diff --git a/clite/core.js b/clite/core.js
index 57e920a..dc126f3 100644
--- a/clite/core.js
+++ b/clite/core.js
@@ -2253,7 +2253,12 @@ clite.lib = {
 
 		if (!fd.canexec) {
 			clite.io.close(io.pid,fd);
-			return -3
+			return -3;
+		}
+
+		if (clite.lib.getFileType(fd) != clite.io.types.FT_BINARY) {
+			clite.io.close(io.pid,fd);
+			return -4;
 		}
 
 		clite.proc.update(args.join(' '));
diff --git a/clite/shell.js b/clite/shell.js
index d8322e3..5a8021c 100644
--- a/clite/shell.js
+++ b/clite/shell.js
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ clite.commands.load('sh',function(args,env,io) {
 				io.exit(-1);
 			}
 
-			if (r == -3) {
+			if (r == -3 || r == -4) {
 				stdio.write(io.stderr,'Shell: not an executable file:'+args[0]);
 				io.exit(-3);
 			}