diff --git a/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/prerender.js b/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/prerender.js
index f75a84ced..bb4464e66 100644
--- a/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/prerender.js
+++ b/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/prerender.js
@@ -24,9 +24,12 @@ module.exports = function(env, params) {
 			);
 			return '';
 		}
+		const { cwd } = env;
 
-		let preact = require('preact'),
-			renderToString = require('preact-render-to-string');
+		const preact = require(require.resolve(`${cwd}/node_modules/preact`));
+		const renderToString = require(require.resolve(
+			`${cwd}/node_modules/preact-render-to-string`
+		));
 
 		return renderToString(preact.h(app, { ...params, url }));
 	} catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/webpack-server-config.js b/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/webpack-server-config.js
index 22ec1f6fc..1a1b6815f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/webpack-server-config.js
+++ b/packages/cli/lib/lib/webpack/webpack-server-config.js
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ function serverConfig(env) {
 			chunkFilename: '[name].chunk.[chunkhash:5].js',
 			libraryTarget: 'commonjs2',
 		},
+		externals: {
+			preact: 'preact',
+		},
 		target: 'node',
 		resolveLoader: {
 			alias: {