diff --git a/scripts/exporter/batocera_exporter.py b/scripts/exporter/batocera_exporter.py
index 11d97078..90325cf8 100644
--- a/scripts/exporter/batocera_exporter.py
+++ b/scripts/exporter/batocera_exporter.py
@@ -71,11 +71,12 @@ class Exporter(BaseExporter):
                 if not md5:
                     md5 = scraped_md5.get(name.lower(), "")
 
-                entry_parts = []
-                if md5:
-                    entry_parts.append(f'"md5": "{md5}"')
-                entry_parts.append(f'"file": "bios/{dest}"')
-                bios_parts.append("{ " + ", ".join(entry_parts) + " }")
+                # Original format requires md5 for every entry — skip without
+                if not md5:
+                    continue
+                bios_parts.append(
+                    f'{{ "md5": "{md5}", "file": "bios/{dest}" }}'
+                )
 
             bios_str = ", ".join(bios_parts)
             line = (
@@ -98,6 +99,12 @@ class Exporter(BaseExporter):
                 name = fe.get("name", "")
                 if name.startswith("_") or self._is_pattern(name):
                     continue
+                # Skip entries without md5 (not exportable in this format)
+                md5 = fe.get("md5", "")
+                if isinstance(md5, list):
+                    md5 = md5[0] if md5 else ""
+                if not md5:
+                    continue
                 dest = self._dest(fe)
                 if dest not in content and name not in content:
                     issues.append(f"missing: {name}")
diff --git a/scripts/exporter/retrobat_exporter.py b/scripts/exporter/retrobat_exporter.py
index 37d88068..118b1b49 100644
--- a/scripts/exporter/retrobat_exporter.py
+++ b/scripts/exporter/retrobat_exporter.py
@@ -60,10 +60,11 @@ class Exporter(BaseExporter):
                 if isinstance(md5, list):
                     md5 = md5[0] if md5 else ""
 
-                # Original format has md5 before file
+                # Original format requires md5 for every entry
+                if not md5:
+                    continue
                 entry: OrderedDict[str, str] = OrderedDict()
-                if md5:
-                    entry["md5"] = md5
+                entry["md5"] = md5
                 entry["file"] = f"bios/{dest}"
                 bios_files.append(entry)
 
@@ -102,6 +103,11 @@ class Exporter(BaseExporter):
                 name = fe.get("name", "")
                 if name.startswith("_") or self._is_pattern(name):
                     continue
+                md5 = fe.get("md5", "")
+                if isinstance(md5, list):
+                    md5 = md5[0] if md5 else ""
+                if not md5:
+                    continue
                 dest = self._dest(fe)
                 if name not in exported_files and dest not in exported_files:
                     issues.append(f"missing: {name}")