diff --git a/loader/src/installer.ts b/loader/src/installer.ts
index e078f3f5306..fb4976cbe19 100644
--- a/loader/src/installer.ts
+++ b/loader/src/installer.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,31 @@
 import execa from "execa";
 import { mkdir, pathExists, readFile, writeFile } from "fs-extra";
+import os from "os";
 import path from "path";
 
+// Source: https://github.com/evanw/esbuild/blob/bf341f7104b373d85061c31ebb00efc6f9a8bf5a/lib/npm/node-platform.ts
+const esbuildPackages: Record<string, string> = {
+  "win32 arm64 LE": "esbuild-windows-arm64",
+  "win32 ia32 LE": "esbuild-windows-32",
+  "win32 x64 LE": "esbuild-windows-64",
+  "android arm64 LE": "esbuild-android-arm64",
+  "darwin arm64 LE": "esbuild-darwin-arm64",
+  "darwin x64 LE": "esbuild-darwin-64",
+  "freebsd arm64 LE": "esbuild-freebsd-arm64",
+  "freebsd x64 LE": "esbuild-freebsd-64",
+  "linux arm LE": "esbuild-linux-arm",
+  "linux arm64 LE": "esbuild-linux-arm64",
+  "linux ia32 LE": "esbuild-linux-32",
+  "linux mips64el LE": "esbuild-linux-mips64le",
+  "linux ppc64 LE": "esbuild-linux-ppc64le",
+  "linux riscv64 LE": "esbuild-linux-riscv64",
+  "linux s390x BE": "esbuild-linux-s390x",
+  "linux x64 LE": "esbuild-linux-64",
+  "netbsd x64 LE": "esbuild-netbsd-64",
+  "openbsd x64 LE": "esbuild-openbsd-64",
+  "sunos x64 LE": "esbuild-sunos-64",
+};
+
 export async function isInstalled(options: {
   packageName: string;
   packageVersion: string;
@@ -25,11 +49,23 @@ export async function install(options: {
   );
   const packageJsonPath = path.join(options.installDir, "package.json");
   await mkdir(options.installDir, { recursive: true });
+  // Explicitly install the binary version needed by esbuild in case NPM uses a different
+  // architecture or decides to skip it for any reason.
+  // See https://github.com/fwouts/previewjs/issues/236.
+  const esbuildPlatformKey = `${
+    process.platform
+  } ${os.arch()} ${os.endianness()}`;
+  const esbuildPlatformPackage = esbuildPackages[esbuildPlatformKey];
   await writeFile(
     packageJsonPath,
     JSON.stringify({
       dependencies: {
         [options.packageName]: options.packageVersion,
+        ...(esbuildPlatformPackage
+          ? {
+              [esbuildPlatformPackage]: "*",
+            }
+          : {}),
       },
     })
   );