diff --git a/src/wp-includes/script-modules.php b/src/wp-includes/script-modules.php
index 205494f699386..2aff768bb3d1a 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/script-modules.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/script-modules.php
@@ -14,17 +14,20 @@
  * This function provides access to the WP_Script_Modules instance, creating one
  * if it doesn't exist yet.
  *
+ * @global WP_Script_Modules $wp_script_modules
+ *
  * @since 6.5.0
  *
  * @return WP_Script_Modules The main WP_Script_Modules instance.
  */
 function wp_script_modules(): WP_Script_Modules {
-	static $instance = null;
-	if ( is_null( $instance ) ) {
-		$instance = new WP_Script_Modules();
-		$instance->add_hooks();
+	global $wp_script_modules;
+
+	if ( ! ( $wp_script_modules instanceof WP_Script_Modules ) ) {
+		$wp_script_modules = new WP_Script_Modules();
 	}
-	return $instance;
+
+	return $wp_script_modules;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/wp-settings.php b/src/wp-settings.php
index 624b1d804acf0..87769333c59e5 100644
--- a/src/wp-settings.php
+++ b/src/wp-settings.php
@@ -378,6 +378,8 @@
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/script-modules.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/interactivity-api.php';
 
+wp_script_modules()->add_hooks();
+
 $GLOBALS['wp_embed'] = new WP_Embed();
 
 /**