diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/imports/module.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/imports/module.ts
index 2714470a43..1e6d9a3093 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/imports/module.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/imports/module.ts
@@ -9,28 +9,31 @@ import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 import { lookupNodeModuleSubpath, parseNodeModulePath } from 'mlly'
 import { isDirectory } from '../utils'
 import { TransformPlugin } from './transform'
-import { defaultPresets } from './presets'
+import { defaultPresets, appCompatPresets } from './presets'
 
 export default defineNuxtModule<Partial<ImportsOptions>>({
   meta: {
     name: 'nuxt:imports',
     configKey: 'imports',
   },
-  defaults: nuxt => ({
-    autoImport: true,
-    scan: true,
-    presets: defaultPresets,
-    global: false,
-    imports: [],
-    dirs: [],
-    transform: {
-      include: [
-        new RegExp('^' + escapeRE(nuxt.options.buildDir)),
-      ],
-      exclude: undefined,
-    },
-    virtualImports: ['#imports'],
-  }),
+  defaults: nuxt => {
+    return {
+      autoImport: true,
+      scan: true,
+      presets: nuxt.options.imports.polyfills ? [...defaultPresets, ...appCompatPresets] : defaultPresets,
+      global: false,
+      imports: [],
+      dirs: [],
+      transform: {
+        include: [
+          new RegExp('^' + escapeRE(nuxt.options.buildDir)),
+        ],
+        exclude: undefined,
+      },
+      virtualImports: ['#imports'],
+      polyfills: true,
+    }
+  },
   async setup (options, nuxt) {
     // TODO: fix sharing of defaults between invocations of modules
     const presets = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(options.presets)) as ImportPresetWithDeprecation[]
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/imports/presets.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/imports/presets.ts
index 40a6e557f1..de9096e9b9 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/imports/presets.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/imports/presets.ts
@@ -21,14 +21,6 @@ const granularAppPresets: InlinePreset[] = [
     imports: ['useNuxtApp', 'tryUseNuxtApp', 'defineNuxtPlugin', 'definePayloadPlugin', 'useRuntimeConfig', 'defineAppConfig'],
     from: '#app/nuxt',
   },
-  {
-    imports: ['requestIdleCallback', 'cancelIdleCallback'],
-    from: '#app/compat/idle-callback',
-  },
-  {
-    imports: ['setInterval'],
-    from: '#app/compat/interval',
-  },
   {
     imports: ['useAppConfig', 'updateAppConfig'],
     from: '#app/config',
@@ -256,6 +248,17 @@ const vueTypesPreset = defineUnimportPreset({
   ],
 })
 
+export const appCompatPresets: InlinePreset[] = [
+  {
+    imports: ['requestIdleCallback', 'cancelIdleCallback'],
+    from: '#app/compat/idle-callback',
+  },
+  {
+    imports: ['setInterval'],
+    from: '#app/compat/interval',
+  },
+]
+
 export const defaultPresets: InlinePreset[] = [
   ...commonPresets,
   ...granularAppPresets,
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/types/imports.ts b/packages/schema/src/types/imports.ts
index 96171ecf87..5dc26e22c4 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/types/imports.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/types/imports.ts
@@ -32,4 +32,10 @@ export interface ImportsOptions extends UnimportOptions {
     exclude?: RegExp[]
     include?: RegExp[]
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Add polyfills for setInterval, requestIdleCallback, and others
+   * @default true
+   */
+  polyfills?: boolean
 }
diff --git a/test/nuxt/client.test.ts b/test/nuxt/client.test.ts
index 87d34acc44..ceb0b3bbf6 100644
--- a/test/nuxt/client.test.ts
+++ b/test/nuxt/client.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { ComponentOptions } from 'vue'
 import { Suspense, defineComponent, h, toDisplayString, useAttrs } from 'vue'
 import { mountSuspended } from '@nuxt/test-utils/runtime'
@@ -65,3 +65,29 @@ describe('client page', () => {
     expect(wrapper.find('#fallback').exists()).toBe(false)
   })
 })
+
+describe('app/compat', () => {
+  const Component = defineComponent({
+    setup () {
+      const visible = ref(false)
+      setInterval(() => {
+        visible.value = true
+      }, 1000)
+
+      return () => h('div', {}, visible.value ? h('span', { id: 'child' }) : {})
+    },
+  })
+  it('setInterval is not auto-imported', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+
+    const wrapper = mount(Component)
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000)
+
+    await wrapper.vm.$nextTick()
+
+    expect(wrapper.find('#child').exists()).toBe(true)
+
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/vitest.nuxt.config.ts b/vitest.nuxt.config.ts
index 6c0ef9cabc..75e2446e89 100644
--- a/vitest.nuxt.config.ts
+++ b/vitest.nuxt.config.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ export default defineVitestConfig({
           experimental: {
             appManifest: process.env.TEST_MANIFEST !== 'manifest-off',
           },
+          imports: {
+            polyfills: false,
+          },
         },
       },
     },