diff --git a/__tests__/index.test.ts b/__tests__/index.test.ts
index 939376e..3425d81 100644
--- a/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ describe('renderFrames', () => {
 describe('renderSpawn', () => {
     test('promises a string when output type is `svg`', async () => {
         await expect(
-            renderSpawn('node', ['-e', "process.stdout.write('Hello World!');"], dimensions)
+            renderSpawn('node', ['-e', "process.stdout.write('Hello World!');"], { ...dimensions, useConpty: false })
                 .then((value) => typeof value),
         ).resolves.toBe('string');
     });
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ describe('renderSpawn', () => {
             ...dimensions,
             output: 'png',
             scaleFactor: 1,
+            useConpty: false,
         }).then((value) => Buffer.isBuffer(value))).resolves.toBe(true);
     });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/spawn.test.ts b/__tests__/spawn.test.ts
index c4140b6..f21b45a 100644
--- a/__tests__/spawn.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/spawn.test.ts
@@ -36,14 +36,14 @@ afterEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe('readableSpawn', () => {
-    const dimensions = { columns: 20, rows: 5 };
+    const baseOptions = { columns: 20, rows: 5, useConpty: false };
 
     test('creates readable source events from subprocess writes to stdout', async () => {
-        const source = readableSpawn('echo', ['echo to source stream'], dimensions),
+        const source = readableSpawn('node', ['-e', "process.stdout.write('echo to source stream');"], baseOptions),
             events = await consume<SourceEvent>(source);
         expect(events[0]).toEqual<SourceEvent>({
             type: 'start',
-            command: 'echo "echo to source stream"',
+            command: 'node -e "process.stdout.write(\'echo to source stream\');"',
         });
         expect(events[events.length - 1]).toMatchObject<DeepPartial<SourceEvent>>({
             type: 'finish',
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ describe('readableSpawn', () => {
     });
 
     test('kills spawned subprocess if parent process exits', async () => {
-        const source = readableSpawn('sleep', ['10'], dimensions);
+        const source = readableSpawn(
+            'node',
+            ['-e', 'new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 5000));'],
+            baseOptions,
+        );
         // mock the process exiting
         (signalExit as MockSignalExit).flush();
         await expect(source).resolves.toMatchObject<Partial<SpawnResult>>({
@@ -63,7 +67,11 @@ describe('readableSpawn', () => {
     });
 
     test('subprocess env will not extend process.env if `extendEnv` is false', async () => {
-        const source = readableSpawn('sleep', ['0'], { ...dimensions, env: {}, extendEnv: false });
+        const source = readableSpawn(
+            'node',
+            ['-e', 'new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 0));'],
+            { ...baseOptions, env: {}, extendEnv: false },
+        );
         await expect(source).resolves.toMatchObject<Partial<SpawnResult>>({ exitCode: 0, failed: false });
         expect(source.env).toEqual(colorEnv);
     });
@@ -71,30 +79,30 @@ describe('readableSpawn', () => {
     describe('validation', () => {
         test('throws an error if `command` arg is an empty string', async () => {
             expect(() => {
-                readableSpawn('', [], dimensions);
+                readableSpawn('', [], baseOptions);
             }).toThrow("'command' cannot be empty");
         });
 
         test('throws type error if `command` arg is not a string', async () => {
             expect(() => {
-                readableSpawn({} as unknown as string, [], dimensions);
+                readableSpawn({} as unknown as string, [], baseOptions);
             }).toThrow("'command' must be a string. Received [object Object]");
         });
 
         test('throws error if timeout option is invalid', () => {
             expect(() => {
-                readableSpawn('ls', [], { ...dimensions, timeout: -500 });
+                readableSpawn('ls', [], { ...baseOptions, timeout: -500 });
             }).toThrow('`timeout` must be a non-negative integer');
         });
     });
 
     describe('timeouts', () => {
         test('will send `killSignal` signal to spawned process on timeout', async () => {
-            await expect(readableSpawn('sleep', ['1'], {
-                ...dimensions,
-                timeout: 500,
-                killSignal: 'SIGKILL',
-            })).resolves.toMatchObject<Partial<SpawnResult>>({
+            await expect(readableSpawn(
+                'node',
+                ['-e', 'new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));'],
+                { ...baseOptions, timeout: 500, killSignal: 'SIGKILL' },
+            )).resolves.toMatchObject<Partial<SpawnResult>>({
                 ...process.platform !== 'win32' ? { signal: 'SIGKILL' } : {},
                 timedOut: true,
                 killed: true,
@@ -102,7 +110,11 @@ describe('readableSpawn', () => {
         });
 
         test('timeout is cleared if process completes before it is reached', async () => {
-            const source = readableSpawn('sleep', ['1'], { ...dimensions, timeout: 2000 });
+            const source = readableSpawn(
+                'node',
+                ['-e', 'new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));'],
+                { ...baseOptions, timeout: 2000 },
+            );
             await expect(source).resolves.toMatchObject<Partial<SpawnResult>>({
                 timedOut: false,
                 failed: false,
diff --git a/src/spawn.ts b/src/spawn.ts
index 4450285..0adfc84 100644
--- a/src/spawn.ts
+++ b/src/spawn.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ export interface SpawnOptions {
      * @defaultValue `'SIGTERM'`
      */
     killSignal?: NodeJS.Signals
+
+    /**
+     * Windows only passed to `node-pty` concerning whether to use ConPTY over WinPTY.
+     * Added as a workaround until {@link https://github.com/microsoft/node-pty/issues/437} is resolved
+     */
+    useConpty?: boolean
 }
 
 export const colorEnv = {
@@ -127,6 +133,7 @@ export default function readableSpawn(command: string, args: string[], {
     extendEnv = true,
     timeout = 0,
     killSignal = 'SIGTERM',
+    useConpty,
 }: Dimensions & SpawnOptions) {
     // validate args
     if (typeof command !== 'string') {
@@ -152,6 +159,7 @@ export default function readableSpawn(command: string, args: string[], {
             name: term,
             env,
             cwd,
+            useConpty,
         });
     // emit stream start event
     stream.start([command, ...args.map((arg) => (