diff --git a/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts b/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
index d1b3eb14cae7c8..81d7e22bad6cf8 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/node/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import fs from 'node:fs'
 import os from 'node:os'
 import path from 'node:path'
+import { exec } from 'node:child_process'
 import { createHash } from 'node:crypto'
 import { promisify } from 'node:util'
 import { URL, URLSearchParams } from 'node:url'
@@ -597,10 +598,51 @@ export const renameDir = isWindows ? promisify(gracefulRename) : fs.renameSync
 // `fs.realpathSync.native` resolves differently in Windows network drive,
 // causing file read errors. skip for now.
 // https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/37737
-export const safeRealpathSync = isWindows
-  ? fs.realpathSync
+export let safeRealpathSync = isWindows
+  ? windowsSafeRealPathSync
   : fs.realpathSync.native
 
+// Based on https://github.com/larrybahr/windows-network-drive
+// MIT License, Copyright (c) 2017 Larry Bahr
+const windowsNetworkMap = new Map()
+function windowsMappedRealpathSync(path: string) {
+  const realPath = fs.realpathSync.native(path)
+  if (realPath.startsWith('\\\\')) {
+    for (const [network, volume] of windowsNetworkMap) {
+      if (realPath.startsWith(network)) return realPath.replace(network, volume)
+    }
+  }
+  return realPath
+}
+const parseNetUseRE = /^(\w+) +(\w:) +([^ ]+)\s/
+let firstSafeRealPathSyncRun = false
+
+function windowsSafeRealPathSync(path: string): string {
+  if (!firstSafeRealPathSyncRun) {
+    optimizeSafeRealPathSync()
+    firstSafeRealPathSyncRun = true
+  }
+  return fs.realpathSync(path)
+}
+
+function optimizeSafeRealPathSync() {
+  exec('net use', (error, stdout) => {
+    if (error) return
+    const lines = stdout.split('\n')
+    // OK           Y:        \\NETWORKA\Foo         Microsoft Windows Network
+    // OK           Z:        \\NETWORKA\Bar         Microsoft Windows Network
+    for (const line of lines) {
+      const m = line.match(parseNetUseRE)
+      if (m) windowsNetworkMap.set(m[3], m[2])
+    }
+    if (windowsNetworkMap.size === 0) {
+      safeRealpathSync = fs.realpathSync.native
+    } else {
+      safeRealpathSync = windowsMappedRealpathSync
+    }
+  })
+}
+
 export function ensureWatchedFile(
   watcher: FSWatcher,
   file: string | null,