diff --git a/core/autoload/test.el b/core/autoload/test.el
index 83c3f5c61..27cde0c07 100644
--- a/core/autoload/test.el
+++ b/core/autoload/test.el
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ If neither is available, run all tests in all enabled modules."
   (condition-case-unless-debug ex
       (let (targets)
         ;; ensure DOOM is initialized
-        (load (expand-file-name "core/core.el" user-emacs-directory) nil t)
+        (let (noninteractive)
+          (load (expand-file-name "core/core.el" user-emacs-directory) nil t))
         ;; collect targets
         (cond ((and command-line-args-left
                     (equal (car command-line-args-left) "--"))
diff --git a/core/core.el b/core/core.el
index 2754c5fc5..7df4199bf 100644
--- a/core/core.el
+++ b/core/core.el
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ ability to invoke the debugger in debug mode."
   nil)
 
 (defun doom|finalize ()
-  (unless doom-init-p
+  (unless (or doom-init-p noninteractive)
     (dolist (hook '(doom-init-hook doom-post-init-hook))
       (run-hook-wrapped hook #'doom-try-run-hook hook))
     (setq doom-init-p t))
@@ -187,11 +187,12 @@ ability to invoke the debugger in debug mode."
             "%s in autoloads.el -> %s"
             (car ex) (error-message-string ex))))
 
-  (load! core-ui)         ; draw me like one of your French editors
-  (load! core-popups)     ; taming sudden yet inevitable windows
-  (load! core-editor)     ; baseline configuration for text editing
-  (load! core-projects)   ; making Emacs project-aware
-  (load! core-keybinds))  ; centralized keybind system + which-key
+  (unless noninteractive
+    (load! core-ui)         ; draw me like one of your French editors
+    (load! core-popups)     ; taming sudden yet inevitable windows
+    (load! core-editor)     ; baseline configuration for text editing
+    (load! core-projects)   ; making Emacs project-aware
+    (load! core-keybinds))) ; centralized keybind system + which-key
 
 (add-hook! '(emacs-startup-hook doom-reload-hook)
   #'doom|finalize)