diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/unified_exec.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/unified_exec.rs
index 344b4afaf..4c943c628 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/unified_exec.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/tools/handlers/unified_exec.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::protocol::EventMsg;
 use crate::protocol::ExecCommandOutputDeltaEvent;
 use crate::protocol::ExecCommandSource;
 use crate::protocol::ExecOutputStream;
+use crate::shell::default_user_shell;
 use crate::shell::get_shell_by_model_provided_path;
 use crate::tools::context::ToolInvocation;
 use crate::tools::context::ToolOutput;
@@ -31,8 +32,8 @@ struct ExecCommandArgs {
     cmd: String,
     #[serde(default)]
     workdir: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(default = "default_shell")]
-    shell: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    shell: Option<String>,
     #[serde(default = "default_login")]
     login: bool,
     #[serde(default = "default_exec_yield_time_ms")]
@@ -65,10 +66,6 @@ fn default_write_stdin_yield_time_ms() -> u64 {
     250
 }
 
-fn default_shell() -> String {
-    "/bin/bash".to_string()
-}
-
 fn default_login() -> bool {
     true
 }
@@ -257,7 +254,12 @@ impl ToolHandler for UnifiedExecHandler {
 }
 
 fn get_command(args: &ExecCommandArgs) -> Vec<String> {
-    let shell = get_shell_by_model_provided_path(&PathBuf::from(args.shell.clone()));
+    let shell = if let Some(shell_str) = &args.shell {
+        get_shell_by_model_provided_path(&PathBuf::from(shell_str))
+    } else {
+        default_user_shell()
+    };
+
     shell.derive_exec_args(&args.cmd, args.login)
 }
 
@@ -289,3 +291,65 @@ fn format_response(response: &UnifiedExecResponse) -> String {
 
     sections.join("\n")
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_get_command_uses_default_shell_when_unspecified() {
+        let json = r#"{"cmd": "echo hello"}"#;
+
+        let args: ExecCommandArgs =
+            serde_json::from_str(json).expect("deserialize ExecCommandArgs");
+
+        assert!(args.shell.is_none());
+
+        let command = get_command(&args);
+
+        assert_eq!(command.len(), 3);
+        assert_eq!(command[2], "echo hello");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_get_command_respects_explicit_bash_shell() {
+        let json = r#"{"cmd": "echo hello", "shell": "/bin/bash"}"#;
+
+        let args: ExecCommandArgs =
+            serde_json::from_str(json).expect("deserialize ExecCommandArgs");
+
+        assert_eq!(args.shell.as_deref(), Some("/bin/bash"));
+
+        let command = get_command(&args);
+
+        assert_eq!(command[2], "echo hello");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_get_command_respects_explicit_powershell_shell() {
+        let json = r#"{"cmd": "echo hello", "shell": "powershell"}"#;
+
+        let args: ExecCommandArgs =
+            serde_json::from_str(json).expect("deserialize ExecCommandArgs");
+
+        assert_eq!(args.shell.as_deref(), Some("powershell"));
+
+        let command = get_command(&args);
+
+        assert_eq!(command[2], "echo hello");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_get_command_respects_explicit_cmd_shell() {
+        let json = r#"{"cmd": "echo hello", "shell": "cmd"}"#;
+
+        let args: ExecCommandArgs =
+            serde_json::from_str(json).expect("deserialize ExecCommandArgs");
+
+        assert_eq!(args.shell.as_deref(), Some("cmd"));
+
+        let command = get_command(&args);
+
+        assert_eq!(command[2], "echo hello");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/unified_exec.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/unified_exec.rs
index 584882ce7..dc7bdb6b1 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/unified_exec.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/unified_exec.rs
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_exec_command_begin_event() -> Result<()> {
 
     let call_id = "uexec-begin-event";
     let args = json!({
+        "shell": "bash".to_string(),
         "cmd": "/bin/echo hello unified exec".to_string(),
         "yield_time_ms": 250,
     });
@@ -336,14 +337,8 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_exec_command_begin_event() -> Result<()> {
     })
     .await;
 
-    assert_eq!(
-        begin_event.command,
-        vec![
-            "/bin/bash".to_string(),
-            "-lc".to_string(),
-            "/bin/echo hello unified exec".to_string()
-        ]
-    );
+    assert_command(&begin_event.command, "-lc", "/bin/echo hello unified exec");
+
     assert_eq!(begin_event.cwd, cwd.path());
 
     wait_for_event(&codex, |event| matches!(event, EventMsg::TaskComplete(_))).await;
@@ -782,6 +777,7 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_begin_for_write_stdin() -> Result<()> {
 
     let open_call_id = "uexec-open-for-begin";
     let open_args = json!({
+        "shell": "bash".to_string(),
         "cmd": "bash -i".to_string(),
         "yield_time_ms": 200,
     });
@@ -843,14 +839,7 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_begin_for_write_stdin() -> Result<()> {
     })
     .await;
 
-    assert_eq!(
-        begin_event.command,
-        vec![
-            "/bin/bash".to_string(),
-            "-lc".to_string(),
-            "bash -i".to_string()
-        ]
-    );
+    assert_command(&begin_event.command, "-lc", "bash -i");
     assert_eq!(
         begin_event.interaction_input,
         Some("echo hello".to_string())
@@ -884,6 +873,7 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_begin_event_for_write_stdin_requests() -> Result<()>
 
     let open_call_id = "uexec-open-session";
     let open_args = json!({
+        "shell": "bash".to_string(),
         "cmd": "bash -i".to_string(),
         "yield_time_ms": 250,
     });
@@ -959,14 +949,9 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_begin_event_for_write_stdin_requests() -> Result<()>
         .iter()
         .find(|ev| ev.call_id == open_call_id)
         .expect("missing exec_command begin");
-    assert_eq!(
-        open_event.command,
-        vec![
-            "/bin/bash".to_string(),
-            "-lc".to_string(),
-            "bash -i".to_string()
-        ]
-    );
+
+    assert_command(&open_event.command, "-lc", "bash -i");
+
     assert!(
         open_event.interaction_input.is_none(),
         "startup begin events should not include interaction input"
@@ -977,14 +962,9 @@ async fn unified_exec_emits_begin_event_for_write_stdin_requests() -> Result<()>
         .iter()
         .find(|ev| ev.call_id == poll_call_id)
         .expect("missing write_stdin begin");
-    assert_eq!(
-        poll_event.command,
-        vec![
-            "/bin/bash".to_string(),
-            "-lc".to_string(),
-            "bash -i".to_string()
-        ]
-    );
+
+    assert_command(&poll_event.command, "-lc", "bash -i");
+
     assert!(
         poll_event.interaction_input.is_none(),
         "poll begin events should omit interaction input"
@@ -2121,3 +2101,17 @@ async fn unified_exec_prunes_exited_sessions_first() -> Result<()> {
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+fn assert_command(command: &[String], expected_args: &str, expected_cmd: &str) {
+    assert_eq!(command.len(), 3);
+    let shell_path = &command[0];
+    assert!(
+        shell_path == "/bin/bash"
+            || shell_path == "/usr/bin/bash"
+            || shell_path == "/usr/local/bin/bash"
+            || shell_path.ends_with("/bash"),
+        "unexpected bash path: {shell_path}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(command[1], expected_args);
+    assert_eq!(command[2], expected_cmd);
+}