diff --git a/packages/vite/src/hbs.ts b/packages/vite/src/hbs.ts
index 2b3acf784..793a09838 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/hbs.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/hbs.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ export function hbs(): Plugin {
       });
 
       if (!resolution) {
+        // vite already has extension search fallback for extensionless imports.
+        // This is different, it covers an explicit .js import fallback to the
+        // corresponding hbs.
         let hbsSource = syntheticJStoHBS(source);
         if (hbsSource) {
           resolution = await this.resolve(hbsSource, importer, {
@@ -70,6 +73,8 @@ export function hbs(): Plugin {
           },
         };
       }
+
+      return resolution;
     },
 
     load(id: string) {