@@ -14,11 +14,9 @@ import { cwdArgs } from './commands/_shared'
 import { runCommand, setCurrentCommand } from './run'
 import { normaliseCwdArg } from './utils/args'
 import { setupGlobalConsole } from './utils/console'
-import { checkEngines } from './utils/engines'
 import { debug, logger } from './utils/logger'
 import { setupProxySupport } from './utils/network'
 import { findInPath, withLocalBinPath } from './utils/path-env'
-import { resolveProjectDir } from './utils/paths'
 import { templateNames } from './utils/templates/names'
 import { findUnknownFlags, suggestFlags } from './utils/unknown-args'
 import { scheduleUpdateNudge } from './utils/update-lazy'
@@ -49,13 +47,14 @@ const _main = defineCommand({
     setCurrentCommand(command)
     setupGlobalConsole({ dev: command === 'dev' })
 
-    if (command !== '_dev' && provider !== 'stackblitz') {
+    if (command && command !== '_dev' && provider !== 'stackblitz') {
       // The engine check is awaited so its warning cannot land in the middle of
       // a prompt, but the update checks are left running: they reach the user
       // through a `process.exit` handler, and a slow or unreachable registry
       // must never hold up the command.
-      await checkEngines().catch(err => logger.error(String(err)))
-      void scheduleUpdateNudge(resolveProjectDir(ctx.args), command)
+      await import('./utils/engines').then(({ checkEngines }) => checkEngines()).catch(err => logger.error(String(err)))
+      void import('./utils/paths')
+        .then(({ resolveProjectDir }) => scheduleUpdateNudge(resolveProjectDir(ctx.args), command))
         .catch(err => debug('Failed to check for updates:', err))
     }
 
 
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import type { CommandContext } from 'citty'
+import type { main } from '../../src/main'
+
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+const checkEngines = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}))
+const scheduleUpdateNudge = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(async () => {}))
+
+async function setup(argv: string[]): Promise<void> {
+  vi.doMock('../../src/utils/engines', () => ({ checkEngines }))
+  vi.doMock('../../src/utils/update-lazy', () => ({ scheduleUpdateNudge }))
+  vi.doMock('../../src/commands', () => ({
+    commands: { info: () => ({ meta: { name: 'info' }, args: {}, run: () => {} }) },
+  }))
+  vi.resetModules()
+
+  const { main: freshMain } = await import('../../src/main') as { main: typeof main }
+  const command = argv.find(arg => !arg.startsWith('-'))
+  await freshMain.setup!({
+    rawArgs: argv,
+    args: { _: command ? [command] : [], cwd: '.' },
+    cmd: freshMain,
+    data: {},
+  } as unknown as CommandContext)
+
+  await new Promise(resolve => setImmediate(resolve))
+}
+
+describe('startup checks', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    checkEngines.mockClear()
+    scheduleUpdateNudge.mockClear()
+  })
+
+  it('should run for a command', async () => {
+    await setup(['info'])
+
+    expect(checkEngines).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(scheduleUpdateNudge).toHaveBeenCalled())
+  })
+
+  it('should be skipped when no command is given', async () => {
+    await setup(['--version'])
+
+    expect(checkEngines).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(scheduleUpdateNudge).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})