diff --git a/emulators/eightyone.yml b/emulators/eightyone.yml
index ae543c87..ae9dbc34 100644
--- a/emulators/eightyone.yml
+++ b/emulators/eightyone.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ systems:
   - ringo-r470
   - microdigital-tk85
 
+exclusion_note: >
+  The system directory holds eightyone/ROMs, FDCs and IDEs, but every ROM the
+  core requests is served from its embedded table before any path is opened
+  (libretro/eo_roms.cpp:106-128). The one file it touches there is
+  zxpand-eeprom.bin, written when absent (81/Source/zxpand/smbsd.cpp:75-98).
 notes: |
   Recalbox port of EightyOne, vendored under 81/ and built with CMake.
   Machines: ZX80, ZX81, ZX97LE, TS1000, TS1500, TK85, Lambda 8300,
diff --git a/emulators/emucv.yml b/emulators/emucv.yml
index cb552746..48125d60 100644
--- a/emulators/emucv.yml
+++ b/emulators/emucv.yml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ cores:
 systems:
   - epochcv
 
+exclusion_note: >
+  The system directory is asked for and stored (src/core.cpp:362-366), and the
+  helpers that would read it back sit inside comment blocks
+  (src/common.cpp:799-937, src/common.cpp:1095-1719): the answer is never used.
 notes: |
   Cassette Vision emulator written for libretro by Maxime Marconato. The
   console has no system ROM: each cartridge carries the NEC uPD777 (or