diff --git a/pkg/registry/registry.go b/pkg/registry/registry.go
index c08c67e005e..7ea99543b1c 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/registry.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/registry.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func registerDriverFile(path string) {
 			name = strings.TrimSuffix(strings.TrimPrefix(base, "lima-driver-"), ".exe")
 		}
 	} else {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(base, "lima-driver-") {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(base, "lima-driver-") && !strings.HasSuffix(base, ".exe") {
 			name = strings.TrimPrefix(base, "lima-driver-")
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/registry_test.go b/pkg/registry/registry_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..39afcee557d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/registry/registry_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,231 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright The Lima Authors
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package registry
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+
+	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
+
+	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/driver"
+	"github.com/lima-vm/lima/v2/pkg/store"
+)
+
+type mockDriver struct {
+	Name string
+}
+
+func newMockDriver(name string) *mockDriver {
+	return &mockDriver{Name: name}
+}
+
+var _ driver.Driver = (*mockDriver)(nil)
+
+func (m *mockDriver) Validate() error                                             { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Initialize(_ context.Context) error                          { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) CreateDisk(_ context.Context) error                          { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Start(_ context.Context) (chan error, error)                 { return nil, nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Stop(_ context.Context) error                                { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) RunGUI() error                                               { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) ChangeDisplayPassword(_ context.Context, _ string) error     { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) DisplayConnection(_ context.Context) (string, error)         { return "", nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) CreateSnapshot(_ context.Context, _ string) error            { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) ApplySnapshot(_ context.Context, _ string) error             { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) DeleteSnapshot(_ context.Context, _ string) error            { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) ListSnapshots(_ context.Context) (string, error)             { return "", nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Register(_ context.Context) error                            { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Unregister(_ context.Context) error                          { return nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) ForwardGuestAgent() bool                                     { return false }
+func (m *mockDriver) GuestAgentConn(_ context.Context) (net.Conn, string, error)  { return nil, "", nil }
+func (m *mockDriver) Info() driver.Info                                           { return driver.Info{DriverName: m.Name} }
+func (m *mockDriver) Configure(_ *store.Instance, _ int) *driver.ConfiguredDriver { return nil }
+
+func TestRegister(t *testing.T) {
+	BackupRegistry(t)
+
+	mockDrv := newMockDriver("test-driver")
+	mockDrv2 := newMockDriver("test-driver-2")
+	Register(mockDrv)
+	Register(mockDrv2)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, len(internalDrivers), 2)
+	assert.Equal(t, internalDrivers["test-driver"], mockDrv)
+	assert.Equal(t, internalDrivers["test-driver-2"], mockDrv2)
+
+	// Test registering duplicate driver (should not overwrite)
+	mockDrv3 := newMockDriver("test-driver")
+	Register(mockDrv3)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, len(internalDrivers), 2)
+	assert.Equal(t, internalDrivers["test-driver"], mockDrv)
+
+	driverType := CheckInternalOrExternal("test-driver")
+	assert.Equal(t, driverType, Internal)
+
+	extDriver, intDriver, exists := Get("test-driver")
+	assert.Equal(t, exists, true)
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver == nil)
+	assert.Assert(t, intDriver != nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, intDriver.Info().DriverName, "test-driver")
+
+	vmTypes := List()
+	assert.Equal(t, vmTypes["test-driver-2"], Internal)
+}
+
+func TestDiscoverDriversInDir(t *testing.T) {
+	BackupRegistry(t)
+
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+
+	var driverPath string
+	driverName := "mockext"
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		driverPath = filepath.Join(tempDir, "lima-driver-"+driverName+".exe")
+	} else {
+		driverPath = filepath.Join(tempDir, "lima-driver-"+driverName)
+	}
+
+	err := os.WriteFile(driverPath, []byte(""), 0o755)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	err = discoverDriversInDir(tempDir)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, len(ExternalDrivers), 1)
+	extDriver := ExternalDrivers[driverName]
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver != nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Name, driverName)
+	assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Path, driverPath)
+
+	driverType := CheckInternalOrExternal(driverName)
+	assert.Equal(t, driverType, External)
+
+	extDriver, intDriver, exists := Get(driverName)
+	assert.Equal(t, exists, true)
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver != nil)
+	assert.Assert(t, intDriver == nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Name, driverName)
+
+	vmTypes := List()
+	assert.Equal(t, vmTypes[driverName], driverPath)
+}
+
+func TestRegisterDriverFile(t *testing.T) {
+	BackupRegistry(t)
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name         string
+		filename     string
+		expectDriver bool
+		expectedName string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:         "valid driver file",
+			filename:     "lima-driver-test",
+			expectDriver: runtime.GOOS != "windows",
+			expectedName: "test",
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "valid driver file with extension on Windows",
+			filename:     "lima-driver-windows.exe",
+			expectDriver: runtime.GOOS == "windows",
+			expectedName: "windows",
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "invalid filename - no prefix",
+			filename:     "not-a-driver",
+			expectDriver: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "invalid filename - wrong prefix",
+			filename:     "driver-lima-test",
+			expectDriver: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "empty name after prefix",
+			filename:     "lima-driver-",
+			expectDriver: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			ExternalDrivers = make(map[string]*ExternalDriver)
+			registerDriverFile(filepath.Join("/test/path", tt.filename))
+
+			if tt.expectDriver {
+				assert.Equal(t, len(ExternalDrivers), 1)
+				extDriver := ExternalDrivers[tt.expectedName]
+				assert.Assert(t, extDriver != nil)
+				assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Name, tt.expectedName)
+				assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Path, filepath.Join("/test/path", tt.filename))
+			} else {
+				assert.Equal(t, len(ExternalDrivers), 0)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGet(t *testing.T) {
+	BackupRegistry(t)
+
+	mockDrv := newMockDriver("internal-test")
+	Register(mockDrv)
+
+	extDriver, intDriver, exists := Get("internal-test")
+	assert.Equal(t, exists, true)
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver == nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, intDriver, mockDrv)
+
+	registerExternalDriver("external-test", "/path/to/external")
+
+	extDriver, intDriver, exists = Get("external-test")
+	assert.Equal(t, exists, true)
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver != nil)
+	assert.Assert(t, intDriver == nil)
+	assert.Equal(t, extDriver.Name, "external-test")
+
+	extDriver, intDriver, exists = Get("non-existent")
+	assert.Equal(t, exists, false)
+	assert.Assert(t, extDriver == nil)
+	assert.Assert(t, intDriver == nil)
+}
+
+func TestList(t *testing.T) {
+	BackupRegistry(t)
+
+	vmTypes := List()
+	assert.Equal(t, len(vmTypes), 0)
+
+	mockDrv := newMockDriver("internal-test")
+	Register(mockDrv)
+
+	vmTypes = List()
+	assert.Equal(t, len(vmTypes), 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, vmTypes["internal-test"], Internal)
+
+	registerExternalDriver("external-test", "/path/to/external")
+
+	vmTypes = List()
+	assert.Equal(t, len(vmTypes), 2)
+	assert.Equal(t, vmTypes["internal-test"], Internal)
+	assert.Equal(t, vmTypes["external-test"], "/path/to/external")
+}
+
+func BackupRegistry(t *testing.T) {
+	originalExternalDrivers := ExternalDrivers
+	originalInternalDrivers := internalDrivers
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		ExternalDrivers = originalExternalDrivers
+		internalDrivers = originalInternalDrivers
+	})
+
+	internalDrivers = make(map[string]driver.Driver)
+	ExternalDrivers = make(map[string]*ExternalDriver)
+}