diff --git a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
index 33bb8f5c26..8c886d24b6 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def ensure_executable_scripts(project_path: Path, tracker: StepTracker | None =
                     with script.open("rb") as f:
                         if f.read(2) != b"#!":
                             continue
-                except Exception:
+                except (OSError, PermissionError):
                     continue
                 st = script.stat()
                 mode = st.st_mode
diff --git a/tests/test_ensure_executable_scripts.py b/tests/test_ensure_executable_scripts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..610b485179
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_ensure_executable_scripts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+"""Regression tests for ensure_executable_scripts exception narrowing."""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from specify_cli import ensure_executable_scripts
+
+
+class TestEnsureExecutableScriptsExceptionNarrowing:
+    """Verify the narrowed exception boundary in ensure_executable_scripts."""
+
+    def test_oserror_during_open_is_skipped(self, tmp_path):
+        """An OSError when opening a script must be skipped, not propagated.
+
+        The inner try/except catches (OSError, PermissionError) and continues
+        to the next script. This test verifies the script is simply skipped
+        (not made executable) when open() raises OSError.
+        """
+        scripts_dir = tmp_path / ".specify" / "scripts"
+        scripts_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        script = scripts_dir / "gate.sh"
+        script.write_bytes(b"#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho hi\n")
+
+        original_open = Path.open
+
+        call_count = 0
+
+        def open_side_effect(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            nonlocal call_count
+            if self == script and call_count == 0:
+                call_count += 1
+                raise OSError("Permission denied")
+            return original_open(self, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch.object(Path, "open", open_side_effect):
+            # Must not raise — OSError is caught by the narrowed except clause
+            ensure_executable_scripts(tmp_path)
+
+        # Script should NOT be made executable since open() failed
+        st = script.stat()
+        assert not (st.st_mode & 0o111), "Script should not have execute bits"
+
+    def test_unexpected_exception_propagates_to_outer_handler(self, tmp_path):
+        """A non-OSError exception (e.g. RuntimeError) must propagate out of
+        the inner try block and be caught by the outer except Exception handler,
+        which records it as a failure."""
+        scripts_dir = tmp_path / ".specify" / "scripts"
+        scripts_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        script = scripts_dir / "gate.sh"
+        script.write_bytes(b"#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho hi\n")
+
+        original_open = Path.open
+
+        call_count = 0
+
+        def open_side_effect(self, *args, **kwargs):
+            nonlocal call_count
+            if self == script and call_count == 0:
+                call_count += 1
+                raise RuntimeError("unexpected failure")
+            return original_open(self, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        with patch.object(Path, "open", open_side_effect):
+            # RuntimeError is NOT in (OSError, PermissionError), so the inner
+            # except does NOT catch it. The outer except Exception handler
+            # catches it and appends to failures[]. No exception escapes.
+            ensure_executable_scripts(tmp_path)
+
+        # The outer handler caught the RuntimeError; script stays non-executable
+        st = script.stat()
+        assert not (st.st_mode & 0o111), "Script should not have execute bits"
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="No POSIX execute bits on Windows")
+    def test_normal_shebang_script_gets_executable(self, tmp_path):
+        """A script with a shebang must get execute bits set."""
+        scripts_dir = tmp_path / ".specify" / "scripts"
+        scripts_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        script = scripts_dir / "gate.sh"
+        script.write_bytes(b"#!/usr/bin/env bash\necho hi\n")
+        script.chmod(0o644)
+
+        ensure_executable_scripts(tmp_path)
+
+        assert os.access(script, os.X_OK)
+
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(os.name == "nt", reason="No POSIX execute bits on Windows")
+    def test_script_without_shebang_is_skipped(self, tmp_path):
+        """A script without a shebang must not be made executable."""
+        scripts_dir = tmp_path / ".specify" / "scripts"
+        scripts_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        script = scripts_dir / "data.sh"
+        script.write_bytes(b"echo hi\n")
+        script.chmod(0o644)
+
+        ensure_executable_scripts(tmp_path)
+
+        assert not os.access(script, os.X_OK)