diff --git a/.changeset/tame-hornets-turn.md b/.changeset/tame-hornets-turn.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..35a1f23b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tame-hornets-turn.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@vanilla-extract/vite-plugin': patch
+---
+
+Mark `cssesc` as external
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin/src/index.ts b/packages/vite-plugin/src/index.ts
index 0d41bcb29..89856d397 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin/src/index.ts
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ export function vanillaExtractPlugin({
             '@vanilla-extract/css',
             '@vanilla-extract/css/fileScope',
             '@vanilla-extract/css/adapter',
+            'cssesc',
           ],
         },
       };