diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index 4f93c42d3..273ebb87b 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { VitePWA } from 'vite-plugin-pwa';
 import vitePluginRequire from 'vite-plugin-require';
 import { viteStaticCopy } from 'vite-plugin-static-copy';
 
-export default defineConfig({
+export default defineConfig(({ command }) => ({
   build: {
     assetsDir: 'packs',
     assetsInlineLimit: 0,
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ export default defineConfig({
   server: {
     port: 3036,
   },
+  optimizeDeps: {
+    exclude: command === 'serve' ? ['@soapbox.pub/wasmboy'] : [],
+  },
   plugins: [
     checker({ typescript: true }),
     // @ts-ignore
@@ -100,7 +103,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
     environment: 'jsdom',
     setupFiles: 'src/jest/test-setup.ts',
   },
-});
+}));
 
 /** Return file as string, or return empty string if the file isn't found. */
 function readFileContents(path: string) {