diff --git a/django/utils/autoreload.py b/django/utils/autoreload.py
index 5b22aef2b1..e570f89300 100644
--- a/django/utils/autoreload.py
+++ b/django/utils/autoreload.py
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ def get_child_arguments():
     import __main__
 
     py_script = Path(sys.argv[0])
+    exe_entrypoint = py_script.with_suffix(".exe")
 
     args = [sys.executable] + ["-W%s" % o for o in sys.warnoptions]
     if sys.implementation.name == "cpython":
@@ -237,7 +238,7 @@ def get_child_arguments():
     # __spec__ is set when the server was started with the `-m` option,
     # see https://docs.python.org/3/reference/import.html#main-spec
     # __spec__ may not exist, e.g. when running in a Conda env.
-    if getattr(__main__, "__spec__", None) is not None:
+    if getattr(__main__, "__spec__", None) is not None and not exe_entrypoint.exists():
         spec = __main__.__spec__
         if (spec.name == "__main__" or spec.name.endswith(".__main__")) and spec.parent:
             name = spec.parent
@@ -248,7 +249,6 @@ def get_child_arguments():
     elif not py_script.exists():
         # sys.argv[0] may not exist for several reasons on Windows.
         # It may exist with a .exe extension or have a -script.py suffix.
-        exe_entrypoint = py_script.with_suffix(".exe")
         if exe_entrypoint.exists():
             # Should be executed directly, ignoring sys.executable.
             return [exe_entrypoint, *sys.argv[1:]]
diff --git a/tests/utils_tests/test_autoreload.py b/tests/utils_tests/test_autoreload.py
index e33276ba61..fd33506499 100644
--- a/tests/utils_tests/test_autoreload.py
+++ b/tests/utils_tests/test_autoreload.py
@@ -238,6 +238,17 @@ class TestChildArguments(SimpleTestCase):
                     autoreload.get_child_arguments(), [exe_path, "runserver"]
                 )
 
+    @mock.patch("sys.warnoptions", [])
+    @mock.patch.dict(sys.modules, {"__main__": django.__main__})
+    def test_use_exe_when_main_spec(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            exe_path = Path(tmpdir) / "django-admin.exe"
+            exe_path.touch()
+            with mock.patch("sys.argv", [exe_path.with_suffix(""), "runserver"]):
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    autoreload.get_child_arguments(), [exe_path, "runserver"]
+                )
+
     @mock.patch("__main__.__spec__", None)
     @mock.patch("sys.warnoptions", [])
     @mock.patch("sys._xoptions", {})