diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c3ad49b..0648a69 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ To do your own cleanup, or if you're using another framework, call the `setup` a
 import { cleanup, render, setup } from '@testing-library/svelte'
 
 // before
-setup()
+await setup()
 
 // test
 render(/* ... */)
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ render(/* ... */)
 cleanup()
 ```
 
-To disable auto-cleanup in Vitest, set the `autoCleanup` option of the plugin to false:
+To disable auto-setup and cleanup in Vitest, set the `autoCleanup` option of the plugin to false:
 
 ```js
 svelteTesting({ autoCleanup: false })
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/README.md b/packages/svelte-core/README.md
index 8010664..c856305 100644
--- a/packages/svelte-core/README.md
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ afterwards.
 - [API](#api)
   - [`render`](#render)
   - [`setup`](#setup)
+  - [`wrapperSetup`](#wrappersetup)
   - [`mount`](#mount)
   - [`cleanup`](#cleanup)
   - [`addCleanupTask`](#addcleanuptask)
@@ -30,7 +31,9 @@ import type {
 
 import { bindQueries, type Queries } from './bring-your-own-queries.js'
 
-beforeEach(() => {
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  // Required to use the `wrapper` render option
+  await SvelteCore.wrapperSetup()
   SvelteCore.cleanup()
 })
 
@@ -125,12 +128,30 @@ const { baseElement, container, mountOptions } = setup(
 | `wrapper`      | [Svelte component][svelte-component-docs] | A component to wrap the component under test, e.g. a context provider | `undefined`     |
 | `wrapperProps` | `Props`                                   | Props to pass to the `wrapper` component                              | `undefined`     |
 
+> \[!IMPORTANT]
+> Using the `wrapper` option requires awaiting [`wrapperSetup`](#wrappersetup)
+> beforehand, e.g. in a `beforeEach` hook.
+
 | Result         | Type                                 | Description                              | Default                             |
 | -------------- | ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |
 | `baseElement`  | `HTMLElement`                        | The base element                         | `document.body`                     |
 | `container`    | `HTMLElement`                        | The component's immediate parent element | `<div>` appended to `document.body` |
 | `mountOptions` | [`mount` options][svelte-mount-docs] | Validated options to pass to `mount`     | `{ target, props: {} }`             |
 
+### `wrapperSetup`
+
+Load the wrapper scaffold for the installed version of Svelte. Await this before
+rendering with the [`wrapper`](#setup) option, e.g. in a `beforeEach` hook.
+Rendering with a `wrapper` before `wrapperSetup` resolves throws a
+`WrapperNotSetupError`.
+
+```ts
+await wrapperSetup()
+```
+
+The scaffold is loaded once and cached, so calling `wrapperSetup` repeatedly is
+cheap.
+
 ### `mount`
 
 Mount a Svelte component into the document.
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/src/index.js b/packages/svelte-core/src/index.js
index ce20a67..f5f5d8b 100644
--- a/packages/svelte-core/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/src/index.js
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ export * from './cleanup.js'
 export * from './mount.js'
 export * from './render.js'
 export * from './setup.js'
+export { wrapperSetup } from './wrapper.js'
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/src/mount.js b/packages/svelte-core/src/mount.js
index e21ae9c..66d87bd 100644
--- a/packages/svelte-core/src/mount.js
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/src/mount.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import * as Svelte from 'svelte'
 import { addCleanupTask, removeCleanupTask } from './cleanup.js'
 import { createProps } from './props.svelte.js'
 import { IS_MODERN_SVELTE } from './svelte-version.js'
-import WrapperScaffold from './wrapper-scaffold.svelte'
+import { getWrapperScaffold } from './wrapper.js'
 
 /**
  * Mount a modern Svelte 5 component into the DOM.
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ const setupComponent = (Component, mountOptions, setupOptions = {}) => {
   if (wrapper) {
     return {
       isWrapper: true,
-      componentToMount: WrapperScaffold,
+      componentToMount: getWrapperScaffold(),
       mountOptions: {
         ...mountOptions,
         props: {
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold-legacy.svelte b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold-legacy.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7679834
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold-legacy.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+<script>
+  export let wrapper
+  export let wrapperProps
+  export let component
+  export let componentProps
+
+  let wrapperInstance
+  let componentInstance
+
+  export const getWrapper = () => wrapperInstance
+  export const getComponent = () => componentInstance
+  export const getComponentProps = () => componentProps
+</script>
+
+<svelte:component this={wrapper} bind:this={wrapperInstance} {...wrapperProps}>
+  <svelte:component
+    this={component}
+    bind:this={componentInstance}
+    {...componentProps}
+  />
+</svelte:component>
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold.svelte b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold.svelte
index 7679834..03cf3d9 100644
--- a/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold.svelte
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper-scaffold.svelte
@@ -1,21 +1,19 @@
 <script>
-  export let wrapper
-  export let wrapperProps
-  export let component
-  export let componentProps
+  let {
+    wrapper: Wrapper,
+    wrapperProps,
+    component: Component,
+    componentProps,
+  } = $props()
 
-  let wrapperInstance
-  let componentInstance
+  let wrapperInstance = $state()
+  let componentInstance = $state()
 
   export const getWrapper = () => wrapperInstance
   export const getComponent = () => componentInstance
   export const getComponentProps = () => componentProps
 </script>
 
-<svelte:component this={wrapper} bind:this={wrapperInstance} {...wrapperProps}>
-  <svelte:component
-    this={component}
-    bind:this={componentInstance}
-    {...componentProps}
-  />
-</svelte:component>
+<Wrapper bind:this={wrapperInstance} {...wrapperProps}>
+  <Component bind:this={componentInstance} {...componentProps} />
+</Wrapper>
diff --git a/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper.js b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..080c5e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte-core/src/wrapper.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { IS_MODERN_SVELTE } from './svelte-version.js'
+
+/** @type {import('../types.js').Component | undefined} */
+let WrapperScaffold
+
+/** @type {Promise<unknown> | undefined} */
+let scaffoldInitialization
+
+class WrapperNotSetupError extends Error {
+  constructor() {
+    super(
+      'Ensure `setup()` runs (e.g. in `beforeEach`) before using `wrapper` option.'
+    )
+    this.name = 'WrapperNotSetupError'
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Import the proper wrapper scaffolding for the current version of Svelte.
+ *
+ * Supports the `wrapper` option of `render` / `mount`.
+ */
+const wrapperSetup = async () => {
+  if (!scaffoldInitialization) {
+    scaffoldInitialization = initializeScaffold()
+  }
+
+  await scaffoldInitialization
+}
+
+/** Import the scaffold component and set up module singletons. */
+const initializeScaffold = async () => {
+  const scaffoldImport = IS_MODERN_SVELTE
+    ? import('./wrapper-scaffold.svelte')
+    : import('./wrapper-scaffold-legacy.svelte')
+
+  const { default: Scaffold } = await scaffoldImport
+  WrapperScaffold = Scaffold
+}
+
+/** Get the wrapper scaffolding component. */
+const getWrapperScaffold = () => {
+  if (!WrapperScaffold) {
+    throw new WrapperNotSetupError()
+  }
+
+  return WrapperScaffold
+}
+
+export { getWrapperScaffold, wrapperSetup }
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/index.js b/packages/svelte/src/index.js
index b7f76b3..1398536 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/index.js
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import { act, cleanup, setup } from './pure.js'
 // if you don't like this then set the STL_SKIP_AUTO_CLEANUP env variable.
 if (typeof process !== 'undefined' && !process.env.STL_SKIP_AUTO_CLEANUP) {
   if (typeof beforeEach === 'function') {
-    beforeEach(() => {
-      setup()
+    beforeEach(async () => {
+      await setup()
     })
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/pure.js b/packages/svelte/src/pure.js
index 8b0281d..493511d 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/pure.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/pure.js
@@ -71,13 +71,15 @@ const render = (Component, options = {}, renderOptions = {}) => {
 }
 
 /**
- * Configure `@testing-library/dom` for usage with Svelte.
+ * Set up the test environment
  *
  * Ensures events fired from `@testing-library/dom`
  * and `@testing-library/user-event` wait for Svelte
  * to flush changes to the DOM before proceeding.
+ *
+ * Sets up the rendering core for the `wrapper` option.
  */
-const setup = () => {
+const setup = async () => {
   const originalConfig = DomTestingLibrary.getConfig()
 
   DomTestingLibrary.configure({
@@ -88,6 +90,8 @@ const setup = () => {
   Core.addCleanupTask(() => {
     DomTestingLibrary.configure(originalConfig)
   })
+
+  return Core.wrapperSetup()
 }
 
 /** Unmount components, remove elements added to `<body>`, and reset `@testing-library/dom`. */
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/vitest.js b/packages/svelte/src/vitest.js
index 5b80032..40b712b 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/vitest.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/vitest.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const afterEach = async () => {
   cleanup()
 }
 
-beforeEach(() => {
-  setup()
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  await setup()
   return afterEach
 })
diff --git a/tests/envs/svelte3/node16/package.json b/tests/envs/svelte3/node16/package.json
index c62b79a..03d103e 100644
--- a/tests/envs/svelte3/node16/package.json
+++ b/tests/envs/svelte3/node16/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^6.6.3",
     "@testing-library/user-event": "^14.6.1",
     "@vitest/coverage-v8": "0.x.x",
+    "browserslist": "4.28.2",
     "expect-type": "^1.2.1",
     "happy-dom": "14.x.x",
     "jest": "^29.7.0",
diff --git a/tests/envs/svelte4/node16/package.json b/tests/envs/svelte4/node16/package.json
index 3167aef..f25e69e 100644
--- a/tests/envs/svelte4/node16/package.json
+++ b/tests/envs/svelte4/node16/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "@testing-library/jest-dom": "^6.6.3",
     "@testing-library/user-event": "^14.6.1",
     "@vitest/coverage-v8": "0.x.x",
+    "browserslist": "4.28.2",
     "expect-type": "^1.2.1",
     "happy-dom": "14.x.x",
     "jest": "^29.7.0",