diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/app/entry.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/app/entry.ts
index dede500a50..8bade937da 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/app/entry.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/app/entry.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 // We set __webpack_public_path via this import with webpack builder
 import { createApp, createSSRApp, nextTick } from 'vue'
-import { $fetch } from 'ofetch'
-import type { $Fetch, NitroFetchRequest } from 'nitropack'
 
-// This file must be imported first for webpack as we set __webpack_public_path__ there
-// @ts-expect-error virtual file
-import { baseURL } from '#build/paths.mjs'
+// These files must be imported first as they have side effects
+import '#build/paths.mjs'
+import '#build/fetch.mjs'
 
 import type { CreateOptions } from '#app'
 import { applyPlugins, createNuxtApp } from '#app/nuxt'
@@ -18,12 +16,6 @@ import RootComponent from '#build/root-component.mjs'
 // @ts-expect-error virtual file
 import { vueAppRootContainer } from '#build/nuxt.config.mjs'
 
-if (!globalThis.$fetch) {
-  globalThis.$fetch = $fetch.create({
-    baseURL: baseURL()
-  }) as $Fetch<unknown, NitroFetchRequest>
-}
-
 let entry: Function
 
 if (import.meta.server) {
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
index 6b6cbb27af..7494ae6a47 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/core/templates.ts
@@ -334,6 +334,21 @@ export const publicPathTemplate: NuxtTemplate = {
   }
 }
 
+export const dollarFetchTemplate: NuxtTemplate = {
+  filename: 'fetch.mjs',
+  getContents () {
+    return [
+      "import { $fetch } from 'ofetch'",
+      "import { baseURL } from '#build/paths.mjs'",
+      'if (!globalThis.$fetch) {',
+      '  globalThis.$fetch = $fetch.create({',
+      '    baseURL: baseURL()',
+      '  })',
+      '}'
+    ].join('\n')
+  }
+}
+
 // Allow direct access to specific exposed nuxt.config
 export const nuxtConfigTemplate = {
   filename: 'nuxt.config.mjs',