diff --git a/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts b/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
index a6c341ec05df7e..47028cc9d8889f 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ export function getPotentialTsSrcPaths(filePath: string): string[] {
 }
 
 const importQueryRE = /(\?|&)import=?(?:&|$)/
-const directRequestRE = /(\?|&)direct(?:&|$)/
+const directRequestRE = /(\?|&)direct=?(?:&|$)/
 const internalPrefixes = [
   FS_PREFIX,
   VALID_ID_PREFIX,