diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 891d599..4663c16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 name: Release
 
 on:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - ".github/workflows/release.yml"
+      - "Cargo.toml"
+      - "Cargo.lock"
+      - "src/**"
+      - "tests/**"
+      - "install.sh"
+      - "scripts/check-release-prep.sh"
   push:
     tags:
       - "v*"
@@ -19,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             target: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
             archive: tar.gz
-          - os: macos-13
+          - os: macos-15-intel
             target: x86_64-apple-darwin
             archive: tar.gz
           - os: macos-14
@@ -75,6 +84,7 @@ jobs:
     name: publish GitHub Release
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: build
+    if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
     steps:
       - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
diff --git a/src/version.rs b/src/version.rs
index 647daa0..a79ae61 100644
--- a/src/version.rs
+++ b/src/version.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::config;
-use crate::paths::{path_contains_dir, OcvmPaths};
+use crate::paths::{executable_path, path_contains_dir, OcvmPaths};
 use crate::project;
 use crate::source::SourceProvider;
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
@@ -154,10 +154,12 @@ pub fn install(paths: &OcvmPaths, source: &dyn SourceProvider, requested: &str)
     let result = (|| {
         source.install(&version, &staging)?;
         source.verify_staged_install(&version, &staging)?;
-        let output = Command::new(staging.join("node_modules").join(".bin").join("openclaw"))
-            .arg("--version")
-            .output()
-            .context("failed to run openclaw --version after install")?;
+        let output = Command::new(executable_path(
+            staging.join("node_modules").join(".bin").join("openclaw"),
+        ))
+        .arg("--version")
+        .output()
+        .context("failed to run openclaw --version after install")?;
         if !output.status.success() {
             return Err(anyhow!(
                 "openclaw --version failed: {}",
@@ -285,6 +287,7 @@ where
     let cmd = iter
         .next()
         .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("exec requires a command"))?;
+    let cmd = resolve_command_in_active_bin(paths, &resolved.version, cmd.as_ref());
     let path = std::env::var_os("PATH").unwrap_or_default();
     let path = std::env::join_paths(
         std::iter::once(paths.bin_dir(&resolved.version)).chain(std::env::split_paths(&path)),
@@ -302,6 +305,21 @@ where
     Ok(status.code().unwrap_or(1))
 }
 
+fn resolve_command_in_active_bin(
+    paths: &OcvmPaths,
+    version: &str,
+    command: &OsStr,
+) -> std::ffi::OsString {
+    let command_path = Path::new(command);
+    if command_path.components().count() == 1 {
+        let active_bin_command = executable_path(paths.bin_dir(version).join(command_path));
+        if active_bin_command.exists() {
+            return active_bin_command.into_os_string();
+        }
+    }
+    command.to_os_string()
+}
+
 pub fn doctor(
     paths: &OcvmPaths,
     cwd: &Path,
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 4a94015..230c336 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use assert_cmd::Command;
 use predicates::prelude::*;
-use std::fs;
+use std::{fs, path::PathBuf};
 use tempfile::TempDir;
 
 fn cmd(home: &TempDir) -> Command {
@@ -10,7 +10,23 @@ fn cmd(home: &TempDir) -> Command {
     command
 }
 
-fn install_fake(home: &TempDir, version: &str, body: &str) {
+fn fake_openclaw_path(bin: PathBuf) -> PathBuf {
+    if cfg!(windows) {
+        bin.join("openclaw.cmd")
+    } else {
+        bin.join("openclaw")
+    }
+}
+
+fn fake_openclaw_body(output: &str) -> String {
+    if cfg!(windows) {
+        format!("@echo off\r\necho {output}\r\n")
+    } else {
+        format!("#!/bin/sh\necho {output}\n")
+    }
+}
+
+fn install_fake(home: &TempDir, version: &str, output: &str) {
     let bin = home
         .path()
         .join("home")
@@ -19,8 +35,8 @@ fn install_fake(home: &TempDir, version: &str, body: &str) {
         .join("node_modules")
         .join(".bin");
     fs::create_dir_all(&bin).unwrap();
-    let openclaw = bin.join("openclaw");
-    fs::write(&openclaw, body).unwrap();
+    let openclaw = fake_openclaw_path(bin);
+    fs::write(&openclaw, fake_openclaw_body(output)).unwrap();
     #[cfg(unix)]
     {
         use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
@@ -44,8 +60,8 @@ fn help_is_available_without_initializing_home() {
 #[test]
 fn default_current_list_use_and_uninstall_work_on_local_versions() {
     let home = TempDir::new().unwrap();
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "#!/bin/sh\necho 2026.3.28\n");
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "#!/bin/sh\necho 2026.4.01\n");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "2026.3.28");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "2026.4.01");
 
     cmd(&home).args(["default", "2026.3.28"]).assert().success();
     cmd(&home)
@@ -86,8 +102,8 @@ fn default_current_list_use_and_uninstall_work_on_local_versions() {
 #[test]
 fn project_pin_wins_and_exec_explicit_does_not_change_default() {
     let home = TempDir::new().unwrap();
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "#!/bin/sh\necho default\n");
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "#!/bin/sh\necho explicit\n");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "default");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "explicit");
     cmd(&home).args(["default", "2026.3.28"]).assert().success();
 
     let project = home.path().join("project");
@@ -127,7 +143,7 @@ fn damaged_default_does_not_block_explicit_healthy_version() {
             .join(".bin"),
     )
     .unwrap();
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "#!/bin/sh\necho healthy\n");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "healthy");
     cmd(&home).args(["default", "2026.3.28"]).assert().success();
     cmd(&home)
         .args(["exec", "2026.4.01", "--", "openclaw"])
@@ -159,8 +175,8 @@ fn init_outputs_shell_helpers() {
 #[test]
 fn snapshot_and_rollback_work_from_cli() {
     let home = TempDir::new().unwrap();
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "#!/bin/sh\necho old\n");
-    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "#!/bin/sh\necho new\n");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.3.28", "old");
+    install_fake(&home, "2026.4.01", "new");
     cmd(&home).args(["default", "2026.3.28"]).assert().success();
     cmd(&home).args(["use", "2026.3.28"]).assert().success();
 
diff --git a/tests/core.rs b/tests/core.rs
index 091176a..5421281 100644
--- a/tests/core.rs
+++ b/tests/core.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
 use ocvm::config;
-use ocvm::paths::OcvmPaths;
+use ocvm::paths::{executable_path, OcvmPaths};
 use ocvm::project;
 use ocvm::source::{RemoteVersion, SourceProvider};
 use ocvm::version;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::fs;
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use tempfile::TempDir;
 
 struct FakeSource {
@@ -46,6 +46,22 @@ impl FakeSource {
     }
 }
 
+fn fake_openclaw_path(bin: PathBuf) -> PathBuf {
+    if cfg!(windows) {
+        bin.join("openclaw.cmd")
+    } else {
+        bin.join("openclaw")
+    }
+}
+
+fn fake_openclaw_body(output: &str) -> String {
+    if cfg!(windows) {
+        format!("@echo off\r\necho {output}\r\n")
+    } else {
+        format!("#!/bin/sh\necho {output}\n")
+    }
+}
+
 impl SourceProvider for FakeSource {
     fn resolve_alias(&self, requested: &str) -> Result<String> {
         Ok(self
@@ -85,8 +101,8 @@ impl SourceProvider for FakeSource {
         self.installed_specs.borrow_mut().push(version.to_string());
         let bin = staging_dir.join("node_modules").join(".bin");
         fs::create_dir_all(&bin)?;
-        let openclaw = bin.join("openclaw");
-        fs::write(&openclaw, format!("#!/bin/sh\necho {version}\n"))?;
+        let openclaw = fake_openclaw_path(bin);
+        fs::write(&openclaw, fake_openclaw_body(version))?;
         #[cfg(unix)]
         {
             use std::os::unix::fs::PermissionsExt;
@@ -119,7 +135,7 @@ fn install_stages_verifies_and_creates_shim() {
 
     assert_eq!(installed, "2026.3.28");
     assert!(paths.openclaw_bin("2026.3.28").exists());
-    assert!(paths.shims.join("openclaw").exists());
+    assert!(executable_path(paths.shims.join("openclaw")).exists());
     assert_eq!(source.installed_specs.borrow().as_slice(), ["2026.3.28"]);
 }