diff --git a/src/cli/exec.rs b/src/cli/exec.rs
index 73a9756c3..a39a30ec9 100644
--- a/src/cli/exec.rs
+++ b/src/cli/exec.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,15 @@ fn parse_command(
         (Some(command), _) => {
             let (program, args) = command.split_first().unwrap();
 
-            (program.clone(), args.into())
+            if cfg!(windows) {
+                let args = vec!["/c".into(), program.into()]
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .chain(args.iter().cloned())
+                    .collect();
+                (shell.into(), args)
+            } else {
+                (program.clone(), args.into())
+            }
         }
         _ => (shell.into(), vec!["-c".into(), c.clone().unwrap()]),
     }
diff --git a/src/env.rs b/src/env.rs
index ba8bbd104..535ab8860 100644
--- a/src/env.rs
+++ b/src/env.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ use crate::file::replace_path;
 use crate::hook_env::{deserialize_watches, HookEnvWatches};
 
 pub static ARGS: RwLock<Vec<String>> = RwLock::new(vec![]);
+#[cfg(unix)]
 pub static SHELL: Lazy<String> = Lazy::new(|| var("SHELL").unwrap_or_else(|_| "sh".into()));
+#[cfg(windows)]
+pub static SHELL: Lazy<String> = Lazy::new(|| var("COMSPEC").unwrap_or_else(|_| "cmd.exe".into()));
 
 // paths and directories
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/src/plugins/core/mod.rs b/src/plugins/core/mod.rs
index 6de4c2d6d..76323a265 100644
--- a/src/plugins/core/mod.rs
+++ b/src/plugins/core/mod.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pub static CORE_PLUGINS: Lazy<BackendMap> = Lazy::new(|| {
         Arc::new(RubyPlugin::new()),
     ];
     #[cfg(windows)]
-    let mut plugins: Vec<Arc<dyn Backend>> = vec![
+    let plugins: Vec<Arc<dyn Backend>> = vec![
         // Arc::new(BunPlugin::new()),
         // Arc::new(DenoPlugin::new()),
         // Arc::new(ErlangPlugin::new()),