diff --git a/packages/cli/config/nodeTransformHooks.mjs b/packages/cli/config/nodeTransformHooks.mjs
index 06bfcf4e30..7d1186561f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/config/nodeTransformHooks.mjs
+++ b/packages/cli/config/nodeTransformHooks.mjs
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ async function withDetectedModuleType(resolved) {
   if (resolved.format) {
     return resolved;
   }
+  // Happens in Node.js v22 when there's a package.json without an explicit "type" field. Use the default.
+  if (resolved.format === null) {
+    return { ...resolved, format: DEFAULT_MODULE_FORMAT };
+  }
 
   const ext = extname(resolved.url);