diff --git a/core/autoload/packages.el b/core/autoload/packages.el
index c9c814b4a..b2ef5f1d1 100644
--- a/core/autoload/packages.el
+++ b/core/autoload/packages.el
@@ -198,7 +198,6 @@ ones."
   "Reload `doom-packages', `package' and `quelpa'."
   (interactive)
   ;; HACK straight.el must be loaded for this to work
-  (require 'straight)
   (message "Reloading packages")
   (doom-initialize-packages t)
   (message "Reloading packages...DONE"))
diff --git a/core/core-packages.el b/core/core-packages.el
index f12426acc..e54ca1ccd 100644
--- a/core/core-packages.el
+++ b/core/core-packages.el
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ necessary package metadata is initialized and available for them."
   (when (or force-p (not doom-init-packages-p))
     (doom-log "Initializing straight")
     (setq doom-init-packages-p t)
+    (unless (fboundp 'straight--reset-caches)
+      (require 'straight))
     (straight--reset-caches)
     (mapc #'straight-use-recipes doom-core-package-sources)
     (straight-register-package