diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/computer-use-host.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/computer-use-host.test.ts
index 3fe5bd3a1e..c46ac89732 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/computer-use-host.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/computer-use-host.test.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe('Computer Use host health', () => {
     assert.equal(computerUseServiceHealth('none', undefined).state, 'not_available');
   });
 
-  it('constructs a backend only when the local artifact matches the manifest hash', async () => {
+  it('constructs a backend only when the local artifact matches the manifest hash', async (t) => {
     const directory = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'maka-cu-host-'));
     try {
       const binaryPath = join(directory, 'maka-cu');
@@ -126,16 +126,26 @@ describe('Computer Use host health', () => {
       });
       assert.equal(invalid.selected.backendId, 'none');
 
-      const linkedBinaryPath = join(directory, 'linked-maka-cu');
-      await symlink(binaryPath, linkedBinaryPath);
-      const linked = createComputerUseHost({
-        isPackaged: false,
-        resourcesPath: directory,
-        manifestPath,
-        binaryPath: linkedBinaryPath,
-        physicalInputRecentlyActive: () => false,
+      await t.test('rejects a symlinked binary', async (context) => {
+        const linkedBinaryPath = join(directory, 'linked-maka-cu');
+        try {
+          await symlink(binaryPath, linkedBinaryPath, 'file');
+        } catch (error) {
+          if (process.platform === 'win32' && (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === 'EPERM') {
+            context.skip('File symlinks require Developer Mode or symlink privileges on Windows');
+            return;
+          }
+          throw error;
+        }
+        const linked = createComputerUseHost({
+          isPackaged: false,
+          resourcesPath: directory,
+          manifestPath,
+          binaryPath: linkedBinaryPath,
+          physicalInputRecentlyActive: () => false,
+        });
+        assert.equal(linked.selected.backendId, 'none');
       });
-      assert.equal(linked.selected.backendId, 'none');
     } finally {
       await rm(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
     }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/goals-boundary.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/goals-boundary.test.ts
index e52b4a280c..1db37abeb4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/goals-boundary.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/goals-boundary.test.ts
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ describe('Goals feature boundary', () => {
       const source = readFileSync(path, 'utf8');
       for (const match of source.matchAll(/from\s+['"]([^'"]+)['"]/g)) {
         if (match[1]?.includes('controller/use-goal-controller')) {
-          importers.push(relative(desktopRoot, path));
+          importers.push(relative(desktopRoot, path).replace(/\\/g, '/'));
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/managed-skill-sources.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/managed-skill-sources.test.ts
index b1946c346a..d5058b9659 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/managed-skill-sources.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/managed-skill-sources.test.ts
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ description: Build decks.
       const outside = join(root, 'outside-cache-target');
       const cacheRoot = join(root, 'cache-link');
       await mkdir(outside);
-      await symlink(outside, cacheRoot);
+      await symlink(outside, cacheRoot, process.platform === 'win32' ? 'junction' : 'dir');
 
       assert.deepEqual(await importManagedSkillSource({ root: cacheRoot, sourceFile }), {
         ok: false,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/open-path-guard.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/open-path-guard.test.ts
index ccc26fd2d3..d3a56d6a9a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/open-path-guard.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/open-path-guard.test.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ describe('open path guard', () => {
   test('rejects symlink escapes from inside an allowed directory', async () => {
     await withWorkspace(async (workspaceRoot, outsideRoot) => {
       await mkdir(outsideRoot, { recursive: true });
-      await symlink(outsideRoot, join(workspaceRoot, 'skills'));
+      await symlink(outsideRoot, join(workspaceRoot, 'skills'), process.platform === 'win32' ? 'junction' : 'dir');
 
       assert.deepEqual(await resolveOpenPath({ key: 'skills', workspaceRoot }), { ok: false, reason: 'not-allowed' });
     });
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe('open path guard', () => {
     const workspaceLink = join(linkRoot, 'workspace-link');
     try {
       await mkdir(join(realRoot, 'skills'), { recursive: true });
-      await symlink(realRoot, workspaceLink);
+      await symlink(realRoot, workspaceLink, process.platform === 'win32' ? 'junction' : 'dir');
 
       const result = await resolveOpenPath({ key: 'skills', workspaceRoot: workspaceLink });
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/project-management-service.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/project-management-service.test.ts
index fef7a9cb70..58c79e22d6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/project-management-service.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/project-management-service.test.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ test('owns Project selection and reversible lifecycle actions in Desktop', async
     assert.equal(relinked.ok, true);
     assert.equal(selectedPaths.at(-1), await realpath(relocatedPath));
   } finally {
+    catalog.close();
     await rm(base, { recursive: true, force: true });
   }
 });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/rive-workflow-tool.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/rive-workflow-tool.test.ts
index 36dc12ac85..107082544c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/rive-workflow-tool.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/rive-workflow-tool.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
-import { chmod, mkdtemp, readFile, rm, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { mkdtemp, readFile, rm, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ describe('RiveWorkflow tool and CLI bridge', { concurrency: false }, () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it('kills and reaps a Rive child that ignores SIGTERM on abort', async () => {
+  it('kills and reaps an aborted Rive child, including ignored SIGTERM on POSIX', async () => {
     await withFakeRive('ignore-term', async (riveBin, cwd) => {
       const pidFile = join(cwd, 'pid');
       const controller = new AbortController();
@@ -267,11 +267,13 @@ async function withFakeRive(
   fn: (riveBin: string, cwd: string) => Promise<void>,
 ): Promise<void> {
   const cwd = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'maka-rive-tool-'));
-  const riveBin = join(cwd, 'rive');
-  await writeFile(riveBin, fakeRiveScript(mode), 'utf8');
-  await chmod(riveBin, 0o755);
   try {
-    await fn(riveBin, cwd);
+    // Node treats the first Rive subcommand as a script path. This exercises a
+    // real shell-free child process on every platform without a shell shim.
+    for (const command of ['workflow', 'scheduler', 'work', 'branch']) {
+      await writeFile(join(cwd, command), fakeRiveScript(mode), 'utf8');
+    }
+    await fn(process.execPath, cwd);
   } finally {
     await rm(cwd, { recursive: true, force: true });
   }
@@ -280,53 +282,33 @@ async function withFakeRive(
 function fakeRiveScript(mode: string): string {
   if (mode === 'ignore-term') {
     return [
-      '#!/bin/sh',
-      'trap "" TERM',
-      'echo $$ > "$PID_FILE"',
-      'echo RIVE_CHILD_READY',
-      'sleep 20',
-      'echo \'{"protocol":{"state":"completed"},"display":{"summary":"late"}}\'',
-      '',
+      'process.on("SIGTERM", () => {});',
+      'require("node:fs").writeFileSync(process.env.PID_FILE, String(process.pid));',
+      'console.log("RIVE_CHILD_READY");',
+      'setTimeout(() => console.log(JSON.stringify({protocol: {state: "completed"}, display: {summary: "late"}})), 20_000);',
     ].join('\n');
   }
   if (mode === 'sleep') {
-    return [
-      '#!/bin/sh',
-      'sleep 5',
-      'echo \'{"protocol":{"state":"completed"},"display":{"summary":"late"}}\'',
-      '',
-    ].join('\n');
+    return 'setTimeout(() => console.log(JSON.stringify({protocol: {state: "completed"}, display: {summary: "late"}})), 5_000);';
   }
   if (mode === 'bad-json') {
-    return ['#!/bin/sh', 'echo "not json"', ''].join('\n');
+    return 'console.log("not json");';
   }
   if (mode === 'failed-envelope') {
     return [
-      '#!/bin/sh',
-      'cat <<\'JSON\'',
-      '{"error":{"code":"workflow_param_missing","message":"workflow missing param: slack_channel","action":"fix_arguments"}}',
-      'JSON',
-      'exit 1',
-      '',
+      'console.log(JSON.stringify({error: {code: "workflow_param_missing", message: "workflow missing param: slack_channel", action: "fix_arguments"}}));',
+      'process.exitCode = 1;',
     ].join('\n');
   }
   if (mode === 'failed-secret') {
     return [
-      '#!/bin/sh',
-      'echo "api_key=abc123-super-secret" >&2',
-      'cat <<\'JSON\'',
-      '{"error":{"code":"auth","message":"token=abc123-super-secret"}}',
-      'JSON',
-      'exit 1',
-      '',
+      'console.error("api_key=abc123-super-secret");',
+      'console.log(JSON.stringify({error: {code: "auth", message: "token=abc123-super-secret"}}));',
+      'process.exitCode = 1;',
     ].join('\n');
   }
   return [
-    '#!/bin/sh',
-    'echo "token=abc123-super-secret" >&2',
-    'cat <<\'JSON\'',
-    '{"protocol":{"workflow_run_id":"wfrun_fake","scheduler_run_id":"sched_fake","root_work_node_id":"work_root_fake","state":"completed"},"display":{"summary":"Workflow run wfrun_fake root work_root_fake state completed"}}',
-    'JSON',
-    '',
+    'console.error("token=abc123-super-secret");',
+    'console.log(JSON.stringify({protocol: {workflow_run_id: "wfrun_fake", scheduler_run_id: "sched_fake", root_work_node_id: "work_root_fake", state: "completed"}, display: {summary: "Workflow run wfrun_fake root work_root_fake state completed"}}));',
   ].join('\n');
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/runtime-host-local-remote-access.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/runtime-host-local-remote-access.test.ts
index 3c788c7f50..b53d415b1b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/runtime-host-local-remote-access.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/runtime-host-local-remote-access.test.ts
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ import type { createDesktopRuntimeHostLocalOperator } from '../runtime-host-loca
 
 const testOperator = (modulePath: string) => ({
   kind: 'node' as const,
-  platform: 'posix' as const,
-  nodePath: '/usr/bin/node',
+  platform: process.platform === 'win32' ? 'win32' as const : 'posix' as const,
+  nodePath: process.execPath,
   modulePath,
 });
 
@@ -518,7 +518,9 @@ test('does not persist recoverable setup authority before Desktop ownership comm
   assert.equal(setupCalls, 0);
 });
 
-test('adopts a released handoff through its existing legacy operator', async (t) => {
+test('adopts a released handoff through its existing legacy operator', {
+  skip: process.platform === 'win32' && 'Legacy POSIX handoff requires POSIX deployment paths',
+}, async (t) => {
   const base = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'maka-local-remote-access-prestart-'));
   t.after(() => rm(base, { recursive: true, force: true }));
   const clientDataRoot = join(base, 'client');
@@ -593,7 +595,8 @@ test('migrates a released managed receipt before exposing it to lifecycle operat
   const clientDataRoot = join(base, 'client');
   const rootPath = join(clientDataRoot, 'workspaces', 'default');
   const rootId = 'a'.repeat(64);
-  const operatorPath = join(base, 'installed', 'operator');
+  // The released schema describes a POSIX executable, regardless of the test host.
+  const operatorPath = '/opt/maka/installed/operator';
   const lifecyclePath = join(clientDataRoot, 'runtime-host-local-service.json');
   await mkdir(rootPath, { recursive: true });
   await writeFile(
diff --git a/docs/windows-test-inventory.md b/docs/windows-test-inventory.md
index 50f0f66928..06dff8fc42 100644
--- a/docs/windows-test-inventory.md
+++ b/docs/windows-test-inventory.md
@@ -16,16 +16,17 @@ Locations intentionally omit line numbers so unrelated edits do not invalidate t
 | Classification | Count |
 |---|---:|
 | windows-backend-gap | 27 |
-| portable-candidate | 19 |
+| portable-candidate | 20 |
 | platform-contract | 31 |
 
-Total Windows-excluded declarations: **77**
+Total Windows-excluded declarations: **78**
 
 ## Inventory
 
 | Classification | Test | Skip expression |
 |---|---|---|
 | platform-contract | `apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/project-context-root.test.ts` rejects a session cwd without read and traversal access | `process.platform === 'win32' ? 'POSIX permissions are required to make the session cwd inaccessible' : process.getuid?.() === 0` |
+| portable-candidate | `apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/runtime-host-local-remote-access.test.ts` adopts a released handoff through its existing legacy operator | `process.platform === 'win32' && 'Legacy POSIX handoff requires POSIX deployment paths'` |
 | platform-contract | `apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/shell-env.test.ts` imports the login PATH without importing application control variables | `process.platform === 'win32'` |
 | platform-contract | `apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/shell-env.test.ts` keeps the inherited PATH and does not log shell stderr when capture fails | `process.platform === 'win32'` |
 | platform-contract | `apps/desktop/src/main/__tests__/shell-env.test.ts` kills login-shell descendants when capture times out | `process.platform === 'win32'` |