diff --git a/packages/shared/src/shell.test.ts b/packages/shared/src/shell.test.ts
index e032af50ca536761d4003f728239a3e568bfcfc6..e3046c03abed91ed1f5726998d9a3175b2d28bbb 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/shell.test.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/shell.test.ts
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveSpawnCommand", (it) => {
 });
 
 effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
-  it.effect("returns the baseline no-profile PATH patch when node is already available", () =>
+  it.effect("uses known CLI directories as a fallback without changing shell PATH priority", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const readEnvironment = vi.fn(
         (_names: ReadonlyArray<string>, options?: { loadProfile?: boolean }) =>
@@ -483,6 +483,8 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
         ),
       ).toEqual({
         PATH: [
+          "C:\\Shell\\Bin",
+          "C:\\Windows\\System32",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\nodejs",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Local\\Volta\\bin",
@@ -490,8 +492,6 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.local\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.bun\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\scoop\\shims",
-          "C:\\Shell\\Bin",
-          "C:\\Windows\\System32",
         ].join(";"),
       });
       expect(readEnvironment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
@@ -532,6 +532,7 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
         PATH: [
           "C:\\Profile\\Node",
           "C:\\Windows\\System32",
+          "C:\\Shell\\Bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\nodejs",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Local\\Volta\\bin",
@@ -539,7 +540,6 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.local\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.bun\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\scoop\\shims",
-          "C:\\Shell\\Bin",
         ].join(";"),
         FNM_DIR: "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm",
         FNM_MULTISHELL_PATH: "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Local\\fnm_multishells\\123",
@@ -576,11 +576,11 @@ effectIt.layer(NodeServices.layer)("resolveWindowsEnvironment", (it) => {
         ),
       ).toEqual({
         PATH: [
+          "C:\\Windows\\System32",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.local\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\.bun\\bin",
           "C:\\Users\\testuser\\scoop\\shims",
-          "C:\\Windows\\System32",
         ].join(";"),
         FNM_DIR: "C:\\Users\\testuser\\AppData\\Roaming\\fnm",
       });
diff --git a/packages/shared/src/shell.ts b/packages/shared/src/shell.ts
index 1fdd35cfd0ab0f4a0530ea2a4436f11c7473d625..4c86c88863126d4b75aa82e6834e236b36f9d7c6 100644
--- a/packages/shared/src/shell.ts
+++ b/packages/shared/src/shell.ts
@@ -728,7 +728,9 @@ export const resolveWindowsEnvironment = Effect.fn("shell.resolveWindowsEnvironm
   }).PATH;
   const mergedPath = mergePathValues(shellPath, inheritedPath, "win32");
   const knownCliPath = resolveKnownWindowsCliDirs(env).join(WINDOWS_PATH_DELIMITER);
-  const baselinePath = mergePathValues(knownCliPath, mergedPath, "win32");
+  // Preserve the order a user's shell uses. These directories fill gaps when
+  // desktop apps launch without the full interactive-shell PATH.
+  const baselinePath = mergePathValues(mergedPath, knownCliPath, "win32");
   const baselinePatch: Partial<NodeJS.ProcessEnv> = baselinePath ? { PATH: baselinePath } : {};
   const baselineEnv = mergeWindowsEnv(env, baselinePatch);