diff --git a/packages/vite/src/node/optimizer/esbuildDepPlugin.ts b/packages/vite/src/node/optimizer/esbuildDepPlugin.ts
index 270c810d39ffd6..c934bf538b4703 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/node/optimizer/esbuildDepPlugin.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/node/optimizer/esbuildDepPlugin.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   isBuiltin,
   isCSSRequest,
   isExternalUrl,
+  isNodeBuiltin,
   moduleListContains,
   normalizePath,
 } from '../utils'
@@ -337,10 +338,10 @@ export function esbuildCjsExternalPlugin(
       build.onLoad(
         { filter: /.*/, namespace: cjsExternalFacadeNamespace },
         (args) => ({
-          contents:
-            `import * as m from ${JSON.stringify(
-              nonFacadePrefix + args.path,
-            )};` + `module.exports = { ...m };`,
+          contents: `\
+import * as m from ${JSON.stringify(nonFacadePrefix + args.path)};
+module.exports = ${isNodeBuiltin(args.path) ? 'm.default' : '{ ...m }'};
+`,
         }),
       )
     },
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/__tests__/optimize-deps.spec.ts b/playground/optimize-deps/__tests__/optimize-deps.spec.ts
index f9f34d50bcbb45..65260405969c8c 100644
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/__tests__/optimize-deps.spec.ts
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/__tests__/optimize-deps.spec.ts
@@ -365,8 +365,11 @@ test('external package name with asset extension', async () => {
   ).toBe(String(isServe))
 })
 
-test('dependency with external sub-dependency', async () => {
+test('dependency with external sub-dependencies', async () => {
   await expectWithRetry(() =>
-    page.textContent('.dep-cjs-with-external-dep'),
+    page.textContent('.dep-cjs-with-external-deps-object'),
   ).toBe('ok')
+  await expectWithRetry(() =>
+    page.textContent('.dep-cjs-with-external-deps-node-builtin'),
+  ).toBe('foo bar')
 })
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/index.js b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/index.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 18b7d613194bae..00000000000000
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/index.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-const external = require('@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external')
-// eslint-disable-next-line no-prototype-builtins
-const result = external.hasOwnProperty('foo') ? 'ok' : 'error'
-module.exports = { result }
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/package.json b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 39e8bf01d732d0..00000000000000
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep",
-  "private": true,
-  "version": "0.0.0",
-  "main": "index.js",
-  "dependencies": {
-    "@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external": "file:../dep-esm-external"
-  }
-}
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/index.js b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..93fe8c56557cf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+// `stream` is used as the package name for `@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin` so that it is treated like a Node builtin
+// eslint-disable-next-line import-x/no-nodejs-modules
+const externalDummyNodeBuiltin = require('stream')
+const external = require('@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external')
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-prototype-builtins
+const externalResult = external.hasOwnProperty('foo') ? 'ok' : 'error'
+const externalDummyNodeBuiltinResult = `${externalDummyNodeBuiltin()} ${externalDummyNodeBuiltin.bar}`
+module.exports = { externalResult, externalDummyNodeBuiltinResult }
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/package.json b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..877db9d13be18e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "name": "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps",
+  "private": true,
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external": "file:../dep-esm-external",
+    "stream": "file:../dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/index.js b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..b48be1f1a732a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+function foo() {
+  return 'foo'
+}
+
+foo.bar = 'bar'
+
+export const bar = 'bar'
+
+export default foo
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/package.json b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..42403c772cd08b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "name": "@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin",
+  "private": true,
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "type": "module"
+}
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/index.html b/playground/optimize-deps/index.html
index c3493cc412baec..da0bf2ce834f2e 100644
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/index.html
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/index.html
@@ -310,12 +310,22 @@ <h2>Pre-bundle transitive dependency 'some-package.pdf'</h2>
   import * as all from '@vitejs/test-dep-source-map-no-sources/all.js'
 </script>
 
-<h2>Pre-bundle dependency with external sub-dependency</h2>
+<h2>Pre-bundle dependency with external sub-dependencies</h2>
 <div>
-  require('some-external-sub-dependency') returns a plain object:
-  <span class="dep-cjs-with-external-dep">???</span>
+  require('some-external-sub-dependency') returns a plain object rather than a
+  module namespace object:
+  <span class="dep-cjs-with-external-deps-object">???</span>
+</div>
+<div>
+  require('some-external-sub-dependency') returns the default export if the
+  dependency is a Node builtin:
+  <span class="dep-cjs-with-external-deps-node-builtin">???</span>
 </div>
 <script type="module">
-  import * as optimized from '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep'
-  text('.dep-cjs-with-external-dep', optimized.result)
+  import * as optimized from '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps'
+  text('.dep-cjs-with-external-deps-object', optimized.externalResult)
+  text(
+    '.dep-cjs-with-external-deps-node-builtin',
+    optimized.externalDummyNodeBuiltinResult,
+  )
 </script>
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/package.json b/playground/optimize-deps/package.json
index 5ebad36a3bfc65..23868a4e9e8471 100644
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/package.json
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/package.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-compiled-from-cjs": "file:./dep-cjs-compiled-from-cjs",
     "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-compiled-from-esm": "file:./dep-cjs-compiled-from-esm",
     "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-assets": "file:./dep-cjs-with-assets",
-    "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep": "file:./dep-cjs-with-external-dep",
+    "@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps": "file:./dep-cjs-with-external-deps",
     "@vitejs/test-dep-css-require": "file:./dep-css-require",
     "@vitejs/test-dep-esbuild-plugin-transform": "file:./dep-esbuild-plugin-transform",
     "@vitejs/test-dep-incompatible": "file:./dep-incompatible",
diff --git a/playground/optimize-deps/vite.config.js b/playground/optimize-deps/vite.config.js
index 4e6f1c7fc16ecc..adcea2df9bc3f2 100644
--- a/playground/optimize-deps/vite.config.js
+++ b/playground/optimize-deps/vite.config.js
@@ -23,12 +23,13 @@ export default defineConfig({
       '@vitejs/test-dep-optimize-exports-with-glob/**/*',
       '@vitejs/test-dep-optimize-exports-with-root-glob/**/*.js',
       '@vitejs/test-dep-optimize-with-glob/**/*.js',
-      '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep',
+      '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps',
     ],
     exclude: [
       '@vitejs/test-nested-exclude',
       '@vitejs/test-dep-non-optimized',
       '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external',
+      'stream',
     ],
     esbuildOptions: {
       plugins: [
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 192b00269fffed..3bd53a49c50361 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -959,9 +959,9 @@ importers:
       '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-assets':
         specifier: file:./dep-cjs-with-assets
         version: file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-assets
-      '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep':
-        specifier: file:./dep-cjs-with-external-dep
-        version: file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep
+      '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps':
+        specifier: file:./dep-cjs-with-external-deps
+        version: file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps
       '@vitejs/test-dep-css-require':
         specifier: file:./dep-css-require
         version: file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-css-require
@@ -1094,16 +1094,21 @@ importers:
 
   playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-assets: {}
 
-  playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep:
+  playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps:
     dependencies:
       '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external':
         specifier: file:../dep-esm-external
         version: file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external
+      stream:
+        specifier: file:../dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin
+        version: '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin'
 
   playground/optimize-deps/dep-css-require: {}
 
   playground/optimize-deps/dep-esbuild-plugin-transform: {}
 
+  playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin: {}
+
   playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external: {}
 
   playground/optimize-deps/dep-incompatible: {}
@@ -3654,8 +3659,8 @@ packages:
   '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-assets@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-assets':
     resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-assets, type: directory}
 
-  '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep':
-    resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep, type: directory}
+  '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps':
+    resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps, type: directory}
 
   '@vitejs/test-dep-conditions@file:packages/vite/src/node/__tests__/fixtures/test-dep-conditions':
     resolution: {directory: packages/vite/src/node/__tests__/fixtures/test-dep-conditions, type: directory}
@@ -3666,6 +3671,9 @@ packages:
   '@vitejs/test-dep-esbuild-plugin-transform@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esbuild-plugin-transform':
     resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-esbuild-plugin-transform, type: directory}
 
+  '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin':
+    resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin, type: directory}
+
   '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external':
     resolution: {directory: playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external, type: directory}
 
@@ -9289,9 +9297,10 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-assets@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-assets': {}
 
-  '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-dep@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-dep':
+  '@vitejs/test-dep-cjs-with-external-deps@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-cjs-with-external-deps':
     dependencies:
       '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external': file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external
+      stream: '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin'
 
   '@vitejs/test-dep-conditions@file:packages/vite/src/node/__tests__/fixtures/test-dep-conditions': {}
 
@@ -9299,6 +9308,8 @@ snapshots:
 
   '@vitejs/test-dep-esbuild-plugin-transform@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esbuild-plugin-transform': {}
 
+  '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-dummy-node-builtin': {}
+
   '@vitejs/test-dep-esm-external@file:playground/optimize-deps/dep-esm-external': {}
 
   '@vitejs/test-dep-including-a@file:playground/preload/dep-including-a':