diff --git a/ci/matrix.yaml b/ci/matrix.yaml
index dcaf806eb68..8d7ecd07876 100644
--- a/ci/matrix.yaml
+++ b/ci/matrix.yaml
@@ -93,9 +93,8 @@ workflows:
     - {jobs: ['test'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X',        '13.X'], py_version: ['3.10'], gpu: 'l4', cxx: ['gcc13', 'msvc2022']}
     - {jobs: ['test'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X','13.0', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14', gpu: 'l4', cxx: ['gcc13', 'msvc2022']}
     - {jobs: ['test'], project: 'python', py_version: '3.14', gpu: 'h100', cxx: 'gcc13'}
-    # Free-threaded Python currently supports only the minimal cuda.compute extra on Linux.
     - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python', ctk: '13.X', py_version: '3.14', gpu: 'l4', cxx: 'gcc13'}
-    - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X','13.0', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14t', gpu: 'l4', cxx: 'gcc13'}
+    - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X','13.0', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14t', gpu: 'l4', cxx: ['gcc13', 'msvc2022']}
     # Deliberately unpinned: CCCL_PYTHON_TEST_LATEST_CTK skips the CTK pin so pip
     # resolves the latest minor -- catching breakage a plain `pip install
     # cuda-cccl[cu12]/[cu13]` would hit before the container CTK bumps.
@@ -240,7 +239,7 @@ workflows:
     - {jobs: ['test'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14', gpu: 'h100', cxx: 'gcc13'}
     # Python free-threaded (3.14t) minimal lanes -- mirrors the pull_request rows
     # so FT regressions (e.g. from dependency bumps) surface between PRs.
-    - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X', '13.0', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14t', gpu: 'l4', cxx: 'gcc13'}
+    - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python', ctk: ['12.X', '13.0', '13.X'], py_version: '3.14t', gpu: 'l4', cxx: ['gcc13', 'msvc2022']}
     - {jobs: ['test_py_compute_minimal'], project: 'python_v2', ctk: '13.X', py_version: '3.14t', gpu: 'l4', cxx: 'gcc13'}
     # CCCL packaging:
     - {jobs: ['test'], project: 'packaging', ctk: '12.0', cxx: ['gcc10', 'clang14'], gpu: 'rtx2080', args: '-min-cmake'}
diff --git a/ci/windows/build_common.psm1 b/ci/windows/build_common.psm1
index bb7288b4247..7d6b9554403 100644
--- a/ci/windows/build_common.psm1
+++ b/ci/windows/build_common.psm1
@@ -209,5 +209,25 @@ function configure_and_build_preset {
     build_preset $BUILD_NAME $PRESET
 }
 
-Export-ModuleMember -Function configure_preset, build_preset, test_preset, configure_and_build_preset
+function Invoke-Checked {
+    <#
+    .SYNOPSIS
+        Runs a script block and throws if the last native command in it exits
+        non-zero. $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" does not make native commands
+        (python/pip/pytest/...) throw, so their $LASTEXITCODE must be checked
+        explicitly; this wraps that boilerplate into one call.
+    .EXAMPLE
+        Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install pytest } "pip install failed"
+    #>
+    param(
+        [Parameter(Mandatory, Position = 0)][scriptblock]$ScriptBlock,
+        [Parameter(Position = 1)][string]$ErrorMessage = "Native command failed"
+    )
+    & $ScriptBlock
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        throw "$ErrorMessage (exit code $LASTEXITCODE)"
+    }
+}
+
+Export-ModuleMember -Function configure_preset, build_preset, test_preset, configure_and_build_preset, Invoke-Checked
 Export-ModuleMember -Variable BUILD_DIR, CL_VERSION
diff --git a/ci/windows/build_cuda_cccl_python.ps1 b/ci/windows/build_cuda_cccl_python.ps1
index 65ea5b88f7f..e151c673f4b 100644
--- a/ci/windows/build_cuda_cccl_python.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/build_cuda_cccl_python.ps1
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 .PARAMETER Cuda13Image
     Optional. The Docker image name used for a nested build of the CUDA 13
     wheel when the outer container defaults to CUDA 12.9.  The default value
-    matches the RAPIDS dev‑container image that contains the required
+    matches the RAPIDS dev-container image that contains the required
     toolchain: `rapidsai/devcontainers:26.06-cuda13.0-cl14.44-windows2022`.
 
 .PARAMETER SkipUpload
@@ -194,12 +194,12 @@ function Invoke-Cuda13NestedBuild {
     }
     Write-Host "DooD appears to be working, continuing..."
 
-    # Detect outer‑container resources so we can set sensible limits.
+    # Detect outer-container resources so we can set sensible limits.
     $os = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_OperatingSystem
     $totalGB = [math]::Floor($os.TotalVisibleMemorySize / 1MB) # KB -> GB
     $procCount = [Environment]::ProcessorCount
 
-    # Leave a little head‑room so the outer container doesn't starve
+    # Leave a little head-room so the outer container doesn't starve
     $memLimitGB = [math]::Max(2, [int]([math]::Floor($totalGB * 0.9)))
     $cpuCount = [math]::Max(2, $procCount)
 
@@ -224,10 +224,7 @@ function Invoke-Cuda13NestedBuild {
     )
 
     Write-Host ("About to invoke: docker " + ($dockerArgs -join ' '))
-    & docker @dockerArgs
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw 'Nested CUDA 13 wheel build failed'
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & docker @dockerArgs } 'Nested CUDA 13 wheel build failed'
 }
 
 function Build-CudaCcclWheel {
@@ -260,7 +257,7 @@ function Build-CudaCcclWheel {
         throw "nvcc not found at $NvccForMajor"
     }
 
-    # Convert Windows paths to Unix‑style for CMake
+    # Convert Windows paths to Unix-style for CMake
     $NvccUnix = Convert-ToUnixPath $NvccForMajor
     $CudaUnix = Convert-ToUnixPath $CudaPathForMajor
 
@@ -285,10 +282,7 @@ function Build-CudaCcclWheel {
     ) + $pipConfigArgs
 
     Write-Host ("python " + ($pythonArgs -join ' '))
-    & $PythonExe @pythonArgs
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "Wheel build failed for CUDA $Major"
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $PythonExe @pythonArgs } "Wheel build failed for CUDA $Major"
 
     # Normalise the wheel filename (append .cu12/.cu13) and prune duplicates.
     $builtWheel = Get-OnePathMatch -Path $outDir `
@@ -344,7 +338,7 @@ finally {
 }
 
 
-# Merge the two major‑version wheels (if both were built).  This will fail if
+# Merge the two major-version wheels (if both were built).  This will fail if
 # either wheel can't be found.  This only runs on the outer (non-nested)
 # container image.
 if ($DoMerge) {
@@ -363,21 +357,15 @@ if ($DoMerge) {
     Write-Host "Found CUDA 13 wheel: $Cu13Wheel"
 
     Write-Host 'Merging CUDA wheels...'
-    & $PythonExe -m pip install wheel | Write-Host
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw 'Failed to install wheel for merging'
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $PythonExe -m pip install wheel | Write-Host } 'Failed to install wheel for merging'
 
     $WheelhouseMerged = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'wheelhouse_merged'
     ${null} = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $WheelhouseMerged -Force
 
     $mergePy = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'python/cuda_cccl/merge_cuda_wheels.py'
-    & $PythonExe $mergePy $Cu12Wheel $Cu13Wheel --output-dir $WheelhouseMerged
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw 'Merging wheels failed'
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $PythonExe $mergePy $Cu12Wheel $Cu13Wheel --output-dir $WheelhouseMerged } 'Merging wheels failed'
 
-    # Clean up the per‑major directories and move the merged wheel into the
+    # Clean up the per-major directories and move the merged wheel into the
     # final location.
     Get-ChildItem $Wheelhouse -Filter '*.whl' |
     ForEach-Object {
@@ -426,10 +414,7 @@ if ($env:GITHUB_ACTIONS -and -not $SkipUpload) {
         Write-Host "Wheel artifact name: $wheelArtifactName"
 
         $uploadCmd = "ci/util/artifacts/upload.sh $wheelArtifactName 'wheelhouse/.*'"
-        & bash -lc $uploadCmd
-        if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-            throw 'Wheel artifact upload failed'
-        }
+        Invoke-Checked { & bash -lc $uploadCmd } 'Wheel artifact upload failed'
     }
     finally {
         Pop-Location
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_examples_python.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_examples_python.ps1
index ba26bd31e80..0ebabb59dbd 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_examples_python.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_examples_python.ps1
@@ -22,27 +22,14 @@ $repoRoot = Get-RepoRoot
 
 ${wheelPath} = Get-CudaCcclWheel
 
-# Native commands (python.exe / pip / pytest) only set $LASTEXITCODE on failure;
-# $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" does not make them throw, so a non-zero exit
-# must be checked explicitly or a failed pip/pytest is masked by a later
-# successful command and the job passes green.
 # pytest-benchmark is for the host-benchmark smoke test below.
-& $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist pytest-benchmark
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist / pytest-benchmark"
-}
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist pytest-benchmark } "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist / pytest-benchmark"
 # CuPy is required by the cuda.compute examples and is not part of the test extras
-& $python -m pip install "${wheelPath}[test-cu$cudaMajor]" "cupy-cuda${cudaMajor}x"
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra / cupy"
-}
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install "${wheelPath}[test-cu$cudaMajor]" "cupy-cuda${cudaMajor}x" } "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra / cupy"
 
 Push-Location (Join-Path $repoRoot "python/cuda_cccl/tests")
 try {
-    & $python -m pytest -n 6 test_examples.py
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "examples tests failed"
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n 6 test_examples.py } "examples tests failed"
 }
 finally { Pop-Location }
 
@@ -54,9 +41,6 @@ finally { Pop-Location }
 # suite also needs, so only pytest-benchmark is added above.
 Push-Location (Join-Path $repoRoot "python/cuda_cccl/benchmarks/compute/host")
 try {
-    & $python -m pytest -v --benchmark-disable .
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "host benchmark smoke test failed"
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -v --benchmark-disable . } "host benchmark smoke test failed"
 }
 finally { Pop-Location }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_headers_python.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_headers_python.ps1
index aa16dc894f7..18f41d943a1 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_headers_python.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_cuda_cccl_headers_python.ps1
@@ -22,24 +22,11 @@ $repoRoot = Get-RepoRoot
 
 ${wheelPath} = Get-CudaCcclWheel
 
-# Native commands (python.exe / pip / pytest) only set $LASTEXITCODE on failure;
-# $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" does not make them throw, so a non-zero exit
-# must be checked explicitly or a failed pip/pytest is masked by a later
-# successful command and the job passes green.
-& $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist"
-}
-& $python -m pip install "${wheelPath}[test-cu$cudaMajor]"
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra"
-}
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist } "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist"
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install "${wheelPath}[test-cu$cudaMajor]" } "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra"
 
 Push-Location (Join-Path $repoRoot "python/cuda_cccl/tests")
 try {
-    & $python -m pytest -n auto -v headers/
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "headers tests failed"
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n auto -v headers/ } "headers tests failed"
 }
 finally { Pop-Location }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_minimal_python.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_minimal_python.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6001f53e53d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_minimal_python.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+Param(
+    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)]
+    [Alias("py-version")]
+    [ValidatePattern("^\d+\.\d+t?$")]
+    [string]$PyVersion
+)
+
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+# Import shared helpers
+Import-Module "$PSScriptRoot/build_common.psm1"
+Import-Module "$PSScriptRoot/build_common_python.psm1"
+
+$python = Get-Python -Version $PyVersion
+$cudaMajor = Get-CudaMajor
+
+# Pin cuda-toolkit to the container's CTK minor (CCCL_PYTHON_TEST_LATEST_CTK=1
+# opts out). See build_common_python.psm1.
+Set-CtkPin
+
+$repoRoot = Get-RepoRoot
+
+$wheelPath = Get-CudaCcclWheel
+
+# Install cuda_cccl with the minimal CUDA extra. This intentionally avoids the
+# full cu* extras because those pull in numba/numba-cuda.
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist } "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist"
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install "$wheelPath[minimal-cu$cudaMajor]" } "Failed to install cuda_cccl minimal extra"
+
+Push-Location (Join-Path $repoRoot "python/cuda_cccl/tests")
+try {
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n 6 -v compute/test_no_numba.py } "test_no_numba.py failed"
+
+    if ($PyVersion -eq "3.14t") {
+        # Select only tests that support the minimal extra so pytest does not
+        # collect tests that import numba-cuda and re-enable the GIL. These tests
+        # provide their own worker threads, so keep pytest itself in a single
+        # process. The serialization node-ids are module-skipped on the v2
+        # backend today and will start running there automatically once v2 gains
+        # serialization support.
+        Invoke-Checked {
+            & $python -m pytest -n 0 -v `
+                compute/test_free_threading_stress.py `
+                compute/test_multi_cc_serialization.py::test_aot_build_result_load_failure_is_shared_and_retryable `
+                compute/test_multi_cc_serialization.py::test_aot_serialization_waits_for_canonical_first_load
+        } "free-threading stress / serialization tests failed"
+
+        # Broad thread-safety sweep (pytest-run-parallel): re-run the numba-free
+        # functional suite with each test executed concurrently across threads
+        # (barrier-synchronized start), stressing the process-wide build cache,
+        # single-flight coordination, and the Cython bindings from many threads at
+        # once. Complements test_free_threading_stress.py above, which targets
+        # specific shared-object scenarios by hand. -n 0 so the threads share one
+        # interpreter.
+        #
+        # --parallel-threads=2 matches CuPy's free-threading CI (the closest GPU
+        # precedent); a small fixed count bounds GPU-memory pressure from
+        # concurrent kernels and stays reproducible across runners, unlike =auto
+        # (the runner's logical-core count).
+        #
+        # pytest-run-parallel is only used by this sweep, so install it on the
+        # 3.14t path rather than for every minimal (e.g. non-free-threaded 3.14)
+        # run.
+        Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install pytest-run-parallel } "Failed to install pytest-run-parallel"
+
+        # Fail fast if the interpreter is not actually GIL-free (wrong build /
+        # PYTHON_GIL=1): pytest-run-parallel does NOT catch a GIL that is enabled
+        # from the start -- it would run threads GIL-serialized and pass
+        # vacuously. (A GIL *re-enabled mid-run* by a non-free-threaded import IS
+        # caught by the plugin, which is why we do not pass --ignore-gil-enabled.)
+        Invoke-Checked { & $python -c "import sys; assert not sys._is_gil_enabled(), 'GIL is enabled; parallel sweep has no signal'" } "interpreter is not GIL-free; parallel sweep has no signal"
+        Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n 0 -v --parallel-threads=2 compute/test_no_numba.py } "parallel-threads sweep failed"
+    }
+}
+finally { Pop-Location }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_python.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_python.ps1
index b4dd1744e76..21a002b8b23 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_python.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_cuda_compute_python.ps1
@@ -22,28 +22,12 @@ $repoRoot = Get-RepoRoot
 
 $wheelPath = Get-CudaCcclWheel
 
-# Native commands (python.exe / pip / pytest) only set $LASTEXITCODE on failure;
-# $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop" does not make them throw, so a non-zero exit
-# must be checked explicitly or a failed pip/pytest is masked by a later
-# successful command and the job passes green.
-& $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist"
-}
-& $python -m pip install "$wheelPath[test-cu$cudaMajor]"
-if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-    throw "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra"
-}
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install -U pip pytest pytest-xdist } "Failed to install pytest / pytest-xdist"
+Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pip install "$wheelPath[test-cu$cudaMajor]" } "Failed to install cuda_cccl test extra"
 
 Push-Location (Join-Path $repoRoot "python/cuda_cccl/tests")
 try {
-    & $python -m pytest -n 6 -v compute/ -m "not large and not free_threading"
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "compute tests (not large) failed"
-    }
-    & $python -m pytest -n 0 -v compute/ -m "large and not free_threading"
-    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-        throw "compute tests (large) failed"
-    }
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n 6 -v compute/ -m "not large and not free_threading" } "compute tests (not large) failed"
+    Invoke-Checked { & $python -m pytest -n 0 -v compute/ -m "large and not free_threading" } "compute tests (large) failed"
 }
 finally { Pop-Location }
diff --git a/docs/python/compute/developer_overview.rst b/docs/python/compute/developer_overview.rst
index 835ac5e1689..94a3c12928a 100644
--- a/docs/python/compute/developer_overview.rst
+++ b/docs/python/compute/developer_overview.rst
@@ -546,13 +546,13 @@ The free-threading design is constrained by the following requirements:
 * Same-key concurrent cold builds should build once; waiters should receive the
   same result or observe the same exception.
 
-The current free-threading support boundary is Linux with the
-``minimal-cu12`` and ``minimal-cu13`` extras. These extras omit Numba and Numba
-CUDA. Consequently, free-threaded support currently covers built-in ``OpKind``
-operations and externally compiled ``RawOp`` operations, but not Python-callable
-operators. The full ``cu12`` and ``cu13`` extras remain outside the support claim
-until the Numba CUDA dependency is replaced by a free-threading-compatible
-implementation.
+The current free-threading support boundary is the ``minimal-cu12`` and
+``minimal-cu13`` extras. These extras omit Numba and Numba CUDA. Consequently,
+free-threaded support currently covers built-in ``OpKind`` operations and
+externally compiled ``RawOp`` operations, but not Python-callable operators.
+The full ``cu12`` and ``cu13`` extras remain
+outside the support claim until the Numba CUDA dependency is replaced by a
+free-threading-compatible implementation.
 
 CI runs ``test_free_threading_stress.py`` directly from the minimal test job.
 The v1 backend is covered across the supported CUDA 12 and 13 lanes, and a
diff --git a/docs/python/compute/index.rst b/docs/python/compute/index.rst
index d40740331a6..24b272ab29b 100644
--- a/docs/python/compute/index.rst
+++ b/docs/python/compute/index.rst
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ Free-threaded Python
 
 .. important::
 
-   Free-threaded Python support is currently validated on Linux with the
+   Free-threaded Python support is currently validated with the
    ``minimal-cu12`` and ``minimal-cu13`` extras, which do not install Numba or
    Numba CUDA:
 
diff --git a/docs/python/setup.rst b/docs/python/setup.rst
index c54502dcec0..f6183947272 100644
--- a/docs/python/setup.rst
+++ b/docs/python/setup.rst
@@ -50,10 +50,9 @@ For a minimal install without Numba (useful when you supply your own
    pip install cuda-cccl[minimal-cu13]      # pip-installed CUDA toolkit
    pip install cuda-cccl[minimal-sysctk13]  # system CUDA toolkit
 
-Free-threaded Python support is currently validated on Linux with the
-``minimal-cu12`` and ``minimal-cu13`` extras. The full ``cu12`` and ``cu13``
-extras depend on Numba CUDA and are not currently supported in free-threaded
-Python.
+Free-threaded Python support is currently validated with the ``minimal-cu12``
+and ``minimal-cu13`` extras. The full ``cu12`` and ``cu13`` extras depend on
+Numba CUDA and are not currently supported in free-threaded Python.
 
 Install from conda-forge
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~