diff --git a/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.test.ts b/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.test.ts
index ab68a6890664..ba3bc840e744 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.test.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,37 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer)("root CLI commands", (it) => {
         }),
       ).toBe("sudo /opt/t3/t3 browser setup");
 
+      // A standalone executable started directly (systemd, no launcher) is still this install.
+      expect(
+        yield* rootCommand({
+          node: "/opt/t3/t3",
+          entry: "/opt/t3/t3",
+          executable: true,
+          path: yield* pathWithT3,
+        }),
+      ).toBe("sudo /opt/t3/t3 browser setup");
+
+      // A global npm launcher runs the downloaded executable; PATH's `t3` is that launcher.
+      const prefix = path.join(home, "npm");
+      const npmLauncher = path.join(prefix, "lib/node_modules/t3/bin/t3.mjs");
+      yield* fs.makeDirectory(path.dirname(npmLauncher), { recursive: true });
+      yield* fs.makeDirectory(path.join(prefix, "bin"));
+      yield* fs.writeFileString(npmLauncher, "", { mode: 0o755 });
+      yield* fs.writeFileString(
+        path.join(prefix, "lib/node_modules/t3/package.json"),
+        `{"name":"t3","version":"${packageJson.version}"}`,
+      );
+      yield* fs.symlink(npmLauncher, path.join(prefix, "bin/t3"));
+      expect(
+        yield* rootCommand({
+          node: "/home/theo/.t3/runtime/versions/1.0.0/t3",
+          entry: "/home/theo/.t3/runtime/versions/1.0.0/t3",
+          executable: true,
+          path: path.join(prefix, "bin"),
+          env: { T3CODE_NPM_LAUNCHER_PATH: npmLauncher },
+        }),
+      ).toBe('sudo env "PATH=$PATH" t3 browser setup');
+
       expect(
         yield* rootCommand({ ...desktop, env: { T3CODE_CLI_PATH: path.join(home, "gone") } }),
       ).toBe('sudo env "PATH=$PATH" t3 browser setup');
diff --git a/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.ts b/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.ts
index b9868df34de5..2a1991fd3070 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/cli/invocation.ts
@@ -160,8 +160,17 @@ export const resolveHostCliCommand = Effect.fn("invocation.resolveHostCliCommand
     const shim = (yield* HostProcess.Environment).T3CODE_CLI_PATH?.trim();
     const fs = yield* FileSystem.FileSystem;
     const real = (file: string) => fs.realPath(file).pipe(Effect.orElseSucceed(() => null));
-    const shimReal = shim ? yield* real(shim) : null;
-    if (shimReal === null || shimReal === (yield* real(onPath))) {
+    // Windows `t3.cmd` shims are text files that never realpath to the executable they run.
+    const own = shim
+      ? yield* real(shim)
+      : platform !== "win32" && (yield* HostProcess.IsExecutable)
+        ? yield* resolveEntryPath.pipe(
+            Effect.flatMap((entry) =>
+              real(entry).pipe(Effect.map((resolved) => resolved ?? entry)),
+            ),
+          )
+        : null;
+    if (own === null || own === (yield* real(onPath))) {
       return { command: withArgs(command), launcher: false };
     }
   }