diff --git a/core/core-lib.el b/core/core-lib.el
index e22918f22..72bf0cb94 100644
--- a/core/core-lib.el
+++ b/core/core-lib.el
@@ -226,7 +226,20 @@ compilation. This will no-op on features that have been disabled by the user."
                       (load next :no-message :no-error))))
               #'progn
             #'with-no-warnings)
-          (cond ((symbolp targets)
+          (cond ((eq (car-safe targets) :when)
+                 `(if ,(cadr targets)
+                      (progn ,@body)
+                    ,(let* ((hook 'after-load-functions)
+                            (fun (intern (format "doom|delay-form-in-%s" hook))))
+                       `(progn
+                          (fset ',fun (lambda (&rest args)
+                                        (when ,(or (car (cdr-safe targets)) t)
+                                          (remove-hook ',hook #',fun)
+                                          (ignore args)
+                                          ,@body)))
+                          (put ',fun 'permanent-local-hook t)
+                          (add-hook ',hook #',fun)))))
+                ((symbolp targets)
                  `(eval-after-load ',targets '(progn ,@body)))
                 ((and (consp targets)
                       (memq (car targets) '(:or :any)))
diff --git a/modules/feature/file-templates/autoload.el b/modules/feature/file-templates/autoload.el
index 4cd82e4ff..43315b931 100644
--- a/modules/feature/file-templates/autoload.el
+++ b/modules/feature/file-templates/autoload.el
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ these properties:
   :ignore BOOL
     If non-nil, don't expand any template for this file and don't test any other
     file template rule against this buffer."
-  `(push (list ,pred ,@plist) +file-templates-alist))
+  (after! (:when (boundp '+file-templates-alist))
+    (push `(,pred ,@plist) +file-templates-alist)))
 
 ;;;###autodef
 (defun set-file-templates! (&rest templates)
   "Like `doom--set:file-template', but register many file templates at once."
-  `(setq +file-templates-alist (append (list ,@templates) +file-templates-alist)))
+  (after! (:when (boundp '+file-templates-alist))
+    (setq +file-templates-alist (append (list templates) +file-templates-alist))))
 
 ;; FIXME obsolete :file-template
 ;;;###autoload