diff --git a/lib/internal/bootstrap/pre_execution.js b/lib/internal/bootstrap/pre_execution.js
index 0e1b4898ef1301..e227e7853f5462 100644
--- a/lib/internal/bootstrap/pre_execution.js
+++ b/lib/internal/bootstrap/pre_execution.js
@@ -67,10 +67,7 @@ function prepareMainThreadExecution(expandArgv1 = false) {
   initializeDeprecations();
   initializeWASI();
   initializeCJSLoader();
-
-  if (!shouldNotRegisterESMLoader) {
-    initializeESMLoader();
-  }
+  initializeESMLoader();
 
   const CJSLoader = require('internal/modules/cjs/loader');
   assert(!CJSLoader.hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule);
@@ -414,6 +411,8 @@ function initializeESMLoader() {
   // Create this WeakMap in js-land because V8 has no C++ API for WeakMap.
   internalBinding('module_wrap').callbackMap = new SafeWeakMap();
 
+  if (shouldNotRegisterESMLoader) return;
+
   const {
     setImportModuleDynamicallyCallback,
     setInitializeImportMetaObjectCallback
diff --git a/test/cctest/test_environment.cc b/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
index 0314c7e5b8ad04..11fc99a73bc5bb 100644
--- a/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
+++ b/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
@@ -49,12 +49,21 @@ TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, EnvironmentWithESMLoader) {
   node::LoadEnvironment(
       *env,
       "const { SourceTextModule } = require('vm');"
-      "try {"
-        "new SourceTextModule('export const a = 1;');"
+      "(async () => {"
+        "const stmString = 'globalThis.importResult = import(\"\")';"
+        "const m = new SourceTextModule(stmString, {"
+          "importModuleDynamically: (async () => {"
+            "const m = new SourceTextModule('');"
+            "await m.link(() => 0);"
+            "await m.evaluate();"
+            "return m.namespace;"
+          "}),"
+        "});"
+        "await m.link(() => 0);"
+        "await m.evaluate();"
+        "delete globalThis.importResult;"
         "process.exit(0);"
-      "} catch {"
-        "process.exit(42);"
-      "}");
+      "})()");
 }
 
 TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, EnvironmentWithNoESMLoader) {
@@ -67,19 +76,27 @@ TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, EnvironmentWithNoESMLoader) {
 
   SetProcessExitHandler(*env, [&](node::Environment* env_, int exit_code) {
     EXPECT_EQ(*env, env_);
-    EXPECT_EQ(exit_code, 42);
+    EXPECT_EQ(exit_code, 1);
     node::Stop(*env);
   });
 
   node::LoadEnvironment(
       *env,
       "const { SourceTextModule } = require('vm');"
-      "try {"
-        "new SourceTextModule('export const a = 1;');"
-        "process.exit(0);"
-      "} catch {"
-        "process.exit(42);"
-      "}");
+      "(async () => {"
+        "const stmString = 'globalThis.importResult = import(\"\")';"
+        "const m = new SourceTextModule(stmString, {"
+          "importModuleDynamically: (async () => {"
+            "const m = new SourceTextModule('');"
+            "await m.link(() => 0);"
+            "await m.evaluate();"
+            "return m.namespace;"
+          "}),"
+        "});"
+        "await m.link(() => 0);"
+        "await m.evaluate();"
+        "delete globalThis.importResult;"
+      "})()");
 }
 
 TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, PreExecutionPreparation) {