diff --git a/matlab/tests/run_matlab_tests.py b/matlab/tests/run_matlab_tests.py
index 5c034d0..0b6ed83 100644
--- a/matlab/tests/run_matlab_tests.py
+++ b/matlab/tests/run_matlab_tests.py
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
     "jitter": "run_jitter_load",
 }
 
+_WINDOWS_SCRIPT_SUFFIXES = {".bat", ".cmd"}
+
 
 def _repo_root() -> Path:
     return Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
@@ -52,8 +54,30 @@ def _standard_install_candidates() -> list[Path]:
     return candidates
 
 
+def _has_windows_pe_signature(path: Path) -> bool:
+    try:
+        with path.open("rb") as handle:
+            dos_header = handle.read(64)
+            if len(dos_header) < 64 or dos_header[:2] != b"MZ":
+                return False
+            pe_offset = int.from_bytes(dos_header[0x3C:0x40], byteorder="little")
+            if pe_offset < 64:
+                return False
+            handle.seek(pe_offset)
+            return handle.read(4) == b"PE\0\0"
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+
+
 def _is_executable_file(path: Path) -> bool:
-    return path.is_file() and os.access(path, os.X_OK)
+    if not path.is_file():
+        return False
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        suffix = path.suffix.lower()
+        if suffix in _WINDOWS_SCRIPT_SUFFIXES:
+            return True
+        return suffix == ".exe" and _has_windows_pe_signature(path)
+    return os.access(path, os.X_OK)
 
 
 def _resolve_matlab_candidate(candidate: str) -> Path | None:
@@ -63,7 +87,9 @@ def _resolve_matlab_candidate(candidate: str) -> Path | None:
 
     resolved = shutil.which(candidate)
     if resolved:
-        return Path(resolved)
+        resolved_path = Path(resolved)
+        if _is_executable_file(resolved_path):
+            return resolved_path
 
     return None
 
@@ -162,7 +188,11 @@ def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> int:
     if args.dry_run:
         return 0
 
-    completed = subprocess.run(command, cwd=_repo_root(), check=False)
+    try:
+        completed = subprocess.run(command, cwd=_repo_root(), check=False)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        print(f"Failed to execute MATLAB executable {executable}: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return INVALID_MATLAB_EXECUTABLE_EXIT_CODE
     return completed.returncode
 
 
diff --git a/python/tests/unit/test_matlab_test_runner.py b/python/tests/unit/test_matlab_test_runner.py
index b65aff9..150db91 100644
--- a/python/tests/unit/test_matlab_test_runner.py
+++ b/python/tests/unit/test_matlab_test_runner.py
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 import importlib.util
+import os
+import shutil
+import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 
 def _make_executable(path: Path) -> Path:
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        path = path.with_suffix(".exe")
+        shutil.copyfile(sys.executable, path)
+        return path
     path.write_text("")
     path.chmod(0o755)
     return path
@@ -69,6 +76,28 @@ def test_explicit_non_executable_matlab_path_is_rejected(tmp_path, capsys):
     assert "not found or is not executable" in capsys.readouterr().err
 
 
+def test_explicit_invalid_windows_exe_is_rejected(monkeypatch, tmp_path, capsys):
+    runner = _load_runner()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runner.os, "name", "nt")
+    executable = tmp_path / "matlab.exe"
+    executable.write_text("")
+
+    exit_code = runner.main(["common", "--matlab-executable", str(executable), "--dry-run"])
+
+    assert exit_code == runner.INVALID_MATLAB_EXECUTABLE_EXIT_CODE
+    assert "not found or is not executable" in capsys.readouterr().err
+
+
+def test_which_result_is_rechecked_before_accepting(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    runner = _load_runner()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runner.os, "name", "nt")
+    executable = tmp_path / "matlab.exe"
+    executable.write_text("")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(runner.shutil, "which", lambda _name: str(executable))
+
+    assert runner.find_matlab_executable("matlab") is None
+
+
 def test_dry_run_prints_command_without_executing(tmp_path, capsys):
     runner = _load_runner()
     executable = _make_executable(tmp_path / "matlab")
@@ -99,6 +128,21 @@ def fake_print(*args, **kwargs):
     assert "run_common" in print_calls[0][0][0]
 
 
+def test_oserror_while_running_returns_invalid_executable(monkeypatch, tmp_path, capsys):
+    runner = _load_runner()
+    executable = _make_executable(tmp_path / "matlab")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        runner.subprocess,
+        "run",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: (_ for _ in ()).throw(OSError("cannot execute")),
+    )
+
+    exit_code = runner.main(["common", "--matlab-executable", str(executable)])
+
+    assert exit_code == runner.INVALID_MATLAB_EXECUTABLE_EXIT_CODE
+    assert "Failed to execute MATLAB executable" in capsys.readouterr().err
+
+
 def test_build_command_escapes_matlab_root(tmp_path):
     runner = _load_runner()
     executable = tmp_path / "matlab"