diff --git a/packages/vite/package.json b/packages/vite/package.json
index bf46e0e4aa..4ea1a65e49 100644
--- a/packages/vite/package.json
+++ b/packages/vite/package.json
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@
     "jsdom": "^16.6.0",
     "source-map-url": "^0.4.1",
     "terser": "^5.7.0",
-    "fast-glob": "^3.3.2"
+    "fast-glob": "^3.3.2",
+    "send": "^0.18.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@embroider/core": "workspace:^",
     "@types/babel__core": "^7.20.1",
+    "@types/send": "^0.17.4",
     "@types/debug": "^4.1.5",
     "@types/jsdom": "^16.2.11",
     "@types/fs-extra": "^9.0.12",
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/assets.ts b/packages/vite/src/assets.ts
index df7aefc582..066f7e377b 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/assets.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/assets.ts
@@ -1,21 +1,15 @@
 import type { Resolver } from '@embroider/core';
-import { ResolverLoader, locateEmbroiderWorkingDir } from '@embroider/core';
+import { ResolverLoader } from '@embroider/core';
 import type { Plugin } from 'vite';
 import * as process from 'process';
-import { dirname, join } from 'path';
-import { copyFileSync, mkdirpSync, existsSync } from 'fs-extra';
+import { join } from 'path';
+import { existsSync, readFileSync } from 'fs-extra';
 import glob from 'fast-glob';
+import send from 'send';
 
-function findPublicAsset(relativePath: string, resolver: Resolver, embroiderWorkingDir: string) {
+function findPublicAsset(relativePath: string, resolver: Resolver) {
   const packageCache = resolver.packageCache;
-  const cwd = process.cwd();
-  const publicDir = join(cwd, 'public');
-  // check public path
   let pkg = packageCache.ownerOfFile(relativePath);
-  let p = join(publicDir, relativePath);
-  if (pkg && pkg.isV2App() && existsSync(p)) {
-    return '/' + p;
-  }
 
   for (const engine of resolver.options.engines) {
     for (const addon of engine.activeAddons) {
@@ -23,13 +17,8 @@ function findPublicAsset(relativePath: string, resolver: Resolver, embroiderWork
       if (pkg && pkg.meta && pkg.isV2Addon() && pkg.meta['public-assets']) {
         const asset = Object.entries(pkg.meta['public-assets']).find(([_key, a]) => a === relativePath)?.[0];
         let local = asset ? join(addon.root, asset) : null;
-        if (!local?.includes(embroiderWorkingDir) && asset) {
-          // remap to local path without symlinks so vite can find it
-          const localNodeModulePath = local?.split('/node_modules/').slice(-1)[0]!;
-          local = join('node_modules', localNodeModulePath);
-        }
         if (local && existsSync(local)) {
-          return '/' + local;
+          return local;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -39,37 +28,38 @@ function findPublicAsset(relativePath: string, resolver: Resolver, embroiderWork
 export function assets(): Plugin {
   const cwd = process.cwd();
   const resolverLoader = new ResolverLoader(cwd);
-  const embroiderWorkingDir = locateEmbroiderWorkingDir(cwd);
+  let mode: 'build' | 'serve' = 'build';
   return {
     name: 'assets',
-    enforce: 'pre',
-    outputOptions(options) {
-      options.dir = join(process.cwd(), 'dist');
-    },
+    enforce: 'post',
     configureServer(server) {
-      server.middlewares.use((req, _res, next) => {
+      mode = server.config.command;
+      server.middlewares.use((req, res, next) => {
         if (req.originalUrl?.includes('?')) {
           return next();
         }
         if (req.originalUrl && req.originalUrl.length > 1) {
-          const newUrl = findPublicAsset(req.originalUrl, resolverLoader.resolver, embroiderWorkingDir);
-          if (newUrl) {
-            req.originalUrl = newUrl;
-            (req as any).url = newUrl;
+          const assetUrl = findPublicAsset(req.originalUrl, resolverLoader.resolver);
+          if (assetUrl) {
+            return send(req, assetUrl).pipe(res);
           }
         }
         return next();
       });
     },
-    async writeBundle(options) {
+    async buildStart() {
+      if (mode !== 'build') return;
       const engines = resolverLoader.resolver.options.engines;
       const pubDir = join(process.cwd(), 'public');
       const publicAppFiles = glob.sync('**/*', {
         cwd: pubDir,
       });
       for (const publicAppFile of publicAppFiles) {
-        mkdirpSync(dirname(join(options.dir!, publicAppFile)));
-        copyFileSync(join(pubDir, publicAppFile), join(options.dir!, publicAppFile));
+        this.emitFile({
+          type: 'asset',
+          source: readFileSync(join(pubDir, publicAppFile)),
+          fileName: publicAppFile,
+        });
       }
       for (const engine of engines) {
         engine.activeAddons.forEach(addon => {
@@ -77,8 +67,11 @@ export function assets(): Plugin {
           if (!pkg || !pkg.isV2Addon()) return;
           const assets = pkg.meta['public-assets'] || {};
           Object.entries(assets).forEach(([path, dest]) => {
-            mkdirpSync(dirname(join(options.dir!, dest)));
-            copyFileSync(join(pkg.root, path), join(options.dir!, dest));
+            this.emitFile({
+              type: 'asset',
+              source: readFileSync(join(pkg.root, path)),
+              fileName: dest.slice(1),
+            });
           });
         });
       }
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/template-tag.ts b/packages/vite/src/template-tag.ts
index 14506da965..61709f1276 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/template-tag.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/template-tag.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { createFilter } from '@rollup/pluginutils';
 import type { Plugin } from 'vite';
 import { Preprocessor } from 'content-tag';
-import { RollupModuleRequest } from './request';
 
 const gjsFilter = createFilter('**/*.{gjs,gts}?(\\?)*');
 
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 89e3f5bd23..2fcded776b 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -941,6 +941,9 @@ importers:
       jsdom:
         specifier: ^16.6.0
         version: 16.7.0
+      send:
+        specifier: ^0.18.0
+        version: 0.18.0
       source-map-url:
         specifier: ^0.4.1
         version: 0.4.1
@@ -963,6 +966,9 @@ importers:
       '@types/jsdom':
         specifier: ^16.2.11
         version: 16.2.15
+      '@types/send':
+        specifier: ^0.17.4
+        version: 0.17.4
       rollup:
         specifier: ^3.23.0
         version: 3.29.4
@@ -8377,6 +8383,9 @@ packages:
 
   /ajv-formats@2.1.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-Wx0Kx52hxE7C18hkMEggYlEifqWZtYaRgouJor+WMdPnQyEK13vgEWyVNup7SoeeoLMsr4kf5h6dOW11I15MUA==}
+    peerDependenciesMeta:
+      ajv:
+        optional: true
     dependencies:
       ajv: 8.12.0