diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index 18c92c48c..cddf5a980 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -176,11 +176,11 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 15
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        os: [ ubuntu-20.04, windows-2022, macos-12 ]
+        os: [ ubuntu-20.04, windows-2022, macos-13 ]
         include:
           - { os: ubuntu-20.04, platform: linux-amd64 }
           - { os: windows-2022, platform: windows-amd64, file-ext: .exe }
-          - { os: macos-12, platform: darwin-amd64 }
+          - { os: macos-13, platform: darwin-amd64 }
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     name: cli/${{ matrix.platform }}
     steps:
diff --git a/linker/src/test/java/io/helidon/build/linker/StartScriptTest.java b/linker/src/test/java/io/helidon/build/linker/StartScriptTest.java
index e2bf05955..9e5cf8a41 100644
--- a/linker/src/test/java/io/helidon/build/linker/StartScriptTest.java
+++ b/linker/src/test/java/io/helidon/build/linker/StartScriptTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 import org.hamcrest.core.StringContains;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Order;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.condition.EnabledOnOs;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.condition.OS;
 
 import static io.helidon.build.common.FileUtils.ensureDirectory;
 import static io.helidon.build.common.FileUtils.ensureFile;
@@ -110,6 +112,16 @@ void testDefaultJvmOptions() {
         assertThat(script, containsString("defaultJvm=\"-verbose:class -Xms32\""));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    @EnabledOnOs(OS.WINDOWS)
+    void testCustomDefaultJvmOptions() {
+        String script = builder().defaultJvmOptions(List.of("-Dfoo.foo=foo")).build().toString();
+        assertThat(script, containsString("defaultJvm=\"`\"-Dfoo.foo=foo`\"\""));
+
+        script = builder().defaultJvmOptions(List.of("-Dfoo=foo", "-Dbar=bar")).build().toString();
+        assertThat(script, containsString("defaultJvm=\"`\"-Dfoo=foo`\" `\"-Dbar=bar`\"\""));
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testDefaultDebugOptions() {
         String script = builder().build().toString();