diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/build.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/build.ts
index 31d5a32c27..084eb637fb 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/build.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/build.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
 import consola from 'consola'
-import { importModule } from '../utils/cjs'
 
 import { writeTypes } from '../utils/prepare'
+import { loadKit } from '../utils/kit'
 import { defineNuxtCommand } from './index'
 
 export default defineNuxtCommand({
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export default defineNuxtCommand({
     process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
     const rootDir = resolve(args._[0] || '.')
 
-    const { loadNuxt, buildNuxt } = await importModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir) as typeof import('@nuxt/kit')
+    const { loadNuxt, buildNuxt } = await loadKit(rootDir)
 
     const nuxt = await loadNuxt({ rootDir })
 
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/dev.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/dev.ts
index dbf53c5a13..e8a489a061 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/dev.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/dev.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ import type { Nuxt } from '@nuxt/kit'
 import consola from 'consola'
 import { createServer, createLoadingHandler } from '../utils/server'
 import { showBanner } from '../utils/banner'
-import { importModule } from '../utils/cjs'
 import { writeTypes } from '../utils/prepare'
+import { loadKit } from '../utils/kit'
 import { defineNuxtCommand } from './index'
 
 export default defineNuxtCommand({
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export default defineNuxtCommand({
 
     const rootDir = resolve(args._[0] || '.')
 
-    const { loadNuxt, buildNuxt } = await importModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir) as typeof import('@nuxt/kit')
+    const { loadNuxt, buildNuxt } = await loadKit(rootDir)
 
     const prepare = debounce(nuxt => writeTypes(nuxt), 1000)
 
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/generate.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/generate.ts
index 62b37fc94a..f0a2e1a625 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/generate.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/generate.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
 import { isNuxt3 } from '@nuxt/kit'
-import { importModule } from '../utils/cjs'
 
+import { loadKit } from '../utils/kit'
 import { defineNuxtCommand } from './index'
 
 export default defineNuxtCommand({
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export default defineNuxtCommand({
     process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
     const rootDir = resolve(args._[0] || '.')
 
-    const { loadNuxt } = await importModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir) as typeof import('@nuxt/kit')
+    const { loadNuxt } = await loadKit(rootDir)
     const nuxt = await loadNuxt({ rootDir })
 
     if (isNuxt3(nuxt)) {
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/prepare.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/prepare.ts
index f09c40f354..bab6e7e68c 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/prepare.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/prepare.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
-import { importModule } from '../utils/cjs'
+import { loadKit } from '../utils/kit'
 import { writeTypes } from '../utils/prepare'
 import { defineNuxtCommand } from './index'
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export default defineNuxtCommand({
     process.env.NODE_ENV = process.env.NODE_ENV || 'production'
     const rootDir = resolve(args._[0] || '.')
 
-    const { loadNuxt } = await importModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir) as typeof import('@nuxt/kit')
+    const { loadNuxt } = await loadKit(rootDir)
     const nuxt = await loadNuxt({ rootDir })
 
     await writeTypes(nuxt)
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/utils/kit.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/utils/kit.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d6812cd17c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/utils/kit.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { importModule } from './cjs'
+
+export const loadKit = async (rootDir: string): Promise<typeof import('@nuxt/kit')> => {
+  try {
+    return await importModule('@nuxt/kit', rootDir) as typeof import('@nuxt/kit')
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e.toString().includes("Cannot find module '@nuxt/kit'")) {
+      throw new Error('nuxi requires `@nuxt/kit` to be installed in your project. Try installing `nuxt3` or `@nuxt/bridge` first.')
+    }
+    throw e
+  }
+}