diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/utils/winShims.ts b/ui/desktop/src/utils/winShims.ts
index d68a4bebf3ee..058591724a16 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/utils/winShims.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/utils/winShims.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import os from 'node:os';
-import { spawn } from 'child_process';
 import log from './logger';
 
 /**
@@ -21,8 +20,8 @@ export async function ensureWinShims(): Promise<void> {
   try {
     await fs.promises.mkdir(tgtDir, { recursive: true });
 
-    // Only copy the command-line tools, NOT goosed.exe (which should always be used locally)
-    const shims = ['uvx.exe', 'npx.cmd', 'install-node.cmd'];
+    // Copy command-line tools, NOT goosed.exe (which should always be used locally)
+    const shims = ['uvx.exe', 'uv.exe', 'npx.cmd', 'install-node.cmd'];
 
     await Promise.all(
       shims.map(async (shim) => {
@@ -39,12 +38,12 @@ export async function ensureWinShims(): Promise<void> {
       })
     );
 
-    // Prepend to PATH **for this process & all children**.
-    // Make sure our bin directory is at the VERY BEGINNING of PATH
+    // Prepend to PATH **for this process & all children only**.
+    // This does NOT modify the user's permanent system PATH.
     const currentPath = process.env.PATH ?? '';
     if (!currentPath.toLowerCase().includes(tgtDir.toLowerCase())) {
       process.env.PATH = `${tgtDir}${path.delimiter}${currentPath}`;
-      log.info(`Added ${tgtDir} to PATH for current process`);
+      log.info(`Added ${tgtDir} to PATH for Goose processes only`);
     } else {
       // If it's already in PATH, make sure it's at the beginning
       const pathParts = currentPath.split(path.delimiter);
@@ -54,71 +53,10 @@ export async function ensureWinShims(): Promise<void> {
         // Remove it from its current position and add to beginning
         pathParts.splice(binDirIndex, 1);
         process.env.PATH = `${tgtDir}${path.delimiter}${pathParts.join(path.delimiter)}`;
-        log.info(`Moved ${tgtDir} to beginning of PATH for current process`);
+        log.info(`Moved ${tgtDir} to beginning of PATH for Goose processes only`);
       }
     }
-
-    // Optional: Persist PATH for user's external PowerShell/CMD sessions
-    await persistPathForUser(tgtDir);
   } catch (error) {
     log.error('Failed to ensure Windows shims:', error);
   }
 }
-
-/**
- * Persist the Goose bin directory to the user's PATH environment variable.
- * Uses only user PATH to avoid overwriting with system PATH and respects setx 1024 char limit.
- */
-async function persistPathForUser(binDir: string): Promise<void> {
-  try {
-    const psScript = `
-      $bin = "${binDir.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\')}"
-      
-      $userPath = [System.Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
-      if ($userPath -eq $null) { $userPath = "" }
-      
-      $pathParts = $userPath -split ';' | Where-Object { $_.Trim() -ne "" }
-      $binExists = $pathParts | Where-Object { $_ -ieq $bin }
-      
-      if (-not $binExists) {
-        $newUserPath = if ($userPath -eq "") { $bin } else { "$bin;$userPath" }
-        
-        if ($newUserPath.Length -gt 1024) {
-          Write-Warning "Cannot add to PATH: would exceed 1024 character limit for setx ($($newUserPath.Length) chars)"
-          Write-Host "Current user PATH length: $($userPath.Length) chars"
-          Write-Host "Consider using system PATH or cleaning up existing PATH entries"
-          return
-        }
-        
-        setx PATH $newUserPath >$null
-        Write-Host "Added Goose bin directory to beginning of user PATH"
-        Write-Host "New user PATH length: $($newUserPath.Length) chars"
-      } else {
-        if ($pathParts[0] -ieq $bin) {
-          Write-Host "Goose bin directory already at beginning of user PATH"
-        } else {
-          $filteredParts = $pathParts | Where-Object { $_ -ine $bin }
-          $newUserPath = @($bin) + $filteredParts -join ';'
-          
-          if ($newUserPath.Length -gt 1024) {
-            Write-Warning "Cannot reorder PATH: would exceed 1024 character limit for setx ($($newUserPath.Length) chars)"
-            return
-          }
-          
-          setx PATH $newUserPath >$null
-          Write-Host "Moved Goose bin directory to beginning of user PATH"
-          Write-Host "New user PATH length: $($newUserPath.Length) chars"
-        }
-      }
-    `;
-
-    spawn('powershell', ['-NoProfile', '-NonInteractive', '-Command', psScript], {
-      windowsHide: true,
-      shell: false,
-    });
-
-    log.info('Attempted to persist Goose bin directory to user PATH');
-  } catch (error) {
-    log.warn('Failed to persist PATH for user (non-critical):', error);
-  }
-}