diff --git a/scripts/profile_sync.py b/scripts/profile_sync.py
index e46a0e44b..8e2f54e29 100644
--- a/scripts/profile_sync.py
+++ b/scripts/profile_sync.py
@@ -1257,6 +1257,14 @@ def _follow_fork_base(
         base = upstream.fork_base(
             view.repo, view.head, source.repo, source.head, cache_dir, offline
         )
+        if base and base != view.pin:
+            # A pin newer than the merge base names code the port does not
+            # carry: the upstream is a build of its own, the Qt melonDS or the
+            # EasyRPG Player a standalone + libretro profile documents, and
+            # its HEAD stays the reference. melonds read 825 commits back.
+            moved = upstream.ancestry(view.repo, base, view.pin, cache_dir, offline)
+            if moved and moved[0] > 0 and moved[1] == 0:
+                base = None
         followed.append(
             replace(view, head=base, origin=f"{view.origin}, fork base of {source.repo.slug}")
             if base else view
diff --git a/tests/test_profile_sync.py b/tests/test_profile_sync.py
index 147670577..d28137fb1 100644
--- a/tests/test_profile_sync.py
+++ b/tests/test_profile_sync.py
@@ -5465,7 +5465,7 @@ class UpstreamForkedByThePort(unittest.TestCase):
     upstream with the fork. Compared to upstream's own HEAD, a bump moved it
     past anything the port carries."""
 
-    def _views(self, base):
+    def _views(self, base, ancestry=None):
         from unittest import mock  # noqa: PLC0415
 
         fork = profile_sync.upstream.make_repo("github.com", "f", "port")
@@ -5477,7 +5477,9 @@ class UpstreamForkedByThePort(unittest.TestCase):
         ]
         with mock.patch.object(
             profile_sync.upstream, "fork_base", return_value=base
-        ) as asked:
+        ) as asked, mock.patch.object(
+            profile_sync.upstream, "ancestry", return_value=ancestry
+        ):
             followed = profile_sync._follow_fork_base(views, "cache", True)
         return followed, asked
 
@@ -5492,6 +5494,17 @@ class UpstreamForkedByThePort(unittest.TestCase):
         views, _ = self._views(None)
         self.assertEqual(views[1].head, "up-tip")
 
+    def test_a_pin_newer_than_the_base_keeps_the_tip(self):
+        """melonds documents the Qt standalone from melonDS-emu/melonDS: its
+        upstream_commit is 825 commits past the merge base with the libretro
+        fork, and reading its refs at the 2021 base reported them CHANGED."""
+        views, _ = self._views("old-merge", ancestry=(825, 0))
+        self.assertEqual(views[1].head, "up-tip")
+
+    def test_a_pin_behind_the_base_follows_it(self):
+        views, _ = self._views("new-base", ancestry=(0, 12))
+        self.assertEqual(views[1].head, "new-base")
+
 
 class ACachedTipOlderThanThePin(TestBuildReport):
     """scummvm-standalone was pinned on 6f7b060d while the cached tip was