diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/cjs/loader.js b/lib/internal/modules/cjs/loader.js
index d60fa002cd5411..2c48ff9512c225 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/cjs/loader.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/cjs/loader.js
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ module.exports = {
   initializeCJS,
   Module,
   wrapSafe,
-  get hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule() { return hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule; },
 };
 
 const { BuiltinModule } = require('internal/bootstrap/realm');
@@ -113,6 +112,7 @@ const {
   initializeCjsConditions,
   loadBuiltinModule,
   makeRequireFunction,
+  setHasStartedUserCJSExecution,
   stripBOM,
   toRealPath,
 } = require('internal/modules/helpers');
@@ -127,9 +127,6 @@ const permission = require('internal/process/permission');
 const {
   vm_dynamic_import_default_internal,
 } = internalBinding('symbols');
-// Whether any user-provided CJS modules had been loaded (executed).
-// Used for internal assertions.
-let hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule = false;
 
 const {
   codes: {
@@ -1364,6 +1361,7 @@ Module.prototype._compile = function(content, filename) {
   const thisValue = exports;
   const module = this;
   if (requireDepth === 0) { statCache = new SafeMap(); }
+  setHasStartedUserCJSExecution();
   if (inspectorWrapper) {
     result = inspectorWrapper(compiledWrapper, thisValue, exports,
                               require, module, filename, dirname);
@@ -1371,7 +1369,6 @@ Module.prototype._compile = function(content, filename) {
     result = ReflectApply(compiledWrapper, thisValue,
                           [exports, require, module, filename, dirname]);
   }
-  hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule = true;
   if (requireDepth === 0) { statCache = null; }
   return result;
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/esm/module_job.js b/lib/internal/modules/esm/module_job.js
index 83c23456e05f10..ba62fd4361a9a6 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/esm/module_job.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/esm/module_job.js
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ const {
 } = require('internal/source_map/source_map_cache');
 const assert = require('internal/assert');
 const resolvedPromise = PromiseResolve();
-
+const {
+  setHasStartedUserESMExecution,
+} = require('internal/modules/helpers');
 const noop = FunctionPrototype;
 
 let hasPausedEntry = false;
@@ -206,6 +208,7 @@ class ModuleJob {
     this.instantiated = PromiseResolve();
     const timeout = -1;
     const breakOnSigint = false;
+    setHasStartedUserESMExecution();
     this.module.evaluate(timeout, breakOnSigint);
     return { __proto__: null, module: this.module };
   }
@@ -214,6 +217,7 @@ class ModuleJob {
     await this.instantiate();
     const timeout = -1;
     const breakOnSigint = false;
+    setHasStartedUserESMExecution();
     try {
       await this.module.evaluate(timeout, breakOnSigint);
     } catch (e) {
diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/helpers.js b/lib/internal/modules/helpers.js
index 0eabb94848598e..665019e93d1ade 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/helpers.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/helpers.js
@@ -319,6 +319,19 @@ function normalizeReferrerURL(referrerName) {
   assert.fail('Unreachable code reached by ' + inspect(referrerName));
 }
 
+
+// Whether we have started executing any user-provided CJS code.
+// This is set right before we call the wrapped CJS code (not after,
+// in case we are half-way in the execution when internals check this).
+// Used for internal assertions.
+let _hasStartedUserCJSExecution = false;
+// Similar to _hasStartedUserCJSExecution but for ESM. This is set
+// right before ESM evaluation in the default ESM loader. We do not
+// update this during vm SourceTextModule execution because at that point
+// some user code must already have been run to execute code via vm
+// there is little value checking whether any user JS code is run anyway.
+let _hasStartedUserESMExecution = false;
+
 module.exports = {
   addBuiltinLibsToObject,
   getCjsConditions,
@@ -328,4 +341,16 @@ module.exports = {
   normalizeReferrerURL,
   stripBOM,
   toRealPath,
+  hasStartedUserCJSExecution() {
+    return _hasStartedUserCJSExecution;
+  },
+  setHasStartedUserCJSExecution() {
+    _hasStartedUserCJSExecution = true;
+  },
+  hasStartedUserESMExecution() {
+    return _hasStartedUserESMExecution;
+  },
+  setHasStartedUserESMExecution() {
+    _hasStartedUserESMExecution = true;
+  },
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/pre_execution.js b/lib/internal/process/pre_execution.js
index 6331c338f4c649..9d80d2a55c72d2 100644
--- a/lib/internal/process/pre_execution.js
+++ b/lib/internal/process/pre_execution.js
@@ -190,8 +190,12 @@ function setupSymbolDisposePolyfill() {
 function setupUserModules(forceDefaultLoader = false) {
   initializeCJSLoader();
   initializeESMLoader(forceDefaultLoader);
-  const CJSLoader = require('internal/modules/cjs/loader');
-  assert(!CJSLoader.hasLoadedAnyUserCJSModule);
+  const {
+    hasStartedUserCJSExecution,
+    hasStartedUserESMExecution,
+  } = require('internal/modules/helpers');
+  assert(!hasStartedUserCJSExecution());
+  assert(!hasStartedUserESMExecution());
   // Do not enable preload modules if custom loaders are disabled.
   // For example, loader workers are responsible for doing this themselves.
   // And preload modules are not supported in ShadowRealm as well.