diff --git a/.changeset/easy-dancers-smile.md b/.changeset/easy-dancers-smile.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d6fd3fec5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/easy-dancers-smile.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/vite-plugin-svelte': patch
+---
+
+refactor internal caching to reduce code, memory use and avoid perEnvironmentCache
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/compile.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/compile.js
index a5bb21c66..d43270e22 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/compile.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/compile.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { toRollupError } from '../utils/error.js';
 import { logCompilerWarnings } from '../utils/log.js';
-import { ensureWatchedFile } from '../utils/watch.js';
 
 /**
  * @param {import('../types/plugin-api.d.ts').PluginAPI} api
@@ -32,37 +31,30 @@ export function compile(api) {
 				if (!svelteRequest || svelteRequest.raw) {
 					return;
 				}
-				const cache = api.getEnvironmentCache(this);
 				let compileData;
 				try {
-					const svelteMeta = this.getModuleInfo(id)?.meta?.svelte;
-					compileData = await compileSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options, svelteMeta?.preprocessed);
+					compileData = await compileSvelte(
+						svelteRequest,
+						code,
+						options,
+						this.getCombinedSourcemap()
+					);
 				} catch (e) {
-					cache.setError(svelteRequest, e);
 					throw toRollupError(e, options);
 				}
 				if (compileData.compiled?.warnings) {
 					logCompilerWarnings(svelteRequest, compileData.compiled.warnings, options);
 				}
 
-				cache.update(compileData);
-				if (compileData.dependencies?.length) {
-					if (options.server) {
-						for (const dep of compileData.dependencies) {
-							ensureWatchedFile(options.server.watcher, dep, options.root);
-						}
-					} else if (options.isBuild && this.environment.config.build.watch) {
-						for (const dep of compileData.dependencies) {
-							this.addWatchFile(dep);
-						}
-					}
-				}
 				return {
 					...compileData.compiled.js,
 					moduleType: 'js',
 					meta: {
 						vite: {
 							lang: compileData.lang
+						},
+						svelte: {
+							css: compileData.compiled.css
 						}
 					}
 				};
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/configure.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/configure.js
index 3797efd8c..d5d28a2cf 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/configure.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/configure.js
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import process from 'node:process';
 import { isDebugNamespaceEnabled, log } from '../utils/log.js';
 import * as vite from 'vite';
-import { VitePluginSvelteCache } from '../utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js';
 import { VitePluginSvelteStats } from '../utils/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.js';
 import {
 	buildExtraViteConfig,
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ import { buildIdFilter, buildIdParser } from '../utils/id.js';
 import { createCompileSvelte } from '../utils/compile.js';
 
 // @ts-expect-error rolldownVersion
-const { version: viteVersion, rolldownVersion, perEnvironmentState } = vite;
+const { version: viteVersion, rolldownVersion } = vite;
 
 /**
  * @param {Partial<import('../public.d.ts').Options>} [inlineOptions]
@@ -71,8 +70,7 @@ export function configure(api, inlineOptions) {
 				if (isDebugNamespaceEnabled('stats')) {
 					api.options.stats = new VitePluginSvelteStats();
 				}
-				//@ts-expect-error perEnvironmentState uses a wider type for PluginContext
-				api.getEnvironmentCache = perEnvironmentState((_env) => new VitePluginSvelteCache());
+
 				api.idFilter = buildIdFilter(options);
 
 				api.idParser = buildIdParser(options);
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/hot-update.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/hot-update.js
index 6342ae21c..b36f3fc1f 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/hot-update.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/hot-update.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export function hotUpdate(api) {
 				(e) => e.config.consumer === 'client'
 			);
 			if (clientEnvironment) {
-				setupWatchers(options, api.getEnvironmentCache({ environment: clientEnvironment }));
+				setupWatchers(options);
 			} else {
 				log.warn(
 					'No client environment found, not adding watchers for svelte config and preprocessor dependencies'
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/load-compiled-css.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/load-compiled-css.js
index fc7ec9d61..dc319e155 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/load-compiled-css.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/load-compiled-css.js
@@ -26,16 +26,14 @@ export function loadCompiledCss(api) {
 				if (!svelteRequest) {
 					return;
 				}
-				const cache = api.getEnvironmentCache(this);
-				const cachedCss = cache.getCSS(svelteRequest);
+				const cachedCss = this.getModuleInfo(svelteRequest.filename)?.meta.svelte?.css;
 				if (cachedCss) {
 					const { hasGlobal, ...css } = cachedCss;
 					if (hasGlobal === false) {
 						// hasGlobal was added in svelte 5.26.0, so make sure it is boolean false
 						css.meta ??= {};
 						css.meta.vite ??= {};
-						// TODO is that slice the best way to get the filename without parsing the id?
-						css.meta.vite.cssScopeTo = [id.slice(0, id.lastIndexOf('?')), 'default'];
+						css.meta.vite.cssScopeTo = [svelteRequest.filename, 'default'];
 					}
 					css.moduleType = 'css';
 					return css;
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/preprocess.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/preprocess.js
index ce05b6ce8..0bdd8f14b 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/preprocess.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/plugins/preprocess.js
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { mapToRelative } from '../utils/sourcemaps.js';
 import * as svelte from 'svelte/compiler';
 import { log } from '../utils/log.js';
 import { arraify } from '../utils/options.js';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
 
 /**
  * @param {import('../types/plugin-api.d.ts').PluginAPI} api
@@ -14,10 +16,16 @@ export function preprocess(api) {
 	 */
 	let options;
 
+	/**
+	 * @type {DependenciesCache}
+	 */
+	let dependenciesCache;
+
 	/**
 	 * @type {import("../types/compile.d.ts").PreprocessSvelte}
 	 */
 	let preprocessSvelte;
+
 	/** @type {import('vite').Plugin} */
 	const plugin = {
 		name: 'vite-plugin-svelte:preprocess',
@@ -37,19 +45,39 @@ export function preprocess(api) {
 				delete plugin.transform;
 			}
 		},
-
+		configureServer(server) {
+			dependenciesCache = new DependenciesCache(server);
+		},
+		buildStart() {
+			dependenciesCache?.clear();
+		},
 		transform: {
 			async handler(code, id) {
-				const cache = api.getEnvironmentCache(this);
 				const ssr = this.environment.config.consumer === 'server';
 				const svelteRequest = api.idParser(id, ssr);
 				if (!svelteRequest) {
 					return;
 				}
 				try {
-					return await preprocessSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options);
+					const preprocessed = await preprocessSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options);
+					dependenciesCache?.update(svelteRequest, preprocessed?.dependencies ?? []);
+					if (!preprocessed) {
+						return;
+					}
+					if (options.isBuild && this.environment.config.build.watch && preprocessed.dependencies) {
+						for (const dep of preprocessed.dependencies) {
+							this.addWatchFile(dep);
+						}
+					}
+
+					/** @type {import('vite').Rollup.SourceDescription}*/
+					const result = { code: preprocessed.code };
+					if (preprocessed.map) {
+						// @ts-expect-error type differs but should work
+						result.map = preprocessed.map;
+					}
+					return result;
 				} catch (e) {
-					cache.setError(svelteRequest, e);
 					throw toRollupError(e, options);
 				}
 			}
@@ -63,8 +91,6 @@ export function preprocess(api) {
  * @returns {import('../types/compile.d.ts').PreprocessSvelte}
  */
 function createPreprocessSvelte(options, resolvedConfig) {
-	/** @type {import('../types/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.d.ts').StatCollection | undefined} */
-	let stats;
 	/** @type {Array<import('svelte/compiler').PreprocessorGroup>} */
 	const preprocessors = arraify(options.preprocess);
 
@@ -75,59 +101,105 @@ function createPreprocessSvelte(options, resolvedConfig) {
 	}
 
 	/** @type {import('../types/compile.d.ts').PreprocessSvelte} */
-	return async function preprocessSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options) {
-		const { filename, ssr } = svelteRequest;
-
-		if (options.stats) {
-			if (options.isBuild) {
-				if (!stats) {
-					// build is either completely ssr or csr, create stats collector on first compile
-					// it is then finished in the buildEnd hook.
-					stats = options.stats.startCollection(`${ssr ? 'ssr' : 'dom'} preprocess`, {
-						logInProgress: () => false
-					});
-				}
-			} else {
-				// dev time ssr, it's a ssr request and there are no stats, assume new page load and start collecting
-				if (ssr && !stats) {
-					stats = options.stats.startCollection('ssr preprocess');
-				}
-				// stats are being collected but this isn't an ssr request, assume page loaded and stop collecting
-				if (!ssr && stats) {
-					stats.finish();
-					stats = undefined;
-				}
-				// TODO find a way to trace dom compile during dev
-				// problem: we need to call finish at some point but have no way to tell if page load finished
-				// also they for hmr updates too
-			}
-		}
-
+	return async function preprocessSvelte(svelteRequest, code) {
+		const { filename } = svelteRequest;
 		let preprocessed;
-
 		if (preprocessors && preprocessors.length > 0) {
 			try {
-				const endStat = stats?.start(filename);
 				preprocessed = await svelte.preprocess(code, preprocessors, { filename }); // full filename here so postcss works
-				endStat?.();
 			} catch (e) {
 				e.message = `Error while preprocessing ${filename}${e.message ? ` - ${e.message}` : ''}`;
 				throw e;
 			}
-
 			if (typeof preprocessed?.map === 'object') {
 				mapToRelative(preprocessed?.map, filename);
 			}
-			return /** @type {import('../types/compile.d.ts').PreprocessTransformOutput} */ {
-				code: preprocessed.code,
-				// @ts-expect-error
-				map: preprocessed.map,
-				meta: {
-					svelte: {
-						preprocessed
-					}
-				}
-			};
+			return preprocessed;
 		}
 	};
 }
+
+/**
+ * @class
+ *
+ * caches dependencies of preprocessed files and emit change events on dependants
+ */
+class DependenciesCache {
+	/** @type {Map<string, string[]>} */
+	#dependencies = new Map();
+	/** @type {Map<string, Set<string>>} */
+	#dependants = new Map();
+
+	/** @type {import('vite').ViteDevServer} */
+	#server;
+	/**
+	 *
+	 * @param {import('vite').ViteDevServer} server
+	 */
+	constructor(server) {
+		this.#server = server;
+		/** @type {(filename: string) => void} */
+		const emitChangeEventOnDependants = (filename) => {
+			const dependants = this.#dependants.get(filename);
+			dependants?.forEach((dependant) => {
+				if (fs.existsSync(dependant)) {
+					log.debug(
+						`emitting virtual change event for "${dependant}" because dependency "${filename}" changed`,
+						undefined,
+						'hmr'
+					);
+					server.watcher.emit('change', dependant);
+				}
+			});
+		};
+		server.watcher.on('change', emitChangeEventOnDependants);
+		server.watcher.on('unlink', emitChangeEventOnDependants);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param {string} file
+	 */
+	#ensureWatchedFile(file) {
+		const root = this.#server.config.root;
+		if (
+			file &&
+			// only need to watch if out of root
+			!file.startsWith(root + '/') &&
+			// some rollup plugins use null bytes for private resolved Ids
+			!file.includes('\0') &&
+			fs.existsSync(file)
+		) {
+			// resolve file to normalized system path
+			this.#server.watcher.add(path.resolve(file));
+		}
+	}
+
+	clear() {
+		this.#dependencies.clear();
+		this.#dependants.clear();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 *
+	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
+	 * @param {string[]} dependencies
+	 */
+	update(svelteRequest, dependencies) {
+		const id = svelteRequest.normalizedFilename;
+		const prevDependencies = this.#dependencies.get(id) || [];
+
+		this.#dependencies.set(id, dependencies);
+		const removed = prevDependencies.filter((d) => !dependencies.includes(d));
+		const added = dependencies.filter((d) => !prevDependencies.includes(d));
+		added.forEach((d) => {
+			this.#ensureWatchedFile(d);
+			if (!this.#dependants.has(d)) {
+				this.#dependants.set(d, new Set());
+			}
+			/** @type {Set<string>} */ (this.#dependants.get(d)).add(svelteRequest.filename);
+		});
+		removed.forEach((d) => {
+			/** @type {Set<string>} */ (this.#dependants.get(d)).delete(svelteRequest.filename);
+		});
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/compile.d.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/compile.d.ts
index 603446376..422a979b6 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/compile.d.ts
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/compile.d.ts
@@ -7,24 +7,14 @@ export type CompileSvelte = (
 	svelteRequest: SvelteRequest,
 	code: string,
 	options: Partial<ResolvedOptions>,
-	preprocessed?: Processed
+	sourcemap?: Rollup.SourceMap
 ) => Promise<CompileData>;
 
 export type PreprocessSvelte = (
 	svelteRequest: SvelteRequest,
 	code: string,
 	options: Partial<ResolvedOptions>
-) => Promise<PreprocessTransformOutput | undefined>;
-
-export interface PreprocessTransformOutput {
-	code: string;
-	map: Rollup.SourceMapInput;
-	meta: {
-		svelte: {
-			preprocessed: Processed;
-		};
-	};
-}
+) => Promise<Processed | undefined>;
 
 export interface Code {
 	code: string;
@@ -44,6 +34,4 @@ export interface CompileData {
 	lang: string;
 	compiled: CompileResult;
 	ssr: boolean | undefined;
-	dependencies: string[];
-	preprocessed: Processed;
 }
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/plugin-api.d.ts b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/plugin-api.d.ts
index bb89bc942..66e20105d 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/plugin-api.d.ts
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/types/plugin-api.d.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 import type { ResolvedOptions } from './options.d.ts';
 import type { IdFilter, IdParser } from './id.d.ts';
 import type { CompileSvelte } from './compile.d.ts';
-import type { Environment } from 'vite';
-// eslint-disable-next-line n/no-missing-import
-import { VitePluginSvelteCache } from '../utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js';
-
-interface EnvContext {
-	environment: Environment;
-}
 
 export interface PluginAPI {
 	options: ResolvedOptions;
-	getEnvironmentCache: (arg: EnvContext) => VitePluginSvelteCache;
 	idFilter: IdFilter;
 	idParser: IdParser;
 	compileSvelte: CompileSvelte;
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js
index 43d55ec35..29c11d052 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/compile.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import * as svelte from 'svelte/compiler';
 import { safeBase64Hash } from './hash.js';
 import { log } from './log.js';
 
-import { checkPreprocessDependencies } from './preprocess.js';
 import { mapToRelative } from './sourcemaps.js';
 import { enhanceCompileError } from './error.js';
 
@@ -19,11 +18,9 @@ export function createCompileSvelte() {
 	/** @type {import('../types/vite-plugin-svelte-stats.d.ts').StatCollection | undefined} */
 	let stats;
 	/** @type {import('../types/compile.d.ts').CompileSvelte} */
-	return async function compileSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options, preprocessed) {
+	return async function compileSvelte(svelteRequest, code, options, sourcemap) {
 		const { filename, normalizedFilename, cssId, ssr, raw } = svelteRequest;
 		const { emitCss = true } = options;
-		/** @type {string[]} */
-		const dependencies = [];
 		/** @type {import('svelte/compiler').Warning[]} */
 		const warnings = [];
 
@@ -59,20 +56,6 @@ export function createCompileSvelte() {
 			generate: ssr ? 'server' : 'client'
 		};
 
-		if (preprocessed) {
-			if (preprocessed.dependencies?.length) {
-				const checked = checkPreprocessDependencies(filename, preprocessed.dependencies);
-				if (checked.warnings.length) {
-					warnings.push(...checked.warnings);
-				}
-				if (checked.dependencies.length) {
-					dependencies.push(...checked.dependencies);
-				}
-			}
-
-			if (preprocessed.map) compileOptions.sourcemap = preprocessed.map;
-		}
-
 		let finalCode = code;
 		if (compileOptions.hmr && options.emitCss) {
 			const hash = `s-${safeBase64Hash(normalizedFilename)}`;
@@ -103,6 +86,9 @@ export function createCompileSvelte() {
 					...dynamicCompileOptions
 				}
 			: compileOptions;
+		if (sourcemap) {
+			finalCompileOptions.sourcemap = sourcemap;
+		}
 		const endStat = stats?.start(filename);
 		/** @type {import('svelte/compiler').CompileResult} */
 		let compiled;
@@ -160,9 +146,7 @@ export function createCompileSvelte() {
 			cssId,
 			lang,
 			compiled,
-			ssr,
-			dependencies,
-			preprocessed: preprocessed ?? { code }
+			ssr
 		};
 	};
 }
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js
index 8ce174505..3832ec85a 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/preprocess.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { log } from './log.js';
-import { normalizePath } from 'vite';
 
 /**
  * @param {import('../types/options.d.ts').ResolvedOptions} options
@@ -80,52 +79,3 @@ export function addExtraPreprocessors(options, config) {
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-/**
- *
- * @param filename {string}
- * @param dependencies  {string[]}
- * @returns {({dependencies: string[], warnings:import('svelte/compiler').Warning[] })}
- */
-export function checkPreprocessDependencies(filename, dependencies) {
-	/** @type {import('svelte/compiler').Warning[]} */
-	const warnings = [];
-
-	// to find self, we have to compare normalized filenames, but must keep the original values in `dependencies`
-	// because otherwise file watching on windows doesn't work
-	// so we track idx and filter by that in the end
-	/** @type {number[]} */
-	const selfIdx = [];
-	const normalizedFullFilename = normalizePath(filename);
-	const normalizedDeps = dependencies.map(normalizePath);
-	for (let i = 0; i < normalizedDeps.length; i++) {
-		if (normalizedDeps[i] === normalizedFullFilename) {
-			selfIdx.push(i);
-		}
-	}
-	const hasSelfDependency = selfIdx.length > 0;
-	if (hasSelfDependency) {
-		warnings.push({
-			code: 'vite-plugin-svelte-preprocess-depends-on-self',
-			message:
-				'svelte.preprocess returned this file as a dependency of itself. This can be caused by an invalid configuration or importing generated code that depends on .svelte files (eg. tailwind base css)',
-			filename
-		});
-	}
-
-	if (dependencies.length > 10) {
-		warnings.push({
-			code: 'vite-plugin-svelte-preprocess-many-dependencies',
-			message: `svelte.preprocess depends on more than 10 external files which can cause slow builds and poor DX, try to reduce them. Found: ${dependencies.join(
-				', '
-			)}`,
-			filename
-		});
-	}
-	return {
-		dependencies: hasSelfDependency
-			? dependencies.filter((_, i) => !selfIdx.includes(i)) // remove self dependency
-			: dependencies,
-		warnings
-	};
-}
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a6580c31..000000000
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,153 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @class
- */
-export class VitePluginSvelteCache {
-	/** @type {Map<string, import('../types/compile.d.ts').Code | null>} */
-	#css = new Map();
-	/** @type {Map<string, import('../types/compile.d.ts').Code | null>} */
-	#js = new Map();
-	/** @type {Map<string, string[]>} */
-	#dependencies = new Map();
-	/** @type {Map<string, Set<string>>} */
-	#dependants = new Map();
-	/** @type {Map<string, any>} */
-	#errors = new Map();
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/compile.d.ts').CompileData} compileData
-	 */
-	update(compileData) {
-		this.#errors.delete(compileData.normalizedFilename);
-		this.#updateCSS(compileData);
-		this.#updateJS(compileData);
-		this.#updateDependencies(compileData);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @returns {boolean}
-	 */
-	has(svelteRequest) {
-		const id = svelteRequest.normalizedFilename;
-		return this.#errors.has(id) || this.#js.has(id) || this.#css.has(id);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @param {any} error
-	 */
-	setError(svelteRequest, error) {
-		// keep dependency info, otherwise errors in dependants would not trigger an update after fixing
-		// because they are no longer watched
-		this.remove(svelteRequest, true);
-		this.#errors.set(svelteRequest.normalizedFilename, error);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/compile.d.ts').CompileData} compileData
-	 */
-	#updateCSS(compileData) {
-		this.#css.set(compileData.normalizedFilename, compileData.compiled.css);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/compile.d.ts').CompileData} compileData
-	 */
-	#updateJS(compileData) {
-		if (!compileData.ssr) {
-			// do not cache SSR js
-			this.#js.set(compileData.normalizedFilename, compileData.compiled.js);
-		}
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/compile.d.ts').CompileData} compileData
-	 */
-	#updateDependencies(compileData) {
-		const id = compileData.normalizedFilename;
-		const prevDependencies = this.#dependencies.get(id) || [];
-		const dependencies = compileData.dependencies;
-		this.#dependencies.set(id, dependencies);
-		const removed = prevDependencies.filter((d) => !dependencies.includes(d));
-		const added = dependencies.filter((d) => !prevDependencies.includes(d));
-		added.forEach((d) => {
-			if (!this.#dependants.has(d)) {
-				this.#dependants.set(d, new Set());
-			}
-			/** @type {Set<string>} */ (this.#dependants.get(d)).add(compileData.filename);
-		});
-		removed.forEach((d) => {
-			/** @type {Set<string>} */ (this.#dependants.get(d)).delete(compileData.filename);
-		});
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @param {boolean} [keepDependencies]
-	 * @returns {boolean}
-	 */
-	remove(svelteRequest, keepDependencies = false) {
-		const id = svelteRequest.normalizedFilename;
-		let removed = false;
-		if (this.#errors.delete(id)) {
-			removed = true;
-		}
-		if (this.#js.delete(id)) {
-			removed = true;
-		}
-		if (this.#css.delete(id)) {
-			removed = true;
-		}
-		if (!keepDependencies) {
-			const dependencies = this.#dependencies.get(id);
-			if (dependencies) {
-				removed = true;
-				dependencies.forEach((d) => {
-					const dependants = this.#dependants.get(d);
-					if (dependants && dependants.has(svelteRequest.filename)) {
-						dependants.delete(svelteRequest.filename);
-					}
-				});
-				this.#dependencies.delete(id);
-			}
-		}
-
-		return removed;
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @returns {import('../types/compile.d.ts').Code | undefined | null}
-	 */
-	getCSS(svelteRequest) {
-		return this.#css.get(svelteRequest.normalizedFilename);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @returns {import('../types/compile.d.ts').Code | undefined | null}
-	 */
-	getJS(svelteRequest) {
-		if (!svelteRequest.ssr) {
-			// SSR js isn't cached
-			return this.#js.get(svelteRequest.normalizedFilename);
-		}
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {import('../types/id.d.ts').SvelteRequest} svelteRequest
-	 * @returns {any}
-	 */
-	getError(svelteRequest) {
-		return this.#errors.get(svelteRequest.normalizedFilename);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * @param {string} path
-	 * @returns {string[]}
-	 */
-	getDependants(path) {
-		const dependants = this.#dependants.get(path);
-		return dependants ? [...dependants] : [];
-	}
-}
diff --git a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js
index 5ed90bc29..d67785960 100644
--- a/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js
+++ b/packages/vite-plugin-svelte/src/utils/watch.js
@@ -5,30 +5,15 @@ import path from 'node:path';
 
 /**
  * @param {import('../types/options.d.ts').ResolvedOptions} options
- * @param {import('./vite-plugin-svelte-cache.js').VitePluginSvelteCache} cache
  * @returns {void}
  */
-export function setupWatchers(options, cache) {
+export function setupWatchers(options) {
 	const { server, configFile: svelteConfigFile } = options;
 	if (!server) {
 		return;
 	}
 	const { watcher, ws } = server;
 	const { root, server: serverConfig } = server.config;
-	/** @type {(filename: string) => void} */
-	const emitChangeEventOnDependants = (filename) => {
-		const dependants = cache.getDependants(filename);
-		dependants.forEach((dependant) => {
-			if (fs.existsSync(dependant)) {
-				log.debug(
-					`emitting virtual change event for "${dependant}" because dependency "${filename}" changed`,
-					undefined,
-					'hmr'
-				);
-				watcher.emit('change', dependant);
-			}
-		});
-	};
 
 	/** @type {(filename: string) => void} */
 	const triggerViteRestart = (filename) => {
@@ -52,8 +37,8 @@ export function setupWatchers(options, cache) {
 	/** @type {Record<string, Function[]>} */
 	const listenerCollection = {
 		add: [],
-		change: [emitChangeEventOnDependants],
-		unlink: [emitChangeEventOnDependants]
+		change: [],
+		unlink: []
 	};
 
 	if (svelteConfigFile !== false) {