diff --git a/scripts/stage-package-repository.py b/scripts/stage-package-repository.py
index 85090b3..740cf48 100755
--- a/scripts/stage-package-repository.py
+++ b/scripts/stage-package-repository.py
@@ -374,6 +374,23 @@ def _load_locked_public_key(
     return public_key_data
 
 
+def _resolve_executable(path: Path, context: str) -> Path:
+    candidate = path
+    if not candidate.is_absolute() and len(candidate.parts) == 1:
+        located = shutil.which(str(candidate))
+        if located is None:
+            fail(f"unable to locate {context}")
+        candidate = Path(located)
+    try:
+        resolved = candidate.resolve(strict=True)
+    except OSError as error:
+        fail(f"unable to canonicalize {context}: {error}")
+    _regular_file(resolved, context)
+    if not os.access(resolved, os.X_OK):
+        fail(f"{context} is not executable")
+    return resolved
+
+
 def _verify_signed_index(
     apk_executable: Path,
     repository: Path,
@@ -425,6 +442,7 @@ def _archive_repository(source: Path, archive: Path, repository_directory: str)
 
 def command_build(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     config = repository_config(args.lock)
+    apk_executable = _resolve_executable(args.apk_executable, "apk executable")
     input_dir = _real_directory(args.input_dir, "APK input directory")
     output_dir = _safe_existing_parent(args.output_dir, "repository output directory")
     archive = _safe_existing_parent(args.archive, "repository archive")
@@ -460,7 +478,7 @@ def command_build(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
             digest, size = copy_regular(source, temporary / source.name, config["max_member_bytes"])
             package_records.append({"filename": source.name, "sha256": digest, "size": size})
         command = [
-            str(args.apk_executable),
+            str(apk_executable),
             "mkndx",
             "--allow-untrusted",
             "--sign",
@@ -491,7 +509,7 @@ def command_build(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         index_path = temporary / "packages.adb"
         _regular_file(index_path, "packages.adb", config["max_member_bytes"])
         _verify_signed_index(
-            args.apk_executable,
+            apk_executable,
             temporary,
             public_key_data,
             args.apk_timeout,
diff --git a/tests/test_package_repository.py b/tests/test_package_repository.py
index c9ba544..fed5c71 100644
--- a/tests/test_package_repository.py
+++ b/tests/test_package_repository.py
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ def run_script(
         *arguments: object,
         expected: int = 0,
         extra_env: dict[str, str] | None = None,
+        cwd: Path | None = None,
     ) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
         command = [sys.executable, str(SCRIPT), "--lock", str(self.lock), *(str(item) for item in arguments)]
         environment = os.environ.copy()
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ def run_script(
         )
         if extra_env:
             environment.update(extra_env)
-        result = subprocess.run(command, text=True, capture_output=True, check=False, env=environment)
+        result = subprocess.run(command, text=True, capture_output=True, check=False, env=environment, cwd=cwd)
         self.assertEqual(
             result.returncode,
             expected,
@@ -140,8 +141,10 @@ def build(
         self,
         *,
         public_key: Path | None = None,
+        apk_executable: Path | None = None,
         expected: int = 0,
         extra_env: dict[str, str] | None = None,
+        cwd: Path | None = None,
     ) -> tuple[Path, Path, subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]]:
         output = self.root / "repository"
         archive = self.root / self.asset_name
@@ -158,9 +161,10 @@ def build(
             "--public-key",
             public_key or self.public_key,
             "--apk-executable",
-            self.fake_apk,
+            apk_executable or self.fake_apk,
             expected=expected,
             extra_env=extra_env,
+            cwd=cwd,
         )
         return output, archive, result
 
@@ -252,6 +256,40 @@ def test_successful_build_verifies_signature_and_pages_stage(self) -> None:
         staged = self.root / "site/packages" / self.directory
         self.assertTrue((staged / "packages.adb").is_file())
 
+    def test_build_accepts_relative_apk_executable_when_subprocess_changes_directory(self) -> None:
+        relative_apk = Path(os.path.relpath(self.fake_apk, Path.cwd()))
+        self.assertFalse(relative_apk.is_absolute())
+        output, archive, _ = self.build(apk_executable=relative_apk)
+        self.assertTrue((output / "packages.adb").is_file())
+        self.assertTrue(archive.is_file())
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.fake_apk_calls()), 2)
+
+    def test_build_resolves_bare_apk_executable_from_path(self) -> None:
+        bin_dir = self.root / "bin"
+        bin_dir.mkdir()
+        path_apk = bin_dir / "apk"
+        path_apk.write_bytes(self.fake_apk.read_bytes())
+        path_apk.chmod(0o755)
+        caller = self.root / "caller"
+        caller.mkdir()
+        (caller / "apk").write_text("not executable\n", encoding="ascii")
+        output, archive, _ = self.build(
+            apk_executable=Path("apk"),
+            extra_env={"PATH": f"{bin_dir}{os.pathsep}{os.environ['PATH']}"},
+            cwd=caller,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue((output / "packages.adb").is_file())
+        self.assertTrue(archive.is_file())
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.fake_apk_calls()), 2)
+
+    def test_build_rejects_non_executable_apk_path_before_staging(self) -> None:
+        non_executable = self.root / "not-executable-apk"
+        non_executable.write_text("#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n", encoding="ascii")
+        output, archive, result = self.build(apk_executable=non_executable, expected=1)
+        self.assertIn("apk executable is not executable", result.stderr.lower())
+        self.assertFalse(output.exists())
+        self.assertFalse(archive.exists())
+
     def test_build_rejects_wrong_locked_public_key(self) -> None:
         wrong_private = self.root / "wrong-private.pem"
         wrong_public = self.root / "wrong-public.pem"