diff --git a/emulators/desmume2015.yml b/emulators/desmume2015.yml
index 4712afd9..55b20148 100644
--- a/emulators/desmume2015.yml
+++ b/emulators/desmume2015.yml
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@ core_version: "SVN (2015 snapshot)"
 display_name: "Nintendo - DS (DeSmuME 2015)"
 cores: [desmume2015]
 systems: [nintendo-ds]
+exclusion_note: ".info declares firmware_count=3 but code never loads external BIOS (desmume_use_external_bios absent)"
 
 notes: |
   Frozen 2015 snapshot of DeSmuME. The external BIOS loading feature
   (desmume_use_external_bios) does NOT exist in this version.
-  The .info declares firmware_count=3 but the code never loads them.
   Verified: libretro.cpp has no bios7/bios9/firmware path construction.
   ref: desmume2015/desmume/src/frontend/libretro/libretro.cpp
 
diff --git a/emulators/dolphin_launcher.yml b/emulators/dolphin_launcher.yml
index 85230e4f..4b0ceda8 100644
--- a/emulators/dolphin_launcher.yml
+++ b/emulators/dolphin_launcher.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 emulator: "Dolphin Launcher"
 type: launcher
+exclusion_note: "stub core calls standalone Dolphin — all BIOS in Dolphin's own directory"
 source: "https://github.com/RobLoach/libretro-dolphin-launcher"
 profiled_date: "2026-03-18"
 core_version: "1.2.0"
diff --git a/scripts/verify.py b/scripts/verify.py
index d3e8f9dd..85a0cf03 100644
--- a/scripts/verify.py
+++ b/scripts/verify.py
@@ -286,19 +286,18 @@ def find_exclusion_notes(
         if profile.get("type") == "launcher":
             notes.append({
                 "emulator": emu_display, "reason": "launcher",
-                "detail": "BIOS managed by standalone emulator, not system_dir",
+                "detail": profile.get("exclusion_note", "BIOS managed by standalone emulator"),
             })
             continue
 
-        # Frozen snapshot with empty files
-        if not profile.get("files") and profile.get("notes"):
-            note_text = profile.get("notes", "")
-            if "frozen" in note_text.lower() or "snapshot" in note_text.lower() or "never loads" in note_text.lower():
-                notes.append({
-                    "emulator": emu_display, "reason": "frozen_snapshot",
-                    "detail": "code does not load external firmware despite .info declaration",
-                })
-                continue
+        # Profile-level exclusion note (frozen snapshots, etc.)
+        exclusion_note = profile.get("exclusion_note")
+        if exclusion_note:
+            notes.append({
+                "emulator": emu_display, "reason": "exclusion_note",
+                "detail": exclusion_note,
+            })
+            continue
 
         # Count standalone-only files
         standalone_files = [f for f in profile.get("files", []) if f.get("mode") == "standalone"]