@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 "use strict";
 
+const fs = require("node:fs");
+const os = require("node:os");
+const path = require("node:path");
 const { resolve } = require("node:path");
 const { pathToFileURL } = require("node:url");
 const { cleanStderr, run } = require("../../../utils/test-utils");
@@ -40,6 +43,24 @@ describe("basic config file", () => {
     expect(stdout).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
+  it("should load a configuration path as a module specifier and not run it as code", async () => {
+    const marker = path.join(
+      fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "webpack-cli-config-path-")),
+      "executed",
+    );
+    const configPath = `file:///webpack.config.js"),require("node:fs").writeFileSync(${JSON.stringify(marker)},""),import("file:///webpack.config.js`;
+
+    try {
+      const { exitCode, stderr } = await run(__dirname, ["-c", configPath]);
+
+      expect(exitCode).toBe(2);
+      expect(stderr).toContain("Failed to load");
+      expect(fs.existsSync(marker)).toBe(false);
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(path.dirname(marker), { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+
   it("should build and not throw error with a basic using weird path", async () => {
     const { exitCode, stderr, stdout } = await run(__dirname, [
       "-c",