diff --git a/packages/core/gea_app_entry.cpp b/packages/core/gea_app_entry.cpp
index 74084d1..7d39db7 100644
--- a/packages/core/gea_app_entry.cpp
+++ b/packages/core/gea_app_entry.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void drainMicrotasks();
 #endif
 extern "C" void gea_cycle_collection_defer_begin() GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;
 extern "C" void gea_cycle_collection_defer_end() GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;
-extern "C" bool gea_embedded_assets_prepare() __attribute__((weak));
+extern "C" bool gea_embedded_assets_prepare() GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;
 
 namespace gea::framework::app {
 
diff --git a/packages/core/include/platform/asset_bundle.h b/packages/core/include/platform/asset_bundle.h
index 8347048..f6a19e6 100644
--- a/packages/core/include/platform/asset_bundle.h
+++ b/packages/core/include/platform/asset_bundle.h
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ struct AssetSegment {
 inline bool loadAssetBundle(const char *path, const AssetSegment *segments,
                             std::size_t count, std::size_t bytes,
                             std::uint32_t expectedCrc) {
-  if (!ensureMounted())
+  if (!ensureMounted()) {
+    std::fprintf(stderr, "Gea asset bundle storage not mounted: %s\n", path);
     return false;
+  }
   auto *file = std::fopen(path, "rb");
   if (!file) {
     std::fprintf(stderr, "Gea asset bundle missing: %s\n", path);
diff --git a/packages/core/scripts/gea-file-asset-bundle.mjs b/packages/core/scripts/gea-file-asset-bundle.mjs
index b92ce15..65cfc74 100644
--- a/packages/core/scripts/gea-file-asset-bundle.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/scripts/gea-file-asset-bundle.mjs
@@ -26,7 +26,13 @@ export function fileAssetBundle(appDir, outCpp, kind, entries) {
     ? JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(manifestFile, "utf8"))
     : {};
   const directory = fileAssetDirectory(manifest);
-  if (!directory || !entries.length) return null;
+  const metadata = `${outCpp}.assets.json`;
+  if (!directory || !entries.length) {
+    // A manifest left from an earlier storage-backed build would still have
+    // deploy tooling push that bundle.
+    fs.rmSync(metadata, { force: true });
+    return null;
+  }
   const bytes = Buffer.concat(entries.map((entry) => Buffer.from(entry.data)));
   const hash = createHash("sha256").update(bytes).digest("hex");
   const id = String(manifest.gea?.id || path.basename(appDir)).replace(
@@ -43,7 +49,6 @@ export function fileAssetBundle(appDir, outCpp, kind, entries) {
     version: 1,
     files: [{ local, remote, bytes: bytes.length, sha256: hash }],
   };
-  const metadata = `${outCpp}.assets.json`;
   const contents = JSON.stringify(deployment, null, 2) + "\n";
   if (
     !fs.existsSync(metadata) ||
diff --git a/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_manifest.mjs b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_manifest.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e5d928
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_manifest.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import os from 'node:os'
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+const core = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..')
+const fixture = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'gea-assets-manifest-'))
+
+try {
+  // Dropping file storage must not leave the previous deployment manifest for
+  // deploy tooling to push.
+  const app = path.join(fixture, 'app')
+  const outCpp = path.join(fixture, 'images.cpp')
+  fs.mkdirSync(path.join(app, 'public'), { recursive: true })
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(app, 'public', 'pixel.png'), 'x')
+  const generate = (gea) => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(app, 'package.json'), JSON.stringify({ gea }))
+    execFileSync(process.execPath, [path.join(core, 'scripts', 'generate-gea-embedded-assets.mjs'), '--app-dir', app, '--out-cpp', outCpp], {
+      stdio: 'pipe'
+    })
+  }
+  const windows = process.platform === 'win32'
+  const store = path.join(fixture, 'store')
+  const directory = windows ? '/' + store.slice(path.parse(store).root.length).replaceAll('\\', '/') : store
+  generate({ id: 'manifest-test', embeddedAssets: { storage: { type: 'file', directory } } })
+  assert.ok(fs.existsSync(outCpp + '.assets.json'), 'a storage-backed build writes its manifest')
+  generate({ id: 'manifest-test' })
+  assert.ok(!fs.existsSync(outCpp + '.assets.json'), 'a build without storage removes the stale manifest')
+
+  console.log('Embedded assets manifest: a build without file storage removes the stale deployment manifest')
+} finally {
+  fs.rmSync(fixture, { recursive: true, force: true })
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_prepare.mjs b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_prepare.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16f22a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_assets_prepare.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import os from 'node:os'
+import path from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+// gea_app_entry.cpp references gea_embedded_assets_prepare, and Apple's ld rejects a
+// weak reference nothing defines, so the generated assets unit has to define it for
+// every app. Link the real entry object with each kind of generated unit and check
+// that the hook resolves. lld-link has no relocatable link, so COFF is covered by the
+// windows target's hook-defaults test instead.
+if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+  console.log('Embedded assets prepare: skipped on Windows (no relocatable link)')
+  process.exit(0)
+}
+
+const core = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..')
+const packages = path.dirname(core)
+const fixture = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'gea-assets-prepare-'))
+const cxx = process.env.CXX || 'clang++'
+const includes = ['core/include', 'core', 'host/include', 'host', 'engine', 'engine/ui', 'elements', 'elements/ui', 'geaos'].map(
+  (dir) => '-I' + path.join(packages, dir)
+)
+
+try {
+  const entry = path.join(fixture, 'entry.o')
+  execFileSync(cxx, ['-std=c++20', '-O2', '-c', path.join(core, 'gea_app_entry.cpp'), ...includes, '-o', entry], { stdio: 'inherit' })
+
+  const linked = (name, gea, asset) => {
+    const app = path.join(fixture, name)
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(app, 'public'), { recursive: true })
+    if (asset) fs.writeFileSync(path.join(app, 'public', 'pixel.png'), 'x')
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(app, 'package.json'), JSON.stringify({ gea }))
+    const cpp = path.join(fixture, name + '.cpp')
+    execFileSync(process.execPath, [path.join(core, 'scripts', 'generate-gea-embedded-assets.mjs'), '--app-dir', app, '--out-cpp', cpp], {
+      stdio: 'pipe'
+    })
+    const unit = path.join(fixture, name + '.o')
+    execFileSync(cxx, ['-std=c++20', '-O2', '-c', cpp, ...includes, '-o', unit], { stdio: 'inherit' })
+    const combined = path.join(fixture, name + '-linked.o')
+    execFileSync(cxx, ['-r', entry, unit, '-o', combined], { stdio: 'inherit' })
+    const symbols = execFileSync(process.env.NM || 'nm', [combined], { encoding: 'utf8' })
+    return symbols.split('\n').find((line) => /\b_?gea_embedded_assets_prepare$/.test(line))
+  }
+
+  for (const [name, gea, asset] of [
+    ['no-storage', { id: 'no-storage' }, true],
+    ['no-assets', { id: 'no-assets' }, false],
+    ['file-backed', { id: 'file-backed', embeddedAssets: { storage: { type: 'file', directory: '/nand/assets' } } }, true]
+  ]) {
+    const prepare = linked(name, gea, asset)
+    assert.ok(prepare, `${name}: the linked object names gea_embedded_assets_prepare`)
+    assert.doesNotMatch(prepare, /\s[Uwv]\s/, `${name}: gea_app_entry's reference resolves: ${prepare.trim()}`)
+  }
+
+  console.log('Embedded assets prepare: entry links against no-storage, no-asset and file-backed generated units')
+} finally {
+  fs.rmSync(fixture, { recursive: true, force: true })
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/test/test_embedded_weak_symbols.mjs b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_weak_symbols.mjs
index f4fe37f..48d1f4f 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/test_embedded_weak_symbols.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/test/test_embedded_weak_symbols.mjs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ assert.doesNotMatch(entry, /weak_import/, 'embedded GCC does not support the Mac
 assert.match(entry, /#else\n#define GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK __attribute__\(\(weak\)\)\n#endif/)
 assert.match(entry, /gea_cycle_collection_defer_begin\(\) GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;/)
 assert.match(entry, /gea_cycle_collection_defer_end\(\) GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;/)
+assert.match(entry, /gea_embedded_assets_prepare\(\) GEA_PROGRAM_HOOK;/)
 
 const initBody = entry.slice(entry.indexOf('void Application::init'), entry.indexOf('namespace {', entry.indexOf('void Application::init')))
 const frameBody = entry.slice(entry.indexOf('void Application::frame'), entry.indexOf('void Application::toggleSettings'))