diff --git a/scripts/pipeline.py b/scripts/pipeline.py
index 2c2f23ede..90976b050 100644
--- a/scripts/pipeline.py
+++ b/scripts/pipeline.py
@@ -883,6 +883,32 @@ def _refuse_offline_without_caches(
         )
 
 
+def _refuse_offline_export_without_originals(
+    parser: argparse.ArgumentParser, args: argparse.Namespace,
+    cache: str = ".cache/upstream-native",
+) -> None:
+    """An offline run with --with-export needs each patched file cached.
+
+    Seven formats carry code, so step 2e patches the platform's own file,
+    which --offline does not fetch. On a fresh clone the database, verify
+    and the truth model were built before step 2e failed on every one.
+    """
+    if not (args.offline and args.with_export):
+        return
+    from exporter import discover_exporters  # noqa: PLC0415
+
+    lacking = sorted(
+        name for name, exporter in discover_exporters().items()
+        if exporter.needs_original() and not any(Path(cache, name).glob("*"))
+    )
+    if lacking:
+        parser.error(
+            f"--with-export patches each platform's own file, and {cache}/ holds none "
+            f"for {', '.join(lacking)}: run python scripts/export_native.py --all "
+            "--refresh-cache once, or drop --offline"
+        )
+
+
 def _truth_steps(args: argparse.Namespace, results: dict) -> bool:
     """Steps 2c to 2e: truth model, its diff, the native export."""
     all_ok = True
@@ -1010,6 +1036,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     args = parser.parse_args()
     _refuse_unapplied_flags(parser, args)
     _refuse_offline_without_caches(parser, args)
+    _refuse_offline_export_without_originals(parser, args)
     if not args.offline:
         # Read once and put in the environment every step inherits: the
         # scrapers and refresh_data_dirs went anonymous unless the user had
diff --git a/tests/test_tool_messages.py b/tests/test_tool_messages.py
index 7f043a22b..3f1a8abbd 100644
--- a/tests/test_tool_messages.py
+++ b/tests/test_tool_messages.py
@@ -175,6 +175,44 @@ class AnOfflineRunWithNoCacheStopsFirst(unittest.TestCase):
             parser.error.assert_not_called()
 
 
+class AnOfflineExportWithNoOriginalsStopsFirst(unittest.TestCase):
+    """pipeline.py --offline --with-export, which tools.md listed as a
+    standard command, built the database, verify and the truth model on a
+    fresh clone, then failed step 2e on every platform whose own file it
+    patches: --offline never passes --fetch."""
+
+    def _args(self, **flags):
+        import argparse
+
+        return argparse.Namespace(**{"offline": True, "with_export": True, **flags})
+
+    def test_refused_before_any_step(self):
+        from exporter import discover_exporters
+
+        patched = sorted(n for n, e in discover_exporters().items() if e.needs_original())
+        self.assertIn("batocera", patched)
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=REPO_ROOT / "tmp") as tmp:
+            parser = mock.Mock()
+            pipeline._refuse_offline_export_without_originals(parser, self._args(), tmp)
+            message = parser.error.call_args.args[0]
+            self.assertIn("export_native.py --all --refresh-cache", message)
+            self.assertIn("batocera", message)
+            for args in (self._args(offline=False), self._args(with_export=False)):
+                parser = mock.Mock()
+                pipeline._refuse_offline_export_without_originals(parser, args, tmp)
+                parser.error.assert_not_called()
+            for name in patched:
+                (Path(tmp) / name).mkdir()
+                (Path(tmp) / name / "original").write_text("x")
+            parser = mock.Mock()
+            pipeline._refuse_offline_export_without_originals(parser, self._args(), tmp)
+            parser.error.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_the_tools_page_says_so(self):
+        text = (REPO_ROOT / "wiki" / "tools.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        self.assertIn("export_native.py --all --refresh-cache", text)
+
+
 class TheTruthDiffShowsWhereAndAsksNothing(unittest.TestCase):
     """The markdown wrote `**Remove** hiscore.dat (phantom)` beside six
     `**Add** hiscore.dat`, none with a path, for files profiled cores read."""
diff --git a/wiki/advanced-usage.md b/wiki/advanced-usage.md
index c17cc07ac..d54969839 100644
--- a/wiki/advanced-usage.md
+++ b/wiki/advanced-usage.md
@@ -534,7 +534,8 @@ Include truth generation and diffing in the pipeline:
 python scripts/pipeline.py --offline --with-truth
 ```
 
-Include truth + native format export:
+Include truth + native format export. Offline, the platforms' own files
+must already be cached ([tools](tools.md#pipeline)):
 
 ```bash
 python scripts/pipeline.py --offline --with-export
diff --git a/wiki/tools.md b/wiki/tools.md
index c7dfae1dc..2c4b4290a 100644
--- a/wiki/tools.md
+++ b/wiki/tools.md
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ python scripts/pipeline.py --check-buildbot        # online run + buildbot fresh
 `python scripts/refresh_data_dirs.py` once first. A run that builds packs with no
 data directory cached is refused before step 0.
 
+`--with-export` online passes `--fetch` to step 2e, which downloads each
+platform's own file and patches it. Offline that file must already be in
+`.cache/upstream-native/`: on a fresh clone run
+`python scripts/export_native.py --all --refresh-cache` once first. An offline
+run with `--with-export` and an empty cache for any platform it patches is
+refused before step 0.
+
 Pipeline steps:
 
 | Step | Description | Skipped by |