diff --git a/packages/core/src/git-checkout.ts b/packages/core/src/git-checkout.ts
index ccf1ff7..899d2ac 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/git-checkout.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/git-checkout.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,10 @@
+// Server only: reached through the "@rakazo/core/git-checkout" subpath, never the browser entry.
+import { spawn } from "node:child_process";
 import { access } from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { gitStatusArgv, gitUntrackedFilesArgv, parseGitNameOnly } from "./compose-update.js";
 import { DEFAULT_UPDATE_REMOTE, parseGitStatusPorcelain } from "./self-update.js";
 
-// Lazy import to avoid bundling `node:child_process` in browser bundles.
-// `defaultGitRunner` is server-only; lazy-loading ensures tree-shaking works.
-type SpawnFn = typeof import("node:child_process").spawn;
-let _spawn: SpawnFn | undefined;
-const getSpawn = (): SpawnFn => {
-  if (_spawn === undefined) {
-    _spawn = require("node:child_process").spawn as SpawnFn;
-  }
-  return _spawn;
-};
-
 export interface GitCheckoutStatus {
   present: boolean;
   remoteUrl: string | null;
@@ -32,7 +23,6 @@ export type GitRunner = (args: string[], cwd: string) => Promise<GitRunnerResult
 
 export async function defaultGitRunner(args: string[], cwd: string): Promise<GitRunnerResult> {
   return new Promise((resolve) => {
-    const spawn = getSpawn();
     const child = spawn("git", args, { cwd, env: process.env });
     let output = "";
     child.stdout.on("data", (chunk: Buffer | string) => {