diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index dbac886008..0e77f31646 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -3844,6 +3844,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rmp",
  "roxmltree",
  "rstest",
+ "rstest_reuse",
  "rusqlite",
  "scopeguard",
  "serde",
@@ -6309,6 +6310,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-ident",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rstest_reuse"
+version = "0.7.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b3a8fb4672e840a587a66fc577a5491375df51ddb88f2a2c2a792598c326fe14"
+dependencies = [
+ "quote",
+ "rand",
+ "syn 2.0.90",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rusqlite"
 version = "0.31.0"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 1692c44ed2..70b3fb369f 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ rmp = "0.8"
 rmp-serde = "1.3"
 roxmltree = "0.20"
 rstest = { version = "0.23", default-features = false }
+rstest_reuse = "0.7"
 rusqlite = "0.31"
 rust-embed = "8.5.0"
 scopeguard = { version = "1.2.0" }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml b/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
index 42ad13c41d..bfbd091847 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/nu-command/Cargo.toml
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ mockito = { workspace = true, default-features = false }
 quickcheck = { workspace = true }
 quickcheck_macros = { workspace = true }
 rstest = { workspace = true, default-features = false }
+rstest_reuse = { workspace = true }
 pretty_assertions = { workspace = true }
 tempfile = { workspace = true }
-rand_chacha = { workspace = true }
\ No newline at end of file
+rand_chacha = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
index ca0ae4d216..014f83dea8 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+
 use nu_engine::{command_prelude::*, env_to_strings};
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -11,7 +13,11 @@ impl Command for Exec {
     fn signature(&self) -> Signature {
         Signature::build("exec")
             .input_output_types(vec![(Type::Nothing, Type::Any)])
-            .required("command", SyntaxShape::String, "The command to execute.")
+            .rest(
+                "command",
+                SyntaxShape::OneOf(vec![SyntaxShape::GlobPattern, SyntaxShape::Any]),
+                "External command to run, with arguments.",
+            )
             .allows_unknown_args()
             .category(Category::System)
     }
@@ -33,15 +39,29 @@ On Windows based systems, Nushell will wait for the command to finish and then e
         _input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
         let cwd = engine_state.cwd(Some(stack))?;
+        let rest = call.rest::<Value>(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
+        let name_args = rest.split_first();
+
+        let Some((name, call_args)) = name_args else {
+            return Err(ShellError::MissingParameter {
+                param_name: "no command given".into(),
+                span: call.head,
+            });
+        };
+
+        let name_str: Cow<str> = match &name {
+            Value::Glob { val, .. } => Cow::Borrowed(val),
+            Value::String { val, .. } => Cow::Borrowed(val),
+            _ => Cow::Owned(name.clone().coerce_into_string()?),
+        };
 
         // Find the absolute path to the executable. If the command is not
         // found, display a helpful error message.
-        let name: Spanned<String> = call.req(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
         let executable = {
             let paths = nu_engine::env::path_str(engine_state, stack, call.head)?;
-            let Some(executable) = crate::which(&name.item, &paths, cwd.as_ref()) else {
+            let Some(executable) = crate::which(name_str.as_ref(), &paths, cwd.as_ref()) else {
                 return Err(crate::command_not_found(
-                    &name.item,
+                    &name_str,
                     call.head,
                     engine_state,
                     stack,
@@ -73,7 +93,7 @@ On Windows based systems, Nushell will wait for the command to finish and then e
         }
 
         // Configure args.
-        let args = crate::eval_arguments_from_call(engine_state, stack, call)?;
+        let args = crate::eval_external_arguments(engine_state, stack, call_args.to_vec())?;
         command.args(args.into_iter().map(|s| s.item));
 
         // Execute the child process, replacing/terminating the current process
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/mod.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/mod.rs
index a87aac8a07..57a314d383 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/mod.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub use nu_check::NuCheck;
 pub use ps::Ps;
 #[cfg(windows)]
 pub use registry_query::RegistryQuery;
-pub use run_external::{command_not_found, eval_arguments_from_call, which, External};
+pub use run_external::{command_not_found, eval_external_arguments, which, External};
 pub use sys::*;
 pub use uname::UName;
 pub use which_::Which;
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
index e4ac0ea88f..b917577ba9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
@@ -34,15 +34,10 @@ impl Command for External {
     fn signature(&self) -> nu_protocol::Signature {
         Signature::build(self.name())
             .input_output_types(vec![(Type::Any, Type::Any)])
-            .required(
-                "command",
-                SyntaxShape::OneOf(vec![SyntaxShape::GlobPattern, SyntaxShape::String]),
-                "External command to run.",
-            )
             .rest(
-                "args",
+                "command",
                 SyntaxShape::OneOf(vec![SyntaxShape::GlobPattern, SyntaxShape::Any]),
-                "Arguments for external command.",
+                "External command to run, with arguments.",
             )
             .category(Category::System)
     }
@@ -55,7 +50,15 @@ impl Command for External {
         input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
         let cwd = engine_state.cwd(Some(stack))?;
-        let name: Value = call.req(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
+        let rest = call.rest::<Value>(engine_state, stack, 0)?;
+        let name_args = rest.split_first();
+
+        let Some((name, call_args)) = name_args else {
+            return Err(ShellError::MissingParameter {
+                param_name: "no command given".into(),
+                span: call.head,
+            });
+        };
 
         let name_str: Cow<str> = match &name {
             Value::Glob { val, .. } => Cow::Borrowed(val),
@@ -151,7 +154,7 @@ impl Command for External {
         command.envs(envs);
 
         // Configure args.
-        let args = eval_arguments_from_call(engine_state, stack, call)?;
+        let args = eval_external_arguments(engine_state, stack, call_args.to_vec())?;
         #[cfg(windows)]
         if is_cmd_internal_command(&name_str) || potential_nuscript_in_windows {
             // The /D flag disables execution of AutoRun commands from registry.
@@ -290,14 +293,13 @@ impl Command for External {
     }
 }
 
-/// Evaluate all arguments from a call, performing expansions when necessary.
-pub fn eval_arguments_from_call(
+/// Evaluate all arguments, performing expansions when necessary.
+pub fn eval_external_arguments(
     engine_state: &EngineState,
     stack: &mut Stack,
-    call: &Call,
+    call_args: Vec<Value>,
 ) -> Result<Vec<Spanned<OsString>>, ShellError> {
     let cwd = engine_state.cwd(Some(stack))?;
-    let call_args = call.rest::<Value>(engine_state, stack, 1)?;
     let mut args: Vec<Spanned<OsString>> = Vec::with_capacity(call_args.len());
 
     for arg in call_args {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/run_external.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/run_external.rs
index 856214456c..5dc68405a9 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/run_external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/run_external.rs
@@ -1,23 +1,34 @@
 use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::EmptyFile;
+use nu_test_support::nu;
 use nu_test_support::playground::Playground;
-use nu_test_support::{nu, pipeline};
+use rstest::rstest;
+use rstest_reuse::*;
 
-#[test]
-fn better_empty_redirection() {
+// Template for run-external test to ensure tests work when calling
+// the binary directly, using the caret operator, and when using
+// the run-external command
+#[template]
+#[rstest]
+#[case("")]
+#[case("^")]
+#[case("run-external ")]
+fn run_external_prefixes(#[case] prefix: &str) {}
+
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn better_empty_redirection(prefix: &str) {
     let actual = nu!(
-        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
-        "
-            ls | each { |it| nu --testbin cococo $it.name } | ignore
-        "
-    ));
+        cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats",
+        "ls | each {{ |it| {}nu `--testbin` cococo $it.name }} | ignore",
+        prefix
+    );
 
     eprintln!("out: {}", actual.out);
 
     assert!(!actual.out.contains('2'));
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn explicit_glob() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn explicit_glob(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external with explicit glob", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[
             EmptyFile("D&D_volume_1.txt"),
@@ -26,19 +37,20 @@ fn explicit_glob() {
         ]);
 
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo ('*.txt' | into glob)
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo ('*.txt' | into glob)
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_1.txt"));
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_2.txt"));
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn bare_word_expand_path_glob() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn bare_word_expand_path_glob(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("bare word should do the expansion", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[
             EmptyFile("D&D_volume_1.txt"),
@@ -47,19 +59,20 @@ fn bare_word_expand_path_glob() {
         ]);
 
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             "
-                ^nu --testbin cococo *.txt
-            "
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo *.txt
+            ",
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_1.txt"));
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_2.txt"));
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn backtick_expand_path_glob() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn backtick_expand_path_glob(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("backtick should do the expansion", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[
             EmptyFile("D&D_volume_1.txt"),
@@ -68,19 +81,20 @@ fn backtick_expand_path_glob() {
         ]);
 
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo `*.txt`
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo `*.txt`
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_1.txt"));
         assert!(actual.out.contains("D&D_volume_2.txt"));
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn single_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn single_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("single quote do not run the expansion", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[
             EmptyFile("D&D_volume_1.txt"),
@@ -89,18 +103,19 @@ fn single_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob() {
         ]);
 
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo '*.txt'
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo '*.txt'
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "*.txt");
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn double_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn double_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("double quote do not run the expansion", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[
             EmptyFile("D&D_volume_1.txt"),
@@ -109,44 +124,50 @@ fn double_quote_does_not_expand_path_glob() {
         ]);
 
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo "*.txt"
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo "*.txt"
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "*.txt");
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn failed_command_with_semicolon_will_not_execute_following_cmds() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn failed_command_with_semicolon_will_not_execute_following_cmds(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external failed command with semicolon", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             "
-                nu --testbin fail; echo done
-            "
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` fail; echo done
+            ",
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert!(!actual.out.contains("done"));
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_args_with_quoted() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_args_with_quoted(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external failed command with semicolon", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                nu --testbin cococo "foo=bar 'hi'"
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo "foo=bar 'hi'"
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "foo=bar 'hi'");
     })
 }
 
+// don't use template for this once since echo with no prefix is an internal command
+// and arguments flags are treated as arguments to run-external
+// (but wrapping them in quotes defeats the point of test)
 #[cfg(not(windows))]
 #[test]
 fn external_arg_with_option_like_embedded_quotes() {
@@ -155,58 +176,67 @@ fn external_arg_with_option_like_embedded_quotes() {
         "external arg with option like embedded quotes",
         |dirs, _| {
             let actual = nu!(
-                cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+                cwd: dirs.test(),
                 r#"
-                ^echo --foo='bar' -foo='bar'
-            "#
-            ));
+                    ^echo --foo='bar' -foo='bar'
+                "#,
+            );
 
             assert_eq!(actual.out, "--foo=bar -foo=bar");
         },
     )
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_arg_with_non_option_like_embedded_quotes() {
+// FIXME: parser complains about invalid characters after single quote
+#[rstest]
+#[case("")]
+#[case("^")]
+fn external_arg_with_non_option_like_embedded_quotes(#[case] prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup(
         "external arg with non option like embedded quotes",
         |dirs, _| {
             let actual = nu!(
-                cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+                cwd: dirs.test(),
                 r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo foo='bar' 'foo'=bar
-            "#
-            ));
+                    {}nu `--testbin` cococo foo='bar' 'foo'=bar
+                "#,
+                prefix
+            );
 
             assert_eq!(actual.out, "foo=bar foo=bar");
         },
     )
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_arg_with_string_interpolation() {
+// FIXME: parser bug prevents expressions from appearing within GlobPattern substrings
+#[rstest]
+#[case("")]
+#[case("^")]
+fn external_arg_with_string_interpolation(#[case] prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external arg with string interpolation", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo foo=(2 + 2) $"foo=(2 + 2)" foo=$"(2 + 2)"
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo foo=(2 + 2) $"foo=(2 + 2)" foo=$"(2 + 2)"
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "foo=4 foo=4 foo=4");
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_arg_with_variable_name() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_arg_with_variable_name(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external failed command with semicolon", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
                 let dump_command = "PGPASSWORD='db_secret' pg_dump -Fc -h 'db.host' -p '$db.port' -U postgres -d 'db_name' > '/tmp/dump_name'";
-                nu --testbin nonu $dump_command
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` nonu $dump_command
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(
             actual.out,
@@ -215,25 +245,29 @@ fn external_arg_with_variable_name() {
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_escape_args() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_escape_args(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external failed command with semicolon", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                nu --testbin cococo "\"abcd"
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo "\"abcd"
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         assert_eq!(actual.out, r#""abcd"#);
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_ndots_args() {
-    let actual = nu!(r#"
-        nu --testbin cococo foo/. foo/.. foo/... foo/./bar foo/../bar foo/.../bar ./bar ../bar .../bar
-    "#);
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_ndots_args(prefix: &str) {
+    let actual = nu!(
+        r#"
+            {}nu `--testbin` cococo foo/. foo/.. foo/... foo/./bar foo/../bar foo/.../bar ./bar ../bar .../bar
+        "#,
+        prefix
+    );
 
     assert_eq!(
         actual.out,
@@ -247,23 +281,29 @@ fn external_command_ndots_args() {
     );
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_ndots_leading_dot_slash() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_ndots_leading_dot_slash(prefix: &str) {
     // Don't expand ndots with a leading `./`
-    let actual = nu!(r#"
-        nu --testbin cococo ./... ./....
-    "#);
+    let actual = nu!(
+        r#"
+            {}nu `--testbin` cococo ./... ./....
+        "#,
+        prefix
+    );
 
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "./... ./....");
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_url_args() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_url_args(prefix: &str) {
     // If ndots is not handled correctly, we can lose the double forward slashes that are needed
     // here
-    let actual = nu!(r#"
-        nu --testbin cococo http://example.com http://example.com/.../foo //foo
-    "#);
+    let actual = nu!(
+        r#"
+            {}nu `--testbin` cococo http://example.com http://example.com/.../foo //foo
+        "#,
+        prefix
+    );
 
     assert_eq!(
         actual.out,
@@ -271,12 +311,12 @@ fn external_command_url_args() {
     );
 }
 
-#[test]
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
 #[cfg_attr(
     not(target_os = "linux"),
     ignore = "only runs on Linux, where controlling the HOME var is reliable"
 )]
-fn external_command_expand_tilde() {
+fn external_command_expand_tilde(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external command expand tilde", |dirs, _| {
         // Make a copy of the nu executable that we can use
         let mut src = std::fs::File::open(nu_test_support::fs::binaries().join("nu"))
@@ -302,22 +342,27 @@ fn external_command_expand_tilde() {
                 ("HOME".to_string(), dirs.test().to_string_lossy().into_owned()),
             ],
             r#"
-                ^~/test_nu --testbin cococo hello
-            "#
+                {}~/test_nu `--testbin` cococo hello
+            "#,
+            prefix
         );
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "hello");
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_arg_expand_tilde() {
+// FIXME: parser bug prevents expressions from appearing within GlobPattern substrings
+#[rstest]
+#[case("")]
+#[case("^")]
+fn external_arg_expand_tilde(#[case] prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external arg expand tilde", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                ^nu --testbin cococo ~/foo ~/(2 + 2)
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}nu `--testbin` cococo ~/foo ~/(2 + 2)
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         let home = dirs::home_dir().expect("failed to find home dir");
 
@@ -332,40 +377,43 @@ fn external_arg_expand_tilde() {
     })
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_not_expand_tilde_with_quotes() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_not_expand_tilde_with_quotes(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup(
         "external command not expand tilde with quotes",
         |dirs, _| {
-            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(r#"nu --testbin nonu "~""#));
+            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), r#"{}nu `--testbin` nonu "~""#, prefix);
             assert_eq!(actual.out, r#"~"#);
         },
     )
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_expand_tilde_with_back_quotes() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_expand_tilde_with_back_quotes(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup(
         "external command not expand tilde with quotes",
         |dirs, _| {
-            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(r#"nu --testbin nonu `~`"#));
+            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), r#"{}nu `--testbin` nonu `~`"#, prefix);
             assert!(!actual.out.contains('~'));
         },
     )
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn external_command_receives_raw_binary_data() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn external_command_receives_raw_binary_data(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("external command receives raw binary data", |dirs, _| {
-        let actual =
-            nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("0x[deadbeef] | nu --testbin input_bytes_length"));
+        let actual = nu!(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
+            "0x[deadbeef] | {}nu `--testbin` input_bytes_length",
+            prefix
+        );
         assert_eq!(actual.out, r#"4"#);
     })
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
-#[test]
-fn can_run_cmd_files() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn can_run_cmd_files(prefix: &str) {
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
     Playground::setup("run a Windows cmd file", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[FileWithContent(
@@ -376,14 +424,14 @@ fn can_run_cmd_files() {
             "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("foo.cmd"));
+        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), "{}foo.cmd", prefix);
         assert!(actual.out.contains("Hello World"));
     });
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
-#[test]
-fn can_run_batch_files() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn can_run_batch_files(prefix: &str) {
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
     Playground::setup("run a Windows batch file", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[FileWithContent(
@@ -394,14 +442,14 @@ fn can_run_batch_files() {
             "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("foo.bat"));
+        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), "{}foo.bat", prefix);
         assert!(actual.out.contains("Hello World"));
     });
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
-#[test]
-fn can_run_batch_files_without_cmd_extension() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn can_run_batch_files_without_cmd_extension(prefix: &str) {
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
     Playground::setup(
         "run a Windows cmd file without specifying the extension",
@@ -414,15 +462,15 @@ fn can_run_batch_files_without_cmd_extension() {
             "#,
             )]);
 
-            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("foo"));
+            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), "{}foo", prefix);
             assert!(actual.out.contains("Hello World"));
         },
     );
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
-#[test]
-fn can_run_batch_files_without_bat_extension() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn can_run_batch_files_without_bat_extension(prefix: &str) {
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
     Playground::setup(
         "run a Windows batch file without specifying the extension",
@@ -435,34 +483,36 @@ fn can_run_batch_files_without_bat_extension() {
             "#,
             )]);
 
-            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("foo"));
+            let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), "{}foo", prefix);
             assert!(actual.out.contains("Hello World"));
         },
     );
 }
 
-#[test]
-fn quotes_trimmed_when_shelling_out() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn quotes_trimmed_when_shelling_out(prefix: &str) {
     // regression test for a bug where we weren't trimming quotes around string args before shelling out to cmd.exe
-    let actual = nu!(pipeline(
+    let actual = nu!(
         r#"
-            nu --testbin cococo "foo"
-        "#
-    ));
+            {}nu `--testbin` cococo "foo"
+        "#,
+        prefix
+    );
 
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "foo");
 }
 
 #[cfg(not(windows))]
-#[test]
-fn redirect_combine() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn redirect_combine(prefix: &str) {
     Playground::setup("redirect_combine", |dirs, _| {
         let actual = nu!(
-            cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline(
+            cwd: dirs.test(),
             r#"
-                run-external sh ...[-c 'echo Foo; echo >&2 Bar'] o+e>| print
-            "#
-        ));
+                {}sh ...[-c 'echo Foo; echo >&2 Bar'] o+e>| print
+            "#,
+            prefix
+        );
 
         // Lines are collapsed in the nu! macro
         assert_eq!(actual.out, "FooBar");
@@ -470,8 +520,8 @@ fn redirect_combine() {
 }
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
-#[test]
-fn can_run_ps1_files() {
+#[apply(run_external_prefixes)]
+fn can_run_ps1_files(prefix: &str) {
     use nu_test_support::fs::Stub::FileWithContent;
     Playground::setup("run_a_windows_ps_file", |dirs, sandbox| {
         sandbox.with_files(&[FileWithContent(
@@ -481,7 +531,7 @@ fn can_run_ps1_files() {
             "#,
         )]);
 
-        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), pipeline("foo.ps1"));
+        let actual = nu!(cwd: dirs.test(), "{}foo.ps1", prefix);
         assert!(actual.out.contains("Hello World"));
     });
 }