diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/typecheck/typechecker.ts b/packages/vitest/src/typecheck/typechecker.ts
index b43191547..55bda5fb1 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/typecheck/typechecker.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/typecheck/typechecker.ts
@@ -401,13 +401,16 @@ export class Typechecker {
         child.process?.off('error', onError)
         clearTimeout(timeout)
         if (process.platform === 'win32') {
-          // on Windows, the process might be spawned but fail to start
-          // we wait for a potential error here. if "close" event didn't trigger,
-          // we resolve the promise
-          winTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
-            resolved = true
-            resolve({ result: child })
-          }, 200)
+          // on Windows, the process might be spawned but fail to start,
+          // so we wait for the "close" event instead of resolving right away.
+          // `start` awaits the process anyway; the watch process never exits,
+          // so resolve it after a grace period
+          if (watch) {
+            winTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+              resolved = true
+              resolve({ result: child })
+            }, 200)
+          }
         }
         else {
           resolved = true
@@ -420,6 +423,11 @@ export class Typechecker {
           if (code != null && code !== 0 && !dataReceived) {
             onError(new Error(`The ${typecheck.checker} command exited with code ${code}.`))
           }
+          else if (!resolved) {
+            clearTimeout(winTimeout)
+            resolved = true
+            resolve({ result: child })
+          }
         })
       }
       child.process.once('error', onError)