diff --git a/crates/perry-hir/src/ir/decl.rs b/crates/perry-hir/src/ir/decl.rs
index be690e1de..8f25fae74 100644
--- a/crates/perry-hir/src/ir/decl.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-hir/src/ir/decl.rs
@@ -124,6 +124,17 @@ pub struct Import {
     /// is left `Deferred` unless some other (top-level) edge reaches it; the
     /// require shim triggers the target's `__init` on first `require()` call.
     pub is_deferred_require: bool,
+    /// Issue #5257: this import was synthesized by the CJS→ESM wrap from a
+    /// `require('S')` — i.e. `import _req_N from 'S'` (or an adopted alias /
+    /// `_lazyreq_N`). Under CommonJS, `require('S')` returns the module's
+    /// *exports object* (its namespace), so a default-import shape here must
+    /// NOT be held to Node's static-ESM "does not provide an export named
+    /// 'default'" rule when the target is a named-only / CJS module: the
+    /// default-export gate skips these and codegen routes the local through
+    /// the namespace machinery (member reads resolve per-export, a whole-value
+    /// read materializes the exports object). Genuine user `import X from
+    /// 'pkg'` (this flag `false`) still errors like Node.
+    pub is_adopted_require: bool,
 }
 
 /// Import specifier
diff --git a/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/module_decl.rs b/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/module_decl.rs
index d3c3ef666..186e829cc 100644
--- a/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/module_decl.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/module_decl.rs
@@ -459,6 +459,7 @@ pub(crate) fn lower_module_decl(
                 is_dynamic: false,
                 is_dynamic_target: false,
                 is_deferred_require: false,
+                is_adopted_require: false,
             });
         }
         ast::ModuleDecl::ExportDecl(export) => {
diff --git a/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/module.rs b/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/module.rs
index 32e17a864..6793aa77b 100644
--- a/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/module.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/module.rs
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ impl SH for Import {
             is_dynamic,
             is_dynamic_target,
             is_deferred_require,
+            is_adopted_require,
         } = self;
         source.hash(h);
         specifiers.hash(h);
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ impl SH for Import {
         is_dynamic.hash(h);
         is_dynamic_target.hash(h);
         is_deferred_require.hash(h);
+        is_adopted_require.hash(h);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/tests.rs b/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/tests.rs
index 87e1c96df..e39e08f33 100644
--- a/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-hir/src/stable_hash/tests.rs
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ fn module_metadata_affects_hash() {
         is_dynamic: false,
         is_dynamic_target: false,
         is_deferred_require: false,
+        is_adopted_require: false,
     });
     assert_ne!(base_hash, hash_module(&m_imp));
 
diff --git a/crates/perry-transform/src/inline/mod.rs b/crates/perry-transform/src/inline/mod.rs
index b7ca46c07..d71877ff9 100644
--- a/crates/perry-transform/src/inline/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-transform/src/inline/mod.rs
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@ pub fn inline_functions(
                     is_dynamic: false,
                     is_dynamic_target: false,
                     is_deferred_require: false,
+                    is_adopted_require: false,
                 });
             }
         }
diff --git a/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/bootstrap.rs b/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/bootstrap.rs
index e06e18d38..1bd1e4065 100644
--- a/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/bootstrap.rs
+++ b/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/bootstrap.rs
@@ -383,6 +383,12 @@ pub(super) fn enforce_package_default_exports(ctx: &mut CompilationContext) -> R
                 if import.type_only
                     || import.is_dynamic
                     || import.is_native
+                    // Issue #5257: an adopted `require('S')` (CJS wrap synthesized
+                    // `import _req_N from 'S'`) is NOT a static-ESM default import —
+                    // `require()` hands back the exports object, so a named-only / CJS
+                    // target is valid and must route through the namespace machinery
+                    // instead of failing Node's "no default export" rule.
+                    || import.is_adopted_require
                     || import.module_kind != perry_hir::ModuleKind::NativeCompiled
                     || !is_bare_package_specifier(&import.source)
                 {
@@ -506,6 +512,7 @@ mod js_runtime_gate_tests {
             is_dynamic: false,
             is_dynamic_target: false,
             is_deferred_require: false,
+            is_adopted_require: false,
         });
 
         let mut package = empty_module("pkg");
diff --git a/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/collect_modules.rs b/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/collect_modules.rs
index 4e5bc818c..56a7f6d6f 100644
--- a/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/collect_modules.rs
+++ b/crates/perry/src/commands/compile/collect_modules.rs
@@ -929,6 +929,7 @@ fn collect_module_one(
             is_dynamic: true,
             is_dynamic_target: false,
             is_deferred_require: false,
+            is_adopted_require: false,
         });
     }
 
@@ -1422,6 +1423,11 @@ fn collect_module_one(
             if is_lazy {
                 import.is_deferred_require = true;
             }
+            // #5257: every import here was synthesized from a `require('S')`,
+            // which under CJS returns the exports object — so a no-`default`
+            // target must route through the namespace machinery (#4872), not
+            // trip the static-ESM default gate. Tag so the gate skips them.
+            import.is_adopted_require = true;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/perry/tests/issue_5257_require_adopt_no_default_namespace.rs b/crates/perry/tests/issue_5257_require_adopt_no_default_namespace.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28951b5a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/perry/tests/issue_5257_require_adopt_no_default_namespace.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+//! Regression test for #5257: a `const x = require('pkg')` (or
+//! `const { a } = require('pkg')`) that the CJS→ESM wrap adopts as a DEFAULT
+//! import (`import _req_N from 'pkg'`) must NOT be rejected by the static-ESM
+//! "does not provide an export named 'default'" gate when `pkg` is a
+//! named-only / CJS module.
+//!
+//! Under CommonJS, `require('pkg')` returns the module's *exports object*
+//! (its namespace), so `isexe.sync(...)` / `const { sync } = require('isexe')`
+//! work against the named exports even though there is no `default`. Before
+//! the fix, the package-default-export gate (bootstrap.rs) bailed the whole
+//! build with:
+//!
+//!   Error: The requested package 'isexe' does not provide an export named
+//!   'default' (imported as '_req_0' in .../which/lib/index.js).
+//!
+//! This blocked cross-spawn, which, execa, and joi. The fix tags every import
+//! synthesized by the CJS wrap (`is_adopted_require`) and exempts it from the
+//! default gate; codegen already routes a no-`default` default import through
+//! the namespace machinery (#4872), so member reads / destructuring resolve
+//! per-export.
+//!
+//! The minimized shape mirrors the real `isexe` trigger exactly: a
+//! `"type":"module"` package whose `exports` map's `require` condition
+//! resolves to a bundled `__esModule` CJS with named-only exports (no
+//! default), consumed across a package boundary via `require("foo").bar()`
+//! and via destructuring `const { bar } = require("foo")`.
+
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+fn perry_bin() -> PathBuf {
+    PathBuf::from(env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_perry"))
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn adopted_require_of_named_only_package_binds_namespace_and_runs() {
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+    let root = dir.path();
+
+    std::fs::write(
+        root.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{
+  "name": "require-adopt-no-default",
+  "type": "module",
+  "perry": {
+    "compilePackages": ["foo", "consumer"],
+    "allow": { "compilePackages": ["foo", "consumer"] }
+  }
+}"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write consumer package.json");
+
+    // Package `foo`: a `"type":"module"` package whose `exports` map routes
+    // `require` to a bundled `__esModule` CJS with named-only exports (no
+    // `default`), and `import` to an ESM with named-only exports. This is the
+    // exact `isexe` shape that produced #5257.
+    let foo = root.join("node_modules").join("foo");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&foo).expect("mkdir foo");
+    std::fs::write(
+        foo.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{
+  "name": "foo",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "type": "module",
+  "exports": {
+    ".": {
+      "require": "./cjs.js",
+      "import": "./esm.js"
+    }
+  }
+}"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write foo package.json");
+    std::fs::write(
+        foo.join("cjs.js"),
+        r#""use strict";
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+exports.bar = void 0;
+function bar() { return 42; }
+exports.bar = bar;
+exports.baz = function baz() { return 7; };
+"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write foo cjs.js");
+    std::fs::write(
+        foo.join("esm.js"),
+        "export const bar = () => 42;\nexport const baz = () => 7;\n",
+    )
+    .expect("write foo esm.js");
+
+    // Package `consumer`: a CJS module that pulls `foo` in BOTH adopted-require
+    // shapes — whole-value alias member access and destructuring.
+    let consumer = root.join("node_modules").join("consumer");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&consumer).expect("mkdir consumer");
+    std::fs::write(
+        consumer.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{ "name": "consumer", "version": "1.0.0", "main": "index.js" }"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write consumer package.json");
+    std::fs::write(
+        consumer.join("index.js"),
+        r#""use strict";
+const foo = require("foo");
+const { bar, baz } = require("foo");
+module.exports.total = function total() {
+    return foo.bar() + bar() + baz();
+};
+"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write consumer index.js");
+
+    let entry = root.join("main.ts");
+    std::fs::write(
+        &entry,
+        r#"
+import { total } from "consumer";
+console.log(total());
+"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write entry");
+
+    let output = root.join("main_bin");
+    let compile = Command::new(perry_bin())
+        .current_dir(root)
+        .arg("compile")
+        .arg(&entry)
+        .arg("-o")
+        .arg(&output)
+        .output()
+        .expect("run perry compile");
+    assert!(
+        compile.status.success(),
+        "perry compile failed (default-export gate regressed?)\nstdout:\n{}\nstderr:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stderr)
+    );
+    // The specific #5257 symptom must be gone.
+    let combined = format!(
+        "{}{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stderr)
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !combined.contains("does not provide an export named 'default'"),
+        "the no-default gate must not fire for an adopted require:\n{combined}"
+    );
+
+    let run = Command::new(&output).output().expect("run compiled binary");
+    assert!(
+        run.status.success(),
+        "compiled binary failed\nstatus: {:?}\nstdout:\n{}\nstderr:\n{}",
+        run.status,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&run.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&run.stderr)
+    );
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&run.stdout);
+    assert_eq!(
+        stdout, "91\n",
+        "adopted require of a named-only package must bind the exports object \
+         (foo.bar()=42 + bar()=42 + baz()=7)"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn module_exports_fn_default_require_still_works() {
+    // Regression guard: a CJS package whose whole module IS a function
+    // (`module.exports = fn`) — i.e. a real `default`-shaped export — must
+    // still adopt as a callable default, not get broken by the namespace
+    // fallback.
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().expect("tempdir");
+    let root = dir.path();
+
+    std::fs::write(
+        root.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{
+  "name": "require-default-fn",
+  "type": "module",
+  "perry": {
+    "compilePackages": ["fnpkg", "user"],
+    "allow": { "compilePackages": ["fnpkg", "user"] }
+  }
+}"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write package.json");
+
+    let fnpkg = root.join("node_modules").join("fnpkg");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&fnpkg).expect("mkdir fnpkg");
+    std::fs::write(
+        fnpkg.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{ "name": "fnpkg", "version": "1.0.0", "main": "index.js" }"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write fnpkg package.json");
+    std::fs::write(
+        fnpkg.join("index.js"),
+        "\"use strict\";\nmodule.exports = function add(a, b) { return a + b; };\n",
+    )
+    .expect("write fnpkg index.js");
+
+    let user = root.join("node_modules").join("user");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&user).expect("mkdir user");
+    std::fs::write(
+        user.join("package.json"),
+        r#"{ "name": "user", "version": "1.0.0", "main": "index.js" }"#,
+    )
+    .expect("write user package.json");
+    std::fs::write(
+        user.join("index.js"),
+        "\"use strict\";\nconst add = require(\"fnpkg\");\nmodule.exports.run = function run() { return add(40, 2); };\n",
+    )
+    .expect("write user index.js");
+
+    let entry = root.join("main.ts");
+    std::fs::write(
+        &entry,
+        "import { run } from \"user\";\nconsole.log(run());\n",
+    )
+    .expect("write entry");
+
+    let output = root.join("main_bin");
+    let compile = Command::new(perry_bin())
+        .current_dir(root)
+        .arg("compile")
+        .arg(&entry)
+        .arg("-o")
+        .arg(&output)
+        .output()
+        .expect("run perry compile");
+    assert!(
+        compile.status.success(),
+        "perry compile failed\nstdout:\n{}\nstderr:\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&compile.stderr)
+    );
+
+    let run = Command::new(&output).output().expect("run compiled binary");
+    assert!(
+        run.status.success(),
+        "compiled binary failed\nstatus: {:?}\nstderr:\n{}",
+        run.status,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&run.stderr)
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&run.stdout),
+        "42\n",
+        "module.exports = fn must still adopt as a callable default"
+    );
+}