diff --git a/.changelog/25648.txt b/.changelog/25648.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a519757c763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/25648.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+java: Fixed a bug where the default task user was set to 'nobody' on Windows
+```
diff --git a/drivers/java/driver.go b/drivers/java/driver.go
index 38b98822d8a..5ed2efa9a89 100644
--- a/drivers/java/driver.go
+++ b/drivers/java/driver.go
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func (d *Driver) StartTask(cfg *drivers.TaskConfig) (handle *drivers.TaskHandle,
 	}
 
 	user := cfg.User
-	if user == "" {
+	if user == "" && runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
 		user = "nobody"
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/shared/executor/executor_windows.go b/drivers/shared/executor/executor_windows.go
index 9523c053634..9446a11bef4 100644
--- a/drivers/shared/executor/executor_windows.go
+++ b/drivers/shared/executor/executor_windows.go
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ func withNetworkIsolation(f func() error, _ *drivers.NetworkIsolationSpec) error
 }
 
 func setCmdUser(cmd *exec.Cmd, user string) error {
+	if user == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
 	nameParts := strings.Split(user, "\\")
 	if len(nameParts) != 2 {
 		return errors.New("user name must contain domain")