diff --git a/packages/kit/package.json b/packages/kit/package.json
index 2447c1f472..d383c5c02c 100644
--- a/packages/kit/package.json
+++ b/packages/kit/package.json
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
     "test:attw": "attw --pack"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@nuxt/schema": "workspace:*",
     "c12": "^2.0.1",
     "consola": "^3.4.0",
     "defu": "^6.1.4",
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@
     "untyped": "^1.5.2"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@nuxt/schema": "workspace:*",
     "@rspack/core": "1.2.2",
     "@types/lodash-es": "4.17.12",
     "@types/semver": "7.5.8",
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/loader/config.ts b/packages/kit/src/loader/config.ts
index 86a01a5c70..c8eeb979e2 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/loader/config.ts
+++ b/packages/kit/src/loader/config.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,21 @@
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url'
 import type { JSValue } from 'untyped'
 import { applyDefaults } from 'untyped'
 import type { ConfigLayer, ConfigLayerMeta, LoadConfigOptions } from 'c12'
 import { loadConfig } from 'c12'
 import type { NuxtConfig, NuxtOptions } from '@nuxt/schema'
-import { NuxtConfigSchema } from '@nuxt/schema'
 import { globby } from 'globby'
 import defu from 'defu'
 import { join } from 'pathe'
+import { isWindows } from 'std-env'
+import { tryResolveModule } from '../internal/esm'
 
 export interface LoadNuxtConfigOptions extends Omit<LoadConfigOptions<NuxtConfig>, 'overrides'> {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-function-type
   overrides?: Exclude<LoadConfigOptions<NuxtConfig>['overrides'], Promise<any> | Function>
 }
 
-const layerSchemaKeys = ['future', 'srcDir', 'rootDir', 'serverDir', 'dir']
-const layerSchema = Object.create(null)
-for (const key of layerSchemaKeys) {
-  if (key in NuxtConfigSchema) {
-    layerSchema[key] = NuxtConfigSchema[key]
-  }
-}
-
 export async function loadNuxtConfig (opts: LoadNuxtConfigOptions): Promise<NuxtOptions> {
   // Automatically detect and import layers from `~~/layers/` directory
   opts.overrides = defu(opts.overrides, {
@@ -54,6 +48,16 @@ export async function loadNuxtConfig (opts: LoadNuxtConfigOptions): Promise<Nuxt
     nuxtConfig.buildDir = join(nuxtConfig.rootDir!, 'node_modules/.cache/nuxt/.nuxt')
   }
 
+  const NuxtConfigSchema = await loadNuxtSchema(nuxtConfig.rootDir || cwd || process.cwd())
+
+  const layerSchemaKeys = ['future', 'srcDir', 'rootDir', 'serverDir', 'dir']
+  const layerSchema = Object.create(null)
+  for (const key of layerSchemaKeys) {
+    if (key in NuxtConfigSchema) {
+      layerSchema[key] = NuxtConfigSchema[key]
+    }
+  }
+
   const _layers: ConfigLayer<NuxtConfig, ConfigLayerMeta>[] = []
   const processedLayers = new Set<string>()
   for (const layer of layers) {
@@ -89,3 +93,13 @@ export async function loadNuxtConfig (opts: LoadNuxtConfigOptions): Promise<Nuxt
   // Resolve and apply defaults
   return await applyDefaults(NuxtConfigSchema, nuxtConfig as NuxtConfig & Record<string, JSValue>) as unknown as NuxtOptions
 }
+
+async function loadNuxtSchema (cwd: string) {
+  const paths = [cwd]
+  const nuxtPath = await tryResolveModule('nuxt', cwd) ?? await tryResolveModule('nuxt-nightly', cwd)
+  if (nuxtPath) {
+    paths.unshift(nuxtPath)
+  }
+  const schemaPath = await tryResolveModule('@nuxt/schema', paths) ?? '@nuxt/schema'
+  return await import(isWindows ? pathToFileURL(schemaPath).href : schemaPath).then(r => r.NuxtConfigSchema)
+}
diff --git a/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts b/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
index f1f4e855dc..6c11c3384b 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt/src/core/nuxt.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ const nightlies = {
 
 export const keyDependencies = [
   '@nuxt/kit',
-  '@nuxt/schema',
 ]
 
 let warnedAboutCompatDate = false
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index fa5fd14acf..e6952435e6 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -230,9 +230,6 @@ importers:
 
   packages/kit:
     dependencies:
-      '@nuxt/schema':
-        specifier: workspace:*
-        version: link:../schema
       c12:
         specifier: ^2.0.1
         version: 2.0.1(magicast@0.3.5)
@@ -294,6 +291,9 @@ importers:
         specifier: ^1.5.2
         version: 1.5.2
     devDependencies:
+      '@nuxt/schema':
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../schema
       '@rspack/core':
         specifier: 1.2.2
         version: 1.2.2