diff --git a/scripts/validation.py b/scripts/validation.py
index d4529bf5..481386f2 100644
--- a/scripts/validation.py
+++ b/scripts/validation.py
@@ -793,7 +793,12 @@ def digest_verdict(
     actual = hashes()[algorithm].lower()
     if algorithm != "md5":
         return actual in declared
-    if any(actual == d or (len(d) < 32 and actual.startswith(d)) for d in declared):
+    # Recalbox hashes a .zip by its members only (Bios.cpp:64-68), so the
+    # container's own md5 answers nothing there.
+    composite_only = file_entry.get("zip_digest") == "composite"
+    if not composite_only and any(
+        actual == d or (len(d) < 32 and actual.startswith(d)) for d in declared
+    ):
         return True
     member_digest = composite()
     return bool(member_digest) and member_digest.lower() in declared
diff --git a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
index d12efd68..34011ff7 100644
--- a/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
+++ b/tests/test_audit_regressions.py
@@ -1206,6 +1206,30 @@ class OneBaselineVerdict(unittest.TestCase):
                 ("frontend_digest_exact", None),
             )
 
+    def test_a_composite_only_archive_ignores_its_raw_md5(self):
+        """Recalbox hashes a .zip by its members (Bios.cpp:64-68), and the
+        pack check accepted the container's own md5 before the composite:
+        neocd.bin shipped as neocdz.zip passed while Recalbox marks it red."""
+        import hashlib
+
+        from scripts.common import md5_composite
+        from scripts.validation import digest_verdict
+
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(dir=TMP_ROOT) as directory:
+            archive = self._archive(Path(directory), "rom.bin")
+            raw = hashlib.md5(Path(archive).read_bytes()).hexdigest()
+            members = md5_composite(archive)
+            for declared, accepted in ((raw, False), (members, True)):
+                entry = {"name": "dragon32.zip", "md5": declared, "zip_digest": "composite"}
+                with self.subTest(declared=declared):
+                    self.assertIs(
+                        digest_verdict(entry, 0, lambda: {"md5": raw}, "md5", "",
+                                       lambda: members),
+                        accepted,
+                    )
+            plain = {"name": "dragon32.zip", "md5": raw}
+            self.assertTrue(digest_verdict(plain, 0, lambda: {"md5": raw}, "md5"))
+
     def test_a_release_asset_keeps_its_answer(self):
         from scripts.slots import apply_override
 
diff --git a/tests/test_doc_pages.py b/tests/test_doc_pages.py
index 99669ff0..e2414d26 100644
--- a/tests/test_doc_pages.py
+++ b/tests/test_doc_pages.py
@@ -322,6 +322,18 @@ class Md5CompositeDefinition(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("contents of every member", section)
         self.assertNotIn("inner file MD5s", section)
 
+    def test_composite_only_is_read_by_both_checks(self):
+        """The page said the direct MD5 is tried before the composite, which
+        Recalbox never does for a .zip, and the pack check did the same."""
+        import common
+        import validation
+
+        section = _section(_page("verification-modes.md"), "md5_composite (Recalbox ZIP verification)")
+        self.assertIn("zip_digest: composite", section)
+        self.assertNotIn("is tried before reporting a mismatch", section)
+        for function in (common.resolve_local_file, validation.digest_verdict):
+            self.assertIn('get("zip_digest") == "composite"', inspect.getsource(function))
+
 
 class ValidationIndexScope(unittest.TestCase):
     """The page said the index reads every profile. verify and the builder
diff --git a/wiki/verification-modes.md b/wiki/verification-modes.md
index 5b43d469..3990eda5 100644
--- a/wiki/verification-modes.md
+++ b/wiki/verification-modes.md
@@ -60,9 +60,16 @@ characters by prefix, and only for a file whose name the entry also names.
 
 Recalbox hashes a ZIP with `Zip::Md5Composite` (`es-core/src/utils/Zip.cpp:71-96` in
 recalbox-emulationstation at `f4cd0ae4`): one MD5 over the contents of every member,
-read in filename order. The members' own MD5s are not involved. `verify.py` computes
-the same value with `md5_composite()` (`scripts/hashing.py`). When a ZIP file's direct
-MD5 does not match, the composite is tried before reporting a mismatch.
+read in filename order. The members' own MD5s are not involved, and neither is the
+MD5 of the ZIP file itself: `Bios::Scan` takes the composite for every `.zip`
+(`es-app/src/bios/Bios.cpp:64-68`). `verify.py` computes the same value with
+`md5_composite()` (`scripts/hashing.py`).
+
+The registry gives Recalbox `zip_digest: composite`. For a platform so marked, a
+`.zip` entry is checked against its composite alone, by the resolver
+(`resolve_local_file`) and by the pack check (`digest_verdict` in
+`scripts/validation.py`). On other platforms the ZIP file's direct MD5 is tried first
+and the composite after it.
 
 ### Multi-hash (Recalbox)