diff --git a/owpengram-server.bat b/owpengram-server.bat
index c0db3095..fb2e47d0 100644
--- a/owpengram-server.bat
+++ b/owpengram-server.bat
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ if errorlevel 1 (
 )
 
 rem --- Python -------------------------------------------------------------
+rem Just checking "where" isn't enough: on Windows, python.exe / python3.exe
+rem can resolve to the Microsoft Store app-execution-alias stub, which sits
+rem on PATH but fails as soon as it's actually run instead of launching real
+rem Python. Confirm each candidate's --version actually succeeds too.
 set "PYTHON="
 where py >nul 2>&1
 if not errorlevel 1 (
@@ -30,7 +34,10 @@ if not errorlevel 1 (
 )
 if not defined PYTHON (
   where python >nul 2>&1
-  if not errorlevel 1 set "PYTHON=python"
+  if not errorlevel 1 (
+    python --version >nul 2>&1
+    if not errorlevel 1 set "PYTHON=python"
+  )
 )
 
 if not defined PYTHON (
diff --git a/owpengram-server.sh b/owpengram-server.sh
index 5c602586..340e6fc0 100644
--- a/owpengram-server.sh
+++ b/owpengram-server.sh
@@ -24,11 +24,19 @@ else
 fi
 
 # --- Python ---------------------------------------------------------------
+# Just checking `command -v` isn't enough: on Windows, `python3` (and
+# sometimes `python`) can resolve to the Microsoft Store app-execution-alias
+# stub, which exists on PATH but fails as soon as it's actually run instead
+# of launching real Python. Validate the version output too.
 PYTHON=""
+PYTHON_VERSION=""
 for cand in python3 python; do
   if command -v "$cand" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    PYTHON="$cand"
-    break
+    if VER_OUT="$("$cand" --version 2>&1)" && [[ "$VER_OUT" == Python\ 3* ]]; then
+      PYTHON="$cand"
+      PYTHON_VERSION="$VER_OUT"
+      break
+    fi
   fi
 done
 
@@ -37,7 +45,7 @@ if [[ -z "$PYTHON" ]]; then
   echo "       Install it from: https://www.python.org/downloads/"
   PROBLEMS=1
 else
-  ok "Python found: $("$PYTHON" --version 2>&1) (${PYTHON})"
+  ok "Python found: ${PYTHON_VERSION} (${PYTHON})"
 fi
 
 # --- Python dependencies ----------------------------------------------------