if u.get("category", "bios") != "game_data"]
 
     req_not_in_repo = [
         u
diff --git a/tests/test_verify_listing.py b/tests/test_verify_listing.py
index 7c3a0b47..d52dff3f 100644
--- a/tests/test_verify_listing.py
+++ b/tests/test_verify_listing.py
@@ -96,5 +96,24 @@ class EmulatorPackReadsThePlatformsDir(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(seen, ["elsewhere"])
 
 
+
+class CoreArchivesAreCounted(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_a_missing_required_bios_zip_is_printed(self):
+        import contextlib  # noqa: PLC0415
+        import io  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        sys.path.insert(0, str(REPO_ROOT / "scripts"))
+        import verify  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+        result = {"undeclared_files": [
+            {"name": "neogeo.zip", "category": "bios_zip", "required": True,
+             "in_repo": False, "emulator": "fbneo"},
+        ]}
+        out = io.StringIO()
+        with contextlib.redirect_stdout(out):
+            verify._print_undeclared_section(result, verbose=False)
+        self.assertIn("1 required missing", out.getvalue())
+        self.assertIn("neogeo.zip", out.getvalue())
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()