diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index ad79c024bb..e56cd9e740 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -6,3 +6,5 @@ markdown-include
 pymdown-extensions
 pillow
 cairosvg
+# selectolax 1.0.1 makes mkdocs-glightbox drop every image from the built site (Oct 2026).
+selectolax<1.0.1
diff --git a/tools/docs-checks/README.md b/tools/docs-checks/README.md
index 44f5a40a2d..73bf12c69d 100644
--- a/tools/docs-checks/README.md
+++ b/tools/docs-checks/README.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ changed lines in the PR. Fix them and push again; the checks re-run.
 | `check_markdown.py` | Missing front matter `title:` or `description:`, heading levels that skip (`##` to `####`), more than one `#` H1, images without alt text, snippet includes that point at a missing file or start inside the included page's front matter | Add the field, use the next heading level, describe the image inside `![...]`, or start the include after the included page's closing `---` |
 | `check_secrets.py` | ESPHome API encryption keys, generated OTA passwords, passwords typed into YAML, and access tokens | Use `!secret` (or a placeholder like `your-wifi-password`). If the value was real, change it on the device or account too |
 | `check_images.py` | Photos with GPS location data (phones add it by default) | `exiftool -gps:all= -overwrite_original docs/assets/<file>` |
-| `check_links.py` | Broken links, links to a missing `#anchor`, filename case mismatches (GitHub Pages is case-sensitive), and images without alt text, checked on the built site | Fix the link target or anchor; match the file name's case exactly |
+| `check_links.py` | Broken links, links to a missing `#anchor`, filename case mismatches (GitHub Pages is case-sensitive), images without alt text, and a built site with far fewer images than the Markdown, checked on the built site | Fix the link target or anchor; match the file name's case exactly. If images went missing, look for a recently updated build package and pin it in `requirements.txt` |
 
 Warnings (shown, but they don't fail the PR): em dashes and the filler words
 the style guide bans, and images or recordings over 1.5 MB that the PR adds
diff --git a/tools/docs-checks/check_links.py b/tools/docs-checks/check_links.py
index 20198d3412..8d74f254d2 100644
--- a/tools/docs-checks/check_links.py
+++ b/tools/docs-checks/check_links.py
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 links (../page/, https://wiki.apolloautomation.com/...), so this checks every
 link, #anchor, image, and video in page content against the built site.
 Filename case must match exactly, because GitHub Pages is case-sensitive.
-Fails on any broken link, missing anchor, or image without alt text.
+Fails on any broken link, missing anchor, or image without alt text, and
+when the built site has far fewer images than the Markdown (a plugin
+dropping them, as selectolax 1.0.1 did to mkdocs-glightbox in October 2026).
 """
-import os, sys, posixpath
+import os, re, sys, posixpath
 from html.parser import HTMLParser
 from urllib.parse import urlsplit, unquote
 
@@ -136,8 +138,17 @@ def src_md(url):
     print(f"::error file={a['page']}::Link to a missing #anchor: {a['ref']}")
 for m in missing_alt:
     print(f"::error file={m['page']}::Image without alt text: {m['src']}")
+md_imgs = 0
+for r, _, fs in os.walk(DOCS):
+    for f in fs:
+        if f.endswith(".md"):
+            md_imgs += len(re.findall(r"!\[[^\]]*\]\(|<img\s", open(os.path.join(r, f), encoding="utf-8", errors="replace").read()))
+built_imgs = sum(1 for pr in pages.values() for kind, _, _ in pr.refs if kind == "img")
+images_dropped = md_imgs > 0 and built_imgs < md_imgs // 2
+if images_dropped:
+    print(f"::error::The built site has {built_imgs} images, but the Markdown has about {md_imgs}. A build plugin is probably removing images; check recently updated packages.")
 for wrong, right in sorted(set(case_mismatch)):
     print(f"::error::Link case doesn't match the file (GitHub Pages is case-sensitive): {wrong} should be {right}")
-total = len(broken) + len(bad_anchor) + len(missing_alt) + len(set(case_mismatch))
-print(f"check_links: {len(pages)} pages, {len(broken)} broken, {len(bad_anchor)} bad anchors, {len(missing_alt)} missing alt, {len(set(case_mismatch))} case mismatches")
+total = len(broken) + len(bad_anchor) + len(missing_alt) + len(set(case_mismatch)) + images_dropped
+print(f"check_links: {len(pages)} pages, {built_imgs} images, {len(broken)} broken, {len(bad_anchor)} bad anchors, {len(missing_alt)} missing alt, {len(set(case_mismatch))} case mismatches")
 sys.exit(1 if total else 0)