diff --git a/scripts/patch-windows-binaries.mjs b/scripts/patch-windows-binaries.mjs
index 6df9528..d29e3d0 100644
--- a/scripts/patch-windows-binaries.mjs
+++ b/scripts/patch-windows-binaries.mjs
@@ -1,9 +1,51 @@
-import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { copyFileSync, existsSync, unlinkSync } from 'node:fs'
 import path from 'node:path'
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 import rcedit from 'rcedit'
 
 const PATCH_TARGETS = new Set(['launcher.exe'])
+const MAX_ATTEMPTS = 6
+const BASE_DELAY_MS = 500
+
+function sleep(ms) {
+  return new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms))
+}
+
+async function patchExecutable(executablePath) {
+  let lastError
+
+  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= MAX_ATTEMPTS; attempt++) {
+    const tempPath = `${executablePath}.rcedit-${process.pid}-${attempt}.tmp`
+
+    try {
+      // Patch a copy then replace — avoids AV/indexer locks on the live PE.
+      copyFileSync(executablePath, tempPath)
+      await rcedit(tempPath, {
+        'requested-execution-level': 'asInvoker'
+      })
+      copyFileSync(tempPath, executablePath)
+      return
+    } catch (error) {
+      lastError = error
+      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)
+      console.warn(
+        `patch-windows-binaries: attempt ${attempt}/${MAX_ATTEMPTS} failed for ${executablePath}: ${message}`
+      )
+
+      if (attempt < MAX_ATTEMPTS) {
+        await sleep(BASE_DELAY_MS * 2 ** (attempt - 1))
+      }
+    } finally {
+      try {
+        unlinkSync(tempPath)
+      } catch {
+        // Ignore cleanup failures.
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  throw lastError
+}
 
 export async function patchWindowsBinaries(appDir) {
   if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
@@ -23,9 +65,7 @@ export async function patchWindowsBinaries(appDir) {
     }
 
     try {
-      await rcedit(executablePath, {
-        'requested-execution-level': 'asInvoker'
-      })
+      await patchExecutable(executablePath)
       console.log(`patch-windows-binaries: set asInvoker on ${executablePath}`)
     } catch (error) {
       console.warn(