diff --git a/core/cli/install.el b/core/cli/install.el
index 8b0d81f32..f7b517d3c 100644
--- a/core/cli/install.el
+++ b/core/cli/install.el
@@ -58,7 +58,13 @@ DOOMDIR environment variable. e.g.
 
     ;; In case no init.el was present the first time `doom-initialize-modules' was
     ;; called in core.el (e.g. on first install)
-    (doom-initialize-modules 'force)
+    (ignore-errors (load! "init" doom-private-dir t))
+    (when doom-modules
+      (maphash (lambda (key plist)
+                 (let ((doom--current-module key)
+                       (doom--current-flags (plist-get plist :flags)))
+                   (load! "init" (plist-get plist :path) t)))
+               doom-modules))
 
     ;; Ask if user would like an envvar file generated
     (if noenv-p