diff --git a/addons/controls/src/preset/checkDocsLoaded.ts b/addons/controls/src/preset/checkDocsLoaded.ts
index e7dd71e882a..e888487605e 100644
--- a/addons/controls/src/preset/checkDocsLoaded.ts
+++ b/addons/controls/src/preset/checkDocsLoaded.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { checkAddonOrder } from '@storybook/core-common';
+import { checkAddonOrder, serverRequire } from '@storybook/core-common';
 import path from 'path';
 
 export const checkDocsLoaded = (configDir: string) => {
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ export const checkDocsLoaded = (configDir: string) => {
     configFile: path.isAbsolute(configDir)
       ? path.join(configDir, 'main')
       : path.join(process.cwd(), configDir, 'main'),
-    getConfig: (configFile) => import(configFile),
+    getConfig: (configFile) => serverRequire(configFile),
   });
 };
diff --git a/addons/essentials/package.json b/addons/essentials/package.json
index 74a170e1d1b..a07a1d64be3 100644
--- a/addons/essentials/package.json
+++ b/addons/essentials/package.json
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     "@storybook/addon-viewport": "6.5.0-alpha.41",
     "@storybook/addons": "6.5.0-alpha.41",
     "@storybook/api": "6.5.0-alpha.41",
+    "@storybook/core-common": "6.5.0-alpha.41",
     "@storybook/node-logger": "6.5.0-alpha.41",
     "core-js": "^3.8.2",
     "regenerator-runtime": "^0.13.7",
diff --git a/addons/essentials/src/index.ts b/addons/essentials/src/index.ts
index 21470e2b940..6a3fc4dbbf8 100644
--- a/addons/essentials/src/index.ts
+++ b/addons/essentials/src/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import path, { join } from 'path';
 import { logger } from '@storybook/node-logger';
+import { serverRequire } from '@storybook/core-common';
 
 interface PresetOptions {
   configDir?: string;
@@ -9,25 +10,12 @@ interface PresetOptions {
 }
 
 const requireMain = (configDir: string) => {
-  let main = {};
   const absoluteConfigDir = path.isAbsolute(configDir)
     ? configDir
     : path.join(process.cwd(), configDir);
   const mainFile = path.join(absoluteConfigDir, 'main');
-  try {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line global-require,import/no-dynamic-require
-    main = require(mainFile);
-  } catch (err) {
-    try {
-      // Try finding a .cjs version of the main file
-      const mainFileCjs = path.join(absoluteConfigDir, 'main.cjs');
-      // eslint-disable-next-line global-require,import/no-dynamic-require
-      main = require(mainFileCjs);
-    } catch (cjsErr) {
-      logger.warn(`Unable to find main.js or main.cjs: ${mainFile}`);
-    }
-  }
-  return main;
+
+  return serverRequire(mainFile) ?? {};
 };
 
 export function addons(options: PresetOptions = {}) {
diff --git a/addons/interactions/src/preset/checkActionsLoaded.ts b/addons/interactions/src/preset/checkActionsLoaded.ts
index e38999fe8ed..3c0ca141457 100644
--- a/addons/interactions/src/preset/checkActionsLoaded.ts
+++ b/addons/interactions/src/preset/checkActionsLoaded.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { checkAddonOrder } from '@storybook/core-common';
+import { checkAddonOrder, serverRequire } from '@storybook/core-common';
 import path from 'path';
 
 export const checkActionsLoaded = (configDir: string) => {
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ export const checkActionsLoaded = (configDir: string) => {
     configFile: path.isAbsolute(configDir)
       ? path.join(configDir, 'main')
       : path.join(process.cwd(), configDir, 'main'),
-    getConfig: (configFile) => import(configFile),
+    getConfig: (configFile) => serverRequire(configFile),
   });
 };
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 4091555e415..5e2afa8772b 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -6527,6 +6527,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@storybook/addon-viewport": 6.5.0-alpha.41
     "@storybook/addons": 6.5.0-alpha.41
     "@storybook/api": 6.5.0-alpha.41
+    "@storybook/core-common": 6.5.0-alpha.41
     "@storybook/node-logger": 6.5.0-alpha.41
     "@storybook/vue": 6.5.0-alpha.41
     "@types/jest": ^26.0.16