diff --git a/.changelog/5535.fixed b/.changelog/5535.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47bf1c1adc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/5535.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`opentelemetry-sdk`: fix values for `process.executable.name` and `process.executable.path` to match semantic conventions.
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py
index d5b2bdf9f4..a84c9f25fe 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/src/opentelemetry/sdk/resources/__init__.py
@@ -367,21 +367,20 @@ def detect(self) -> "Resource":
             )
         )
         _process_pid = os.getpid()
-        _process_executable_name = sys.executable
-        _process_executable_path = os.path.dirname(_process_executable_name)
         # Use sys.orig_argv, which preserves the original arguments received
         # by the interpreter. This correctly captures ``python -m <module>``
         # invocations where sys.argv is rewritten to the resolved module path
         # and the ``-m <module>`` information is lost. Only read argv[0] by
         # default because full command arguments are opt-in.
         _process_command = sys.orig_argv[0] if sys.orig_argv else ""
+        executable = sys.executable or ""
         resource_info: dict[str, AttributeValue] = {
             PROCESS_RUNTIME_DESCRIPTION: sys.version,
             PROCESS_RUNTIME_NAME: sys.implementation.name,
             PROCESS_RUNTIME_VERSION: _runtime_version,
             PROCESS_PID: _process_pid,
-            PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_NAME: _process_executable_name,
-            PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_PATH: _process_executable_path,
+            PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_NAME: os.path.basename(executable),
+            PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_PATH: executable,
             PROCESS_COMMAND: _process_command,
         }
         if self._include_command_args:
diff --git a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_resources.py b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_resources.py
index 12f6beb552..282611dd1e 100644
--- a/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_resources.py
+++ b/opentelemetry-sdk/tests/resources/test_resources.py
@@ -630,6 +630,7 @@ def test_service_name_env_precedence(self):
         "sys.orig_argv",
         ["uvicorn", "main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "8000"],
     )
+    @patch("sys.executable", "/usr/bin/uvicorn")
     def test_process_detector(self):
         initial_resource = Resource({"foo": "bar"})
         aggregated_resource = get_aggregated_resources([ProcessResourceDetector()], initial_resource)
@@ -662,13 +663,13 @@ def test_process_detector(self):
 
         self.assertEqual(
             aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_NAME],
-            sys.executable,
+            "uvicorn",
         )
         self.assertEqual(
             aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_PATH],
-            os.path.dirname(sys.executable),
+            "/usr/bin/uvicorn",
         )
-        self.assertEqual(aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_COMMAND], sys.orig_argv[0])
+        self.assertEqual(aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_COMMAND], "uvicorn")
         self.assertNotIn(
             PROCESS_COMMAND_LINE,
             aggregated_resource.attributes,
@@ -769,6 +770,20 @@ def test_process_detector_uses_orig_argv_for_python_m_on_opt_in(self):
             ("/usr/bin/python", "-m", "myapp"),
         )
 
+    @patch("sys.executable", None)
+    def test_process_detector_handles_missing_executable(self):
+        initial_resource = Resource({"foo": "bar"})
+        aggregated_resource = get_aggregated_resources([ProcessResourceDetector()], initial_resource)
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_NAME],
+            "",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            aggregated_resource.attributes[PROCESS_EXECUTABLE_PATH],
+            "",
+        )
+
     def test_resource_detector_entry_points_default(self):
         resource = Resource({}).create()