diff --git a/examples/lit/package.json b/examples/lit/package.json
index ef389c0ec047..17eda52490fd 100644
--- a/examples/lit/package.json
+++ b/examples/lit/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     "coverage": "vitest run --coverage",
     "dev": "vite",
     "test": "vitest",
+    "list": "vitest list",
     "test:ui": "vitest --ui"
   },
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/examples/lit/vite.config.ts b/examples/lit/vite.config.ts
index 8a822fecb113..72ea883e64b2 100644
--- a/examples/lit/vite.config.ts
+++ b/examples/lit/vite.config.ts
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ export default defineConfig({
     // https://lit.dev/docs/tools/testing/#testing-in-the-browser
     browser: {
       enabled: true,
-      name: 'chromium',
       provider: 'playwright',
+      instances: [
+        { browser: 'chromium' },
+      ],
     },
   },
 })
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/client/client.ts b/packages/browser/src/client/client.ts
index b6fa768adcb1..34fff8aea11b 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/client/client.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/client/client.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ export const RPC_ID
   = PAGE_TYPE === 'orchestrator'
     ? getBrowserState().sessionId
     : getBrowserState().testerId
+const METHOD = getBrowserState().method
 export const ENTRY_URL = `${
   location.protocol === 'https:' ? 'wss:' : 'ws:'
-}//${HOST}/__vitest_browser_api__?type=${PAGE_TYPE}&rpcId=${RPC_ID}&sessionId=${getBrowserState().sessionId}&projectName=${getBrowserState().config.name || ''}`
+}//${HOST}/__vitest_browser_api__?type=${PAGE_TYPE}&rpcId=${RPC_ID}&sessionId=${getBrowserState().sessionId}&projectName=${getBrowserState().config.name || ''}&method=${METHOD}`
 
 let setCancel = (_: CancelReason) => {}
 export const onCancel = new Promise<CancelReason>((resolve) => {
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/client/public/esm-client-injector.js b/packages/browser/src/client/public/esm-client-injector.js
index a3eae26951bb..23d931e2165b 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/client/public/esm-client-injector.js
+++ b/packages/browser/src/client/public/esm-client-injector.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     sessionId: { __VITEST_SESSION_ID__ },
     testerId: { __VITEST_TESTER_ID__ },
     provider: { __VITEST_PROVIDER__ },
+    method: { __VITEST_METHOD__ },
     providedContext: { __VITEST_PROVIDED_CONTEXT__ },
   };
 
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/client/utils.ts b/packages/browser/src/client/utils.ts
index 1eba8160656c..1b16ca9adfce 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/client/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/client/utils.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ export interface BrowserRunnerState {
   iframeId?: string
   sessionId: string
   testerId: string
+  method: 'run' | 'collect'
   runTests?: (tests: string[]) => Promise<void>
   createTesters?: (files: string[]) => Promise<void>
   cdp?: {
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
index d4de0a2345f7..75cf0f779d94 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/rpc.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ export function setupBrowserRpc(globalServer: ParentBrowserProject) {
       )
     }
 
+    const method = searchParams.get('method') as 'run' | 'collect'
+    if (method !== 'run' && method !== 'collect') {
+      return error(
+        new Error(`[vitest] Method query in ${request.url} is invalid. Method should be either "run" or "collect".`),
+      )
+    }
+
     if (type === 'orchestrator') {
       const session = vitest._browserSessions.getSession(sessionId)
       // it's possible the session was already resolved by the preview provider
@@ -67,7 +74,7 @@ export function setupBrowserRpc(globalServer: ParentBrowserProject) {
     wss.handleUpgrade(request, socket, head, (ws) => {
       wss.emit('connection', ws, request)
 
-      const rpc = setupClient(project, rpcId, ws)
+      const rpc = setupClient(project, rpcId, ws, method)
       const state = project.browser!.state as BrowserServerState
       const clients = type === 'tester' ? state.testers : state.orchestrators
       clients.set(rpcId, rpc)
@@ -96,7 +103,7 @@ export function setupBrowserRpc(globalServer: ParentBrowserProject) {
     }
   }
 
-  function setupClient(project: TestProject, rpcId: string, ws: WebSocket) {
+  function setupClient(project: TestProject, rpcId: string, ws: WebSocket, method: 'run' | 'collect') {
     const mockResolver = new ServerMockResolver(globalServer.vite, {
       moduleDirectories: project.config.server?.deps?.moduleDirectories,
     })
@@ -111,19 +118,39 @@ export function setupBrowserRpc(globalServer: ParentBrowserProject) {
           vitest.state.catchError(error, type)
         },
         async onQueued(file) {
-          await vitest._testRun.enqueued(project, file)
+          if (method === 'collect') {
+            vitest.state.collectFiles(project, [file])
+          }
+          else {
+            await vitest._testRun.enqueued(project, file)
+          }
         },
         async onCollected(files) {
-          await vitest._testRun.collected(project, files)
+          if (method === 'collect') {
+            vitest.state.collectFiles(project, files)
+          }
+          else {
+            await vitest._testRun.collected(project, files)
+          }
         },
         async onTaskUpdate(packs, events) {
-          await vitest._testRun.updated(packs, events)
+          if (method === 'collect') {
+            vitest.state.updateTasks(packs)
+          }
+          else {
+            await vitest._testRun.updated(packs, events)
+          }
         },
         onAfterSuiteRun(meta) {
           vitest.coverageProvider?.onAfterSuiteRun(meta)
         },
-        sendLog(log) {
-          return vitest._testRun.log(log)
+        async sendLog(log) {
+          if (method === 'collect') {
+            vitest.state.updateUserLog(log)
+          }
+          else {
+            await vitest._testRun.log(log)
+          }
         },
         resolveSnapshotPath(testPath) {
           return vitest.snapshot.resolvePath<ResolveSnapshotPathHandlerContext>(testPath, {
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
index f1d61fd713ef..b853e9386e21 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/serverOrchestrator.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export async function resolveOrchestrator(
     __VITEST_VITE_CONFIG__: JSON.stringify({
       root: browserProject.vite.config.root,
     }),
+    __VITEST_METHOD__: JSON.stringify(session?.method || 'run'),
     __VITEST_FILES__: JSON.stringify(files),
     __VITEST_TYPE__: '"orchestrator"',
     __VITEST_SESSION_ID__: JSON.stringify(sessionId),
diff --git a/packages/browser/src/node/serverTester.ts b/packages/browser/src/node/serverTester.ts
index 182997506e2d..c6d2687c25c8 100644
--- a/packages/browser/src/node/serverTester.ts
+++ b/packages/browser/src/node/serverTester.ts
@@ -57,13 +57,14 @@ export async function resolveTester(
     : await globalServer.injectorJs
 
   const injector = replacer(injectorJs, {
-    __VITEST_PROVIDER__: JSON.stringify(project.browser!.provider!.name),
+    __VITEST_PROVIDER__: JSON.stringify(project.browser!.provider.name),
     __VITEST_CONFIG__: JSON.stringify(browserProject.wrapSerializedConfig()),
     __VITEST_FILES__: JSON.stringify(files),
     __VITEST_VITE_CONFIG__: JSON.stringify({
       root: browserProject.vite.config.root,
     }),
     __VITEST_TYPE__: '"tester"',
+    __VITEST_METHOD__: JSON.stringify(method),
     __VITEST_SESSION_ID__: JSON.stringify(sessionId),
     __VITEST_TESTER_ID__: JSON.stringify(crypto.randomUUID()),
     __VITEST_PROVIDED_CONTEXT__: JSON.stringify(stringify(project.getProvidedContext())),
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/forks.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/forks.ts
index cba773dde790..f0293256e1fc 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/forks.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/forks.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { wrapSerializableConfig } from '../../utils/config-helpers'
 import { envsOrder, groupFilesByEnv } from '../../utils/test-helpers'
 import { createMethodsRPC } from './rpc'
 
-function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject) {
+function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject, collect = false) {
   const emitter = new EventEmitter()
   const cleanup = () => emitter.removeAllListeners()
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject) {
     postMessage: message => emitter.emit(events.response, message),
   }
 
-  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project, { cacheFs: true }), {
+  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project, { cacheFs: true, collect }), {
     eventNames: ['onCancel'],
     serialize: v8.serialize,
     deserialize: v => v8.deserialize(Buffer.from(v)),
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export function createForksPool(
       const paths = files.map(f => f.filepath)
       ctx.state.clearFiles(project, paths)
 
-      const { channel, cleanup } = createChildProcessChannel(project)
+      const { channel, cleanup } = createChildProcessChannel(project, name === 'collect')
       const workerId = ++id
       const data: ContextRPC = {
         pool: 'forks',
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/rpc.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/rpc.ts
index 0ba3a675b393..6dedcf73ccba 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/rpc.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ const promises = new Map<string, Promise<void>>()
 
 interface MethodsOptions {
   cacheFs?: boolean
+  // do not report files
+  collect?: boolean
 }
 
 export function createMethodsRPC(project: TestProject, options: MethodsOptions = {}): RuntimeRPC {
@@ -74,24 +76,40 @@ export function createMethodsRPC(project: TestProject, options: MethodsOptions =
     transform(id, environment) {
       return project.vitenode.transformModule(id, environment).catch(handleRollupError)
     },
-    onPathsCollected(paths) {
-      ctx.state.collectPaths(paths)
-      return ctx.report('onPathsCollected', paths)
-    },
     async onQueued(file) {
-      await ctx._testRun.enqueued(project, file)
+      if (options.collect) {
+        ctx.state.collectFiles(project, [file])
+      }
+      else {
+        await ctx._testRun.enqueued(project, file)
+      }
     },
     async onCollected(files) {
-      await ctx._testRun.collected(project, files)
+      if (options.collect) {
+        ctx.state.collectFiles(project, files)
+      }
+      else {
+        await ctx._testRun.collected(project, files)
+      }
     },
     onAfterSuiteRun(meta) {
       ctx.coverageProvider?.onAfterSuiteRun(meta)
     },
     async onTaskUpdate(packs, events) {
-      await ctx._testRun.updated(packs, events)
+      if (options.collect) {
+        ctx.state.updateTasks(packs)
+      }
+      else {
+        await ctx._testRun.updated(packs, events)
+      }
     },
     async onUserConsoleLog(log) {
-      await ctx._testRun.log(log)
+      if (options.collect) {
+        ctx.state.updateUserLog(log)
+      }
+      else {
+        await ctx._testRun.log(log)
+      }
     },
     onUnhandledError(err, type) {
       ctx.state.catchError(err, type)
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/threads.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/threads.ts
index e800ee14d0a4..9a8ae875cb6a 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/threads.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/threads.ts
@@ -16,12 +16,12 @@ import { groupBy } from '../../utils/base'
 import { envsOrder, groupFilesByEnv } from '../../utils/test-helpers'
 import { createMethodsRPC } from './rpc'
 
-function createWorkerChannel(project: TestProject) {
+function createWorkerChannel(project: TestProject, collect: boolean) {
   const channel = new MessageChannel()
   const port = channel.port2
   const workerPort = channel.port1
 
-  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project), {
+  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project, { collect }), {
     eventNames: ['onCancel'],
     post(v) {
       port.postMessage(v)
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ export function createThreadsPool(
       const paths = files.map(f => f.filepath)
       ctx.state.clearFiles(project, paths)
 
-      const { workerPort, port } = createWorkerChannel(project)
+      const { workerPort, port } = createWorkerChannel(project, name === 'collect')
       const workerId = ++id
       const data: WorkerContext = {
         pool: 'threads',
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmForks.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmForks.ts
index 75085af560ae..2b5934ff055d 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmForks.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmForks.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { createMethodsRPC } from './rpc'
 
 const suppressWarningsPath = resolve(rootDir, './suppress-warnings.cjs')
 
-function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject) {
+function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject, collect: boolean) {
   const emitter = new EventEmitter()
   const cleanup = () => emitter.removeAllListeners()
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function createChildProcessChannel(project: TestProject) {
   }
 
   const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(
-    createMethodsRPC(project, { cacheFs: true }),
+    createMethodsRPC(project, { cacheFs: true, collect }),
     {
       eventNames: ['onCancel'],
       serialize: v8.serialize,
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export function createVmForksPool(
       const paths = files.map(f => f.filepath)
       ctx.state.clearFiles(project, paths)
 
-      const { channel, cleanup } = createChildProcessChannel(project)
+      const { channel, cleanup } = createChildProcessChannel(project, name === 'collect')
       const workerId = ++id
       const data: ContextRPC = {
         pool: 'forks',
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmThreads.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmThreads.ts
index 44c085a8aae2..72478992f2ea 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmThreads.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/pools/vmThreads.ts
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ import { createMethodsRPC } from './rpc'
 
 const suppressWarningsPath = resolve(rootDir, './suppress-warnings.cjs')
 
-function createWorkerChannel(project: TestProject) {
+function createWorkerChannel(project: TestProject, collect: boolean) {
   const channel = new MessageChannel()
   const port = channel.port2
   const workerPort = channel.port1
 
-  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project), {
+  const rpc = createBirpc<RunnerRPC, RuntimeRPC>(createMethodsRPC(project, { collect }), {
     eventNames: ['onCancel'],
     post(v) {
       port.postMessage(v)
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export function createVmThreadsPool(
       const paths = files.map(f => f.filepath)
       ctx.state.clearFiles(project, paths)
 
-      const { workerPort, port } = createWorkerChannel(project)
+      const { workerPort, port } = createWorkerChannel(project, name === 'collect')
       const workerId = ++id
       const data: WorkerContext = {
         pool: 'vmThreads',
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/types/rpc.ts b/packages/vitest/src/types/rpc.ts
index 344e076a1523..156fd7dae3c0 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/types/rpc.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/types/rpc.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ export interface RuntimeRPC {
     force?: boolean
   ) => Promise<any>
 
-  onPathsCollected: (paths: string[]) => void
   onUserConsoleLog: (log: UserConsoleLog) => void
   onUnhandledError: (err: unknown, type: string) => void
   onQueued: (file: File) => void
diff --git a/test/cli/fixtures/list/math.test.ts b/test/cli/fixtures/list/math.test.ts
index c39601812ac5..792c121416fa 100644
--- a/test/cli/fixtures/list/math.test.ts
+++ b/test/cli/fixtures/list/math.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
+console.log('logging during collection')
+
 it('1 plus 1', () => {
   expect(1 + 1).toBe(2)
 })
diff --git a/test/cli/test/list.test.ts b/test/cli/test/list.test.ts
index ad3c8a03267b..545e0ac8d1fe 100644
--- a/test/cli/test/list.test.ts
+++ b/test/cli/test/list.test.ts
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ test('correctly prints project name and locations in json report', async () => {
         "file": "<root>/fixtures/list/math.test.ts",
         "projectName": "custom",
         "location": {
-          "line": 3,
+          "line": 5,
           "column": 1
         }
       },
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ test('correctly prints project name and locations in json report', async () => {
         "file": "<root>/fixtures/list/math.test.ts",
         "projectName": "custom",
         "location": {
-          "line": 7,
+          "line": 9,
           "column": 1
         }
       }