diff --git a/schemas/pack-manifest.schema.json b/schemas/pack-manifest.schema.json
index 4b2a9910f..435c1c540 100644
--- a/schemas/pack-manifest.schema.json
+++ b/schemas/pack-manifest.schema.json
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@
       "type": "array",
       "uniqueItems": true,
       "items": { "enum": ["systems", "cores", "regions"] }
+    },
+    "install_list": {
+      "description": "The install manifest built with the same choices as the pack, as install/<platform>.json holds it. With the pack alone, the installer narrows by system, core and region from it. validate_schemas.py checks it against install-manifest.schema.json.",
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "targets": {
+      "description": "The platform's cores per hardware target, as install/targets/<platform>.json publishes them. With the pack alone, the installer applies the card's board and accepts --target from it. validate_schemas.py checks it against target-manifest.schema.json.",
+      "type": "object"
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/validate_schemas.py b/scripts/validate_schemas.py
index 42d8590a8..3430d6cb3 100644
--- a/scripts/validate_schemas.py
+++ b/scripts/validate_schemas.py
@@ -230,6 +230,12 @@ def _validate_pack_manifests(dist: Path) -> list[str]:
 
 def _scan_pack_manifests(dist: Path) -> list[str]:
     validator = _validator("pack-manifest.schema.json")
+    # The lists a pack carries for the installer, each under its own
+    # contract: the schemas name no other file, so they are checked here.
+    carried = {
+        "install_list": _validator("install-manifest.schema.json"),
+        "targets": _validator("target-manifest.schema.json"),
+    }
 
     def _label(path: Path) -> str:
         resolved = path.resolve()
@@ -255,6 +261,9 @@ def _scan_pack_manifests(dist: Path) -> list[str]:
                         out.append(f"{label}: {exc}")
                         continue
                     out.extend(_errors(validator, document, label))
+                    for key, inner in carried.items():
+                        if isinstance(document, dict) and key in document:
+                            out.extend(_errors(inner, document[key], f"{label}:{key}"))
         except (OSError, zipfile.BadZipFile) as exc:
             out.append(f"{_label(archive)}: {exc}")
     return out
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index 2701f5a00..f273e85c2 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -2139,6 +2139,42 @@ class InstallerBoundaryRegressions(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertTrue(errors, "an invalid in-archive manifest must be reported")
             self.assertTrue(any("sha1" in message for message in errors), errors)
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(HAS_JSONSCHEMA, "validating a schema needs jsonschema")
+    def test_a_pack_carries_its_install_list_and_board_lists(self):
+        """pack_systems puts the install list and the per-board core lists
+        in the pack's manifest.json, which install.py reads with the pack
+        alone. The pack schema refused both keys, and each is checked under
+        its own contract."""
+        import generate_pack
+        import validate_schemas
+
+        install_list = json.loads((ROOT / "install" / "romm.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        targets = {"browser": None, "rpi4": {"cores": ["mgba"], "images": ["rpi4"]}}
+        document = {
+            "schema_version": 1, "version": 1,
+            "generator": "retrobios generate_pack.py",
+            "generated": "2026-08-10T00:00:00Z", "files": [],
+            "summary": {"total_files": 0, "verified": 0, "untracked": 0, "errors": 0},
+            "errors": [],
+        }
+        generate_pack.annotate_pack_systems(
+            document, generate_pack.pack_systems(install_list, targets))
+        self.assertIn("install_list", document)
+        self.assertIn("targets", document)
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=TMP_ROOT) as directory:
+            dist = Path(directory)
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(dist / "Pack.zip", "w") as archive:
+                archive.writestr("manifest.json", json.dumps(document))
+            self.assertEqual(validate_schemas._validate_pack_manifests(dist), [])
+
+            broken = {**document, "targets": {"rpi4": [1]},
+                      "install_list": {**install_list, "files": "none"}}
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(dist / "Pack.zip", "w") as archive:
+                archive.writestr("manifest.json", json.dumps(broken))
+            errors = validate_schemas._validate_pack_manifests(dist)
+            self.assertTrue(any(":targets:" in message for message in errors), errors)
+            self.assertTrue(any(":install_list:" in message for message in errors), errors)
+
     def test_null_core_list_keeps_the_other_targets(self):
         """A target without a core inventory must not void the manifest.