diff --git a/packages/nuxt/package.json b/packages/nuxt/package.json
index f08b82e70b..31732fa048 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/package.json
+++ b/packages/nuxt/package.json
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@
     "jiti": "^1.19.1",
     "klona": "^2.0.6",
     "knitwork": "^1.0.0",
-    "local-pkg": "^0.4.3",
     "magic-string": "^0.30.2",
     "mlly": "^1.4.0",
     "nitropack": "^2.5.2",
@@ -88,6 +87,7 @@
     "ohash": "^1.1.2",
     "pathe": "^1.1.1",
     "perfect-debounce": "^1.0.0",
+    "pkg-types": "^1.0.3",
     "prompts": "^2.4.2",
     "scule": "^1.0.0",
     "strip-literal": "^1.0.1",
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/core/features.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/core/features.ts
index 96616c996a..6c88aaebdd 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/core/features.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/core/features.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import { addDependency } from 'nypm'
-import { isPackageExists } from 'local-pkg'
+import { resolvePackageJSON } from 'pkg-types'
 import { logger } from '@nuxt/kit'
 import prompts from 'prompts'
 
 export async function ensurePackageInstalled (rootDir: string, name: string, searchPaths?: string[]) {
-  if (isPackageExists(name, { paths: searchPaths })) {
+  if (await resolvePackageJSON(name, { url: searchPaths }).catch(() => null)) {
     return true
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
index 5654f56572..2588a1949c 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
@@ -411,6 +411,13 @@ export async function loadNuxt (opts: LoadNuxtOptions): Promise<Nuxt> {
     }
   }
 
+  // Nuxt Webpack Builder is currently opt-in
+  if (options.builder === '@nuxt/webpack-builder') {
+    if (!await import('./features').then(r => r.ensurePackageInstalled(options.rootDir, '@nuxt/webpack-builder', options.modulesDir))) {
+      logger.warn('Failed to install `@nuxt/webpack-builder`, please install it manually, or change the `builder` option to vite in `nuxt.config`')
+    }
+  }
+
   // Add core modules
   options._modules.push(pagesModule, metaModule, componentsModule)
   options._modules.push([importsModule, {
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 317e9f3b84..41c37b4a54 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -415,9 +415,6 @@ importers:
       knitwork:
         specifier: ^1.0.0
         version: 1.0.0
-      local-pkg:
-        specifier: ^0.4.3
-        version: 0.4.3
       magic-string:
         specifier: ^0.30.2
         version: 0.30.2
@@ -445,6 +442,9 @@ importers:
       perfect-debounce:
         specifier: ^1.0.0
         version: 1.0.0
+      pkg-types:
+        specifier: ^1.0.3
+        version: 1.0.3
       prompts:
         specifier: ^2.4.2
         version: 2.4.2