diff --git a/.changelog/2026/06/19/native-test-expression-passthrough.md b/.changelog/2026/06/19/native-test-expression-passthrough.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c76a46143d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/2026/06/19/native-test-expression-passthrough.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Native Test Expression Passthrough
+
+Date: 2026-06-19
+
+## Changed
+
+- Route `rtk test -d ...` and similar native `test` expressions to the system `test` command instead of `sh -c`.
+
+## Files
+
+- `src/main.rs`: detects native `test` expressions before using the RTK test-output wrapper.
+
+## Validation
+
+- `rtk cargo +1.91.0 fmt --all && rtk cargo +1.91.0 clippy --all-targets && rtk cargo +1.91.0 test --all`
+- `rtk cargo +1.91.0 build`
+- `rtk proxy ./target/debug/rtk test -d .`
+- `rtk proxy ./target/debug/rtk test -d graphify-out`
+- `rtk proxy ./target/debug/rtk test true`
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 114c78714e..314b89ef59 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1460,6 +1460,12 @@ where
     }
 }
 
+fn is_native_test_expression(command: &[String]) -> bool {
+    command
+        .first()
+        .is_some_and(|arg| arg == "!" || arg == "(" || arg.starts_with('-'))
+}
+
 fn run_cli() -> Result<i32> {
     // Fire-and-forget telemetry ping (1/day, non-blocking)
     core::telemetry::maybe_ping();
@@ -1726,8 +1732,13 @@ fn run_cli() -> Result<i32> {
         }
 
         Commands::Test { command } => {
-            let cmd = command.join(" ");
-            runner::run_test(&cmd, cli.verbose)?
+            if is_native_test_expression(&command) {
+                let args: Vec<OsString> = command.into_iter().map(OsString::from).collect();
+                core::runner::run_passthrough("test", &args, cli.verbose)?
+            } else {
+                let cmd = command.join(" ");
+                runner::run_test(&cmd, cli.verbose)?
+            }
         }
 
         Commands::Json {
@@ -2852,6 +2863,18 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_dash_d_routes_to_native_test_expression() {
+        let command = vec!["-d".to_string(), "graphify-out".to_string()];
+        assert!(is_native_test_expression(&command));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_cargo_test_stays_test_runner() {
+        let command = vec!["cargo".to_string(), "test".to_string()];
+        assert!(!is_native_test_expression(&command));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_try_parse_git_with_dash_c_succeeds() {
         let result = Cli::try_parse_from(["rtk", "git", "-C", "/path", "status"]);