diff --git Lib/distutils/spawn.py Lib/distutils/spawn.py
index 7306099..7a2de5e 100644
--- Lib/distutils/spawn.py
+++ Lib/distutils/spawn.py
@@ -183,17 +183,16 @@ def find_executable(executable, path=None):
     if path is None:
         path = os.environ['PATH']
     paths = path.split(os.pathsep)
-    base, ext = os.path.splitext(executable)
 
-    if (sys.platform == 'win32' or os.name == 'os2') and (ext != '.exe'):
-        executable = executable + '.exe'
+    for ext in '.exe', '.bat', '':
+        newexe = executable + ext
 
-    if not os.path.isfile(executable):
-        for p in paths:
-            f = os.path.join(p, executable)
-            if os.path.isfile(f):
-                # the file exists, we have a shot at spawn working
-                return f
-        return None
-    else:
-        return executable
+        if os.path.isfile(newexe):
+            return newexe
+        else:
+            for p in paths:
+                f = os.path.join(p, newexe)
+                if os.path.isfile(f):
+                    # the file exists, we have a shot at spawn working
+                    return f
+    return None