diff --git a/test/electron/renderer.js b/test/electron/renderer.js
index 6f1d6bf..6651093 100644
--- a/test/electron/renderer.js
+++ b/test/electron/renderer.js
@@ -22,22 +22,24 @@
 
   /**
    * Evaluates plugin source code and returns the plugin object.
-   * Tries CJS eval first; falls back to ESM data-URL import for ES module syntax.
+   * Tries CJS eval first; on SyntaxError falls back to ESM data-URL import.
    * @param {string} code
    * @returns {Promise<object>}
    */
   async function evalPluginCode(code) {
-    const isESM = /^\s*(import\s|export\s)/m.test(code);
-
-    if (!isESM) {
-      // CommonJS path
+    try {
       const m = { exports: {} };
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-new-func
       new Function('module', 'exports', code)(m, m.exports);
-      return m.exports?.default ?? m.exports;
+      const result = m.exports?.default ?? m.exports;
+      if (result && typeof result === 'object') return result;
+      // Fall through to ESM if exports came back empty
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (!(err instanceof SyntaxError)) throw err;
+      // SyntaxError means ESM — fall through below
     }
 
-    // ESM path — import via data URL so the JS engine handles the module syntax
+    // ESM path — import via data URL so the engine handles module syntax natively
     const dataUrl = `data:text/javascript;charset=utf-8,${encodeURIComponent(code)}`;
     const mod = await import(dataUrl);
     return mod.default ?? mod;