diff --git a/src/bun_js.zig b/src/bun_js.zig
index ef0cebd4f5..565bf3e8d5 100644
--- a/src/bun_js.zig
+++ b/src/bun_js.zig
@@ -339,23 +339,19 @@ pub const Run = struct {
                 Output.prettyErrorln("Error occurred loading entry point: {s}", .{@errorName(err)});
                 Output.flush();
             }
+            // TODO: Do a event loop tick when we figure out how to watch the file that wasn't found
+            //   under hot reload mode
+            vm.exit_handler.exit_code = 1;
+            vm.onExit();
+            if (run.any_unhandled) {
+                bun.JSC.SavedSourceMap.MissingSourceMapNoteInfo.print();
 
-            if (vm.hot_reload != .none) {
-                vm.eventLoop().tick();
-                vm.eventLoop().tickPossiblyForever();
-            } else {
-                vm.exit_handler.exit_code = 1;
-                vm.onExit();
-                if (run.any_unhandled) {
-                    bun.JSC.SavedSourceMap.MissingSourceMapNoteInfo.print();
-
-                    Output.prettyErrorln(
-                        "<r>\n<d>{s}<r>",
-                        .{Global.unhandled_error_bun_version_string},
-                    );
-                }
-                vm.globalExit();
+                Output.prettyErrorln(
+                    "<r>\n<d>{s}<r>",
+                    .{Global.unhandled_error_bun_version_string},
+                );
             }
+            vm.globalExit();
         }
 
         // don't run the GC if we don't actually need to
diff --git a/test/cli/hot/hot.test.ts b/test/cli/hot/hot.test.ts
index b819cdff2f..9b53bb733c 100644
--- a/test/cli/hot/hot.test.ts
+++ b/test/cli/hot/hot.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,21 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   cwd = hotPath;
 });
 
+it("preload not found should exit with code 1 and not time out", async () => {
+  const root = hotRunnerRoot;
+  const runner = spawn({
+    cmd: [bunExe(), "--preload=/dev/foobarbarbar", "--hot", root],
+    env: bunEnv,
+    stdout: "inherit",
+    stderr: "pipe",
+    stdin: "ignore",
+  });
+  await runner.exited;
+  expect(runner.signalCode).toBe(null);
+  expect(runner.exitCode).toBe(1);
+  expect(await new Response(runner.stderr).text()).toContain("preload not found");
+});
+
 it(
   "should hot reload when file is overwritten",
   async () => {