diff --git a/packages/core/src/filesystem/watcher-binding.ts b/packages/core/src/filesystem/watcher-binding.ts
index 86a848878bc..e36dbbdf2e7 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/filesystem/watcher-binding.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/filesystem/watcher-binding.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ import { createRequire } from "node:module"
 
 declare const OPENCODE_LIBC: string | undefined
 
-const require = createRequire(import.meta.url)
-
+// Lazy: on workerd import.meta.url is undefined and the watcher is never
+// loaded, so createRequire must not run at module scope.
 export default function load() {
+  const require = createRequire(import.meta.url)
   const libc = typeof OPENCODE_LIBC === "undefined" ? undefined : OPENCODE_LIBC
   return require(
     process.env.OPENCODE_PARCEL_WATCHER_PATH ??