diff --git a/core/core-packages.el b/core/core-packages.el
index 8d07bab58..53645f5b9 100644
--- a/core/core-packages.el
+++ b/core/core-packages.el
@@ -207,10 +207,11 @@ This aggressively reloads core autoload files."
                      :error))))))
     (when (or force-p (not doom-modules))
       (setq doom-modules nil)
-      (let (noninteractive)
-        (funcall load-fn (expand-file-name "init.el" doom-emacs-dir))
-        (funcall load-fn (doom-module-path :private user-login-name "init.el") t))
+      (funcall load-fn (expand-file-name "init.el" doom-emacs-dir))
       (when load-p
+        (let (noninteractive)
+          (funcall load-fn (doom-module-path :private user-login-name "init.el") t)
+          (funcall load-fn (expand-file-name "core.el" doom-core-dir)))
         (mapc load-fn (file-expand-wildcards (expand-file-name "autoload/*.el" doom-core-dir))))
       (doom|finalize))
     (when (or force-p (not doom-packages))