diff --git a/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.test.ts b/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.test.ts
index 8207861e20..799f003aeb 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.test.ts
@@ -830,12 +830,17 @@ it.layer(NodeServices.layer, { excludeTestServices: true })("TerminalManager", (
 
       assert.equal(snapshot.status, "running");
       expect(ptyAdapter.spawnInputs.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
-      expect(ptyAdapter.spawnInputs[0]?.shell).toBe("/definitely/missing-shell");
+      expect(ptyAdapter.spawnInputs[0]?.shell).toBe(
+        process.platform === "win32" ? "/definitely/missing-shell -l" : "/definitely/missing-shell",
+      );
 
       if (process.platform === "win32") {
         expect(
           ptyAdapter.spawnInputs.some(
-            (input) => input.shell === "cmd.exe" || input.shell === "powershell.exe",
+            (input) =>
+              input.shell === "cmd.exe" ||
+              input.shell === "powershell.exe" ||
+              input.shell === "pwsh.exe",
           ),
         ).toBe(true);
       } else {
diff --git a/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.ts b/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.ts
index 5dc216e37e..6eb9438fef 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/terminal/Layers/Manager.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ function enqueueProcessEvent(
 
 function defaultShellResolver(): string {
   if (process.platform === "win32") {
-    return process.env.ComSpec ?? "cmd.exe";
+    return "pwsh.exe";
   }
   return process.env.SHELL ?? "bash";
 }
@@ -234,8 +234,9 @@ function resolveShellCandidates(shellResolver: () => string): ShellCandidate[] {
   if (process.platform === "win32") {
     return uniqueShellCandidates([
       requested,
-      shellCandidateFromCommand(process.env.ComSpec ?? null),
+      shellCandidateFromCommand("pwsh.exe"),
       shellCandidateFromCommand("powershell.exe"),
+      shellCandidateFromCommand(process.env.ComSpec ?? null),
       shellCandidateFromCommand("cmd.exe"),
     ]);
   }