Bug: payload generate:types fails on Windows (module resolution / ESM loader issues)

Describe the Bug

Bug: payload generate:types fails on Windows (module resolution / ESM loader issues)

Environment

• OS: Windows 11
• Shell: PowerShell
• Node: v22.19.0
• Package managers tested:
  • Bun
  • npm / npx
• Framework: Next.js + Payload
• Project created using create-payload-app

---

Summary

Running:

payload generate:types

fails on Windows, even in a freshly scaffolded Payload project before adding custom code.

I encountered two related issues depending on import style in payload.config.ts.

---

Reproduction

1. Create a fresh project

npx create-payload-app@latest

Or clone this repo

https://github.com/ahmadmh404/nextjs-16.2-payload-3.84-bug-reproduced-enviroment.git

---

2. Run type generation

Using Bun:

bun run generate:types

or directly:

npx payload generate:types

---

Issue A — Module not found with extensionless imports

Using default-style imports in payload.config.ts:

import { Users } from "./collections/Users";

produces:

Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]:
Cannot find module
.../src/collections/Users
imported from .../src/payload.config.ts

Example full error:

Error [ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND]: Cannot find module
'E:\Code\projects\multi-tenant-ecommerce\src\collections\Users'
imported from
E:\Code\projects\multi-tenant-ecommerce\src\payload.config.ts

The file exists:

src/collections/Users.ts

• File exists
• Casing is correct
• Reproduces in fresh generated project

---

Issue B — Adding .ts extensions changes error

Changing imports to:

import { Users } from "./collections/Users.ts";

and enabling in tsconfig.json:

"allowImportingTsExtensions": true

gets past the module resolution issue, but then type generation fails with:

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE]:
require() cannot be used on an ESM graph with top-level await

Full error:

Error [ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE]:
require() cannot be used on an ESM graph with top-level await.
Use import() instead.

Requiring .../src/payload.config.ts

Even though payload.config.ts contains no top-level await.

---

Minimal Config Used

Fresh generated config (no custom async logic added):

import { mongooseAdapter } from "@payloadcms/db-mongodb";
import { lexicalEditor } from "@payloadcms/richtext-lexical";
import path from "path";
import { buildConfig } from "payload";
import { fileURLToPath } from "url";
import sharp from "sharp";

import { Users } from "./collections/Users";
import { Media } from "./collections/Media";
import { Categories } from "./collections/Categories";

const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
const dirname = path.dirname(filename);

export default buildConfig({
  admin: {
    user: Users.slug,
    importMap: {
      baseDir: path.resolve(dirname),
      autoGenerate: true,
    },
  },
  collections: [Users, Media, Categories],
  editor: lexicalEditor(),
  secret: process.env.PAYLOAD_SECRET || "",
  typescript: {
    outputFile: path.resolve(dirname, "payload-types.ts"),
  },
  db: mongooseAdapter({
    url: process.env.DATABASE_URL || "",
  }),
  sharp,
  plugins: [],
});

No top-level await anywhere.

---

Expected Behavior

Running:

payload generate:types

should generate:

payload-types.ts

successfully on Windows.

---

Actual Behavior

Type generation fails:

• Extensionless imports:

  • ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND

• .ts imports:

  • ERR_REQUIRE_ASYNC_MODULE

Both block type generation.

---

Additional Notes

• Reproduces on fresh generated project
• Reproduces with:
  • Bun
  • npx payload generate:types

Appears related to one or both of:

• Windows ESM resolution for extensionless TypeScript imports
• Payload CLI config loading (require() vs ESM import)
• tsx loader behavior on Windows
• Possible Node 22 compatibility issue

---

Reproduction Repository

Minimal repro:

https://github.com/ahmadmh404/nextjs-16.2-payload-3.84-bug-reproduced-enviroment.git

---

Possible Areas to Investigate

• Windows ESM resolution of extensionless .ts imports
• Payload CLI loading config through require()
• tsx loader interaction on Windows
• Node 22 compatibility
• Bun interaction (possibly secondary)

---

Happy to help test patches or provide more debugging output if needed.

Link to the code that reproduces this issue

https://github.com/ahmadmh404/nextjs-16.2-payload-3.84-bug-reproduced-enviroment.git

Reproduction Steps

1. Clone the reproduction repository:

git clone https://github.com/ahmadmh404/nextjs-16.2-payload-3.84-bug-reproduced-enviroment.git

cd nextjs-16.2-payload-3.84-bug-reproduced-enviroment

2. Install dependencies:

Using npm:

npm install

or using Bun:

bun install

3. Run type generation:

npx payload generate:types

or:

bun run generate:types

Which area(s) are affected?

area: core

Environment Info

Binaries:
  Node: 22.19.0
  npm: N/A
  Yarn: N/A
  pnpm: N/A
Relevant Packages:
  payload: 3.84.1
  next: 16.2.4
  @payloadcms/db-mongodb: 3.84.1      
  @payloadcms/graphql: 3.84.1
  @payloadcms/next/utilities: 3.84.1  
  @payloadcms/richtext-lexical: 3.84.1
  @payloadcms/translations: 3.84.1    
  @payloadcms/ui/shared: 3.84.1       
  react: 19.2.4
  react-dom: 19.2.4
Operating System:
  Platform: win32
  Arch: x64
  Version: Windows 10 Pro
  Available memory (MB): 12195        
  Available CPU cores: 8