diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6366c5d4c6..d4211b4b0c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -369,17 +369,19 @@ Tip: Use `CTRL`+`F` (or `Command`+`F`)  to search by keywords
                                     including defaults and those provided by
                                     previous --plugin-dirs
     --js-runtimes RUNTIME[:PATH]    Additional JavaScript runtime to enable,
-                                    with an optional path to the runtime
-                                    location. This option can be used multiple
-                                    times to enable multiple runtimes. Supported
-                                    runtimes are (in order of priority, from
-                                    highest to lowest): deno, node, quickjs,
-                                    bun. Only "deno" is enabled by default. The
-                                    highest priority runtime that is both
-                                    enabled and available will be used. In order
-                                    to use a lower priority runtime when "deno"
-                                    is available, --no-js-runtimes needs to be
-                                    passed before enabling other runtimes
+                                    with an optional location for the runtime
+                                    (either the path to the binary or its
+                                    containing directory). This option can be
+                                    used multiple times to enable multiple
+                                    runtimes. Supported runtimes are (in order
+                                    of priority, from highest to lowest): deno,
+                                    node, quickjs, bun. Only "deno" is enabled
+                                    by default. The highest priority runtime
+                                    that is both enabled and available will be
+                                    used. In order to use a lower priority
+                                    runtime when "deno" is available, --no-js-
+                                    runtimes needs to be passed before enabling
+                                    other runtimes
     --no-js-runtimes                Clear JavaScript runtimes to enable,
                                     including defaults and those provided by
                                     previous --js-runtimes
diff --git a/yt_dlp/options.py b/yt_dlp/options.py
index 6315ef8a9a..96c3a8a5d1 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/options.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/options.py
@@ -466,7 +466,8 @@ def create_parser():
         callback_kwargs={'delim': None},
         default=['deno'],
         help=(
-            'Additional JavaScript runtime to enable, with an optional path to the runtime location. '
+            'Additional JavaScript runtime to enable, with an optional location for the runtime '
+            '(either the path to the binary or its containing directory). '
             'This option can be used multiple times to enable multiple runtimes. '
             'Supported runtimes are (in order of priority, from highest to lowest): deno, node, quickjs, bun. '
             'Only "deno" is enabled by default. The highest priority runtime that is both enabled and '
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils/_jsruntime.py b/yt_dlp/utils/_jsruntime.py
index 6ee299fde1..bd8fd1f880 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils/_jsruntime.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils/_jsruntime.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import abc
 import dataclasses
 import functools
+import os.path
 
 from ._utils import _get_exe_version_output, detect_exe_version, int_or_none
 
@@ -12,6 +13,14 @@ def runtime_version_tuple(v):
     return tuple(int_or_none(x, default=0) for x in v.split('.'))
 
 
+def _determine_runtime_path(path, basename):
+    if not path:
+        return basename
+    if os.path.isdir(path):
+        return os.path.join(path, basename)
+    return path
+
+
 @dataclasses.dataclass(frozen=True)
 class JsRuntimeInfo:
     name: str
@@ -38,7 +47,7 @@ class DenoJsRuntime(JsRuntime):
     MIN_SUPPORTED_VERSION = (2, 0, 0)
 
     def _info(self):
-        path = self._path or 'deno'
+        path = _determine_runtime_path(self._path, 'deno')
         out = _get_exe_version_output(path, ['--version'])
         if not out:
             return None
@@ -53,7 +62,7 @@ class BunJsRuntime(JsRuntime):
     MIN_SUPPORTED_VERSION = (1, 0, 31)
 
     def _info(self):
-        path = self._path or 'bun'
+        path = _determine_runtime_path(self._path, 'bun')
         out = _get_exe_version_output(path, ['--version'])
         if not out:
             return None
@@ -68,7 +77,7 @@ class NodeJsRuntime(JsRuntime):
     MIN_SUPPORTED_VERSION = (20, 0, 0)
 
     def _info(self):
-        path = self._path or 'node'
+        path = _determine_runtime_path(self._path, 'node')
         out = _get_exe_version_output(path, ['--version'])
         if not out:
             return None
@@ -83,7 +92,7 @@ class QuickJsRuntime(JsRuntime):
     MIN_SUPPORTED_VERSION = (2023, 12, 9)
 
     def _info(self):
-        path = self._path or 'qjs'
+        path = _determine_runtime_path(self._path, 'qjs')
         # quickjs does not have --version and --help returns a status code of 1
         out = _get_exe_version_output(path, ['--help'], ignore_return_code=True)
         if not out: