diff --git a/.changeset/large-seahorses-check.md b/.changeset/large-seahorses-check.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..16dd53e44aae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/large-seahorses-check.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/kit': patch
+---
+
+fix: don't try adapting if build failed
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/vite/index.js b/packages/kit/src/vite/index.js
index d5a78ea08925..c5a873418dac 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/vite/index.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/vite/index.js
@@ -109,6 +109,12 @@ function kit() {
 	 */
 	let paths;
 
+	/** @type {Error | undefined} */
+	let build_error;
+
+	/** @type {Error | undefined} */
+	let write_bundle_error;
+
 	function vite_client_config() {
 		/** @type {Record<string, string>} */
 		const input = {
@@ -247,6 +253,9 @@ function kit() {
 		 * Clears the output directories.
 		 */
 		buildStart() {
+			// Reset errors in watch mode
+			build_error = write_bundle_error = undefined;
+
 			if (is_build) {
 				rimraf(paths.build_dir);
 				mkdirp(paths.build_dir);
@@ -256,6 +265,10 @@ function kit() {
 			}
 		},
 
+		buildEnd(err) {
+			build_error = err;
+		},
+
 		/**
 		 * Vite builds a single bundle. We need three bundles: client, server, and service worker.
 		 * The user's package.json scripts will invoke the Vite CLI to execute the client build. We
@@ -266,80 +279,86 @@ function kit() {
 				verbose: vite_config.logLevel === 'info'
 			});
 
-			fs.writeFileSync(
-				`${paths.client_out_dir}/version.json`,
-				JSON.stringify({ version: process.env.VITE_SVELTEKIT_APP_VERSION })
-			);
+			try {
+				fs.writeFileSync(
+					`${paths.client_out_dir}/version.json`,
+					JSON.stringify({ version: process.env.VITE_SVELTEKIT_APP_VERSION })
+				);
 
-			const { assets, chunks } = collect_output(bundle);
-			log.info(`Client build completed. Wrote ${chunks.length} chunks and ${assets.length} assets`);
-
-			log.info('Building server');
-			const options = {
-				cwd,
-				config: svelte_config,
-				vite_config_env,
-				build_dir: paths.build_dir, // TODO just pass `paths`
-				manifest_data,
-				output_dir: paths.output_dir,
-				service_worker_entry_file: resolve_entry(svelte_config.kit.files.serviceWorker)
-			};
-			const client = client_build_info(assets, chunks);
-			const server = await build_server(options, client);
-
-			/** @type {import('types').BuildData} */
-			build_data = {
-				app_dir: svelte_config.kit.appDir,
-				manifest_data,
-				service_worker: options.service_worker_entry_file ? 'service-worker.js' : null, // TODO make file configurable?
-				client,
-				server
-			};
+				const { assets, chunks } = collect_output(bundle);
+				log.info(
+					`Client build completed. Wrote ${chunks.length} chunks and ${assets.length} assets`
+				);
 
-			fs.writeFileSync(
-				`${paths.output_dir}/server/manifest.js`,
-				`export const manifest = ${generate_manifest({
-					build_data,
-					relative_path: '.',
-					routes: manifest_data.routes
-				})};\n`
-			);
+				log.info('Building server');
+				const options = {
+					cwd,
+					config: svelte_config,
+					vite_config_env,
+					build_dir: paths.build_dir, // TODO just pass `paths`
+					manifest_data,
+					output_dir: paths.output_dir,
+					service_worker_entry_file: resolve_entry(svelte_config.kit.files.serviceWorker)
+				};
+				const client = client_build_info(assets, chunks);
+				const server = await build_server(options, client);
+
+				/** @type {import('types').BuildData} */
+				build_data = {
+					app_dir: svelte_config.kit.appDir,
+					manifest_data,
+					service_worker: options.service_worker_entry_file ? 'service-worker.js' : null, // TODO make file configurable?
+					client,
+					server
+				};
+
+				fs.writeFileSync(
+					`${paths.output_dir}/server/manifest.js`,
+					`export const manifest = ${generate_manifest({
+						build_data,
+						relative_path: '.',
+						routes: manifest_data.routes
+					})};\n`
+				);
 
-			process.env.SVELTEKIT_SERVER_BUILD_COMPLETED = 'true';
-			log.info('Prerendering');
+				process.env.SVELTEKIT_SERVER_BUILD_COMPLETED = 'true';
+				log.info('Prerendering');
 
-			const static_files = manifest_data.assets.map((asset) => posixify(asset.file));
+				const static_files = manifest_data.assets.map((asset) => posixify(asset.file));
 
-			const files = new Set([
-				...static_files,
-				...chunks.map((chunk) => `${svelte_config.kit.appDir}/${chunk.fileName}`),
-				...assets.map((chunk) => `${svelte_config.kit.appDir}/${chunk.fileName}`)
-			]);
+				const files = new Set([
+					...static_files,
+					...chunks.map((chunk) => `${svelte_config.kit.appDir}/${chunk.fileName}`),
+					...assets.map((chunk) => `${svelte_config.kit.appDir}/${chunk.fileName}`)
+				]);
 
-			// TODO is this right?
-			static_files.forEach((file) => {
-				if (file.endsWith('/index.html')) {
-					files.add(file.slice(0, -11));
-				}
-			});
+				// TODO is this right?
+				static_files.forEach((file) => {
+					if (file.endsWith('/index.html')) {
+						files.add(file.slice(0, -11));
+					}
+				});
+
+				prerendered = await prerender({
+					config: svelte_config.kit,
+					entries: manifest_data.routes
+						.map((route) => (route.type === 'page' ? route.path : ''))
+						.filter(Boolean),
+					files,
+					log
+				});
+
+				if (options.service_worker_entry_file) {
+					if (svelte_config.kit.paths.assets) {
+						throw new Error('Cannot use service worker alongside config.kit.paths.assets');
+					}
 
-			prerendered = await prerender({
-				config: svelte_config.kit,
-				entries: manifest_data.routes
-					.map((route) => (route.type === 'page' ? route.path : ''))
-					.filter(Boolean),
-				files,
-				log
-			});
+					log.info('Building service worker');
 
-			if (options.service_worker_entry_file) {
-				if (svelte_config.kit.paths.assets) {
-					throw new Error('Cannot use service worker alongside config.kit.paths.assets');
+					await build_service_worker(options, prerendered, client.vite_manifest);
 				}
-
-				log.info('Building service worker');
-
-				await build_service_worker(options, prerendered, client.vite_manifest);
+			} catch (error) {
+				throw (write_bundle_error = /** @type {Error} */ (error));
 			}
 
 			console.log(
@@ -354,6 +373,11 @@ function kit() {
 			if (!is_build) {
 				return; // vite calls closeBundle when dev-server restarts, ignore that
 			}
+
+			if (build_error || write_bundle_error) {
+				return; // Do not try adapting if build failed
+			}
+
 			if (svelte_config.kit.adapter) {
 				const { adapt } = await import('../core/adapt/index.js');
 				await adapt(svelte_config, build_data, prerendered, { log });