diff --git a/packages/vite/src/node/server/__tests__/watcher.spec.ts b/packages/vite/src/node/server/__tests__/watcher.spec.ts
index 76d0a0cd58faff..feace03b528634 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/node/server/__tests__/watcher.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/node/server/__tests__/watcher.spec.ts
@@ -13,46 +13,54 @@ afterEach(() => {
   )
 })
 
-// watcher is unstable on macos and windows
-describe.skipIf(process.platform === 'darwin' || process.platform === 'win32')(
-  'watcher configuration',
-  () => {
-    it("when watcher is disabled, editing files doesn't trigger watcher", async () => {
-      const server = await createServer({
-        server: {
-          watch: null,
-        },
-      })
-      server.watcher.on('change', () => {
-        expect.unreachable()
-      })
+// watcher is unstable on windows
+describe.skipIf(process.platform === 'win32')('watcher configuration', () => {
+  it("when watcher is disabled, editing files doesn't trigger watcher", async () => {
+    const server = await createServer({
+      server: {
+        watch: null,
+      },
+    })
+    server.watcher.on('change', () => {
+      expect.unreachable()
+    })
 
-      server.watcher.add(resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js'))
-      writeFileSync(
-        resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js'),
-        'export const test = "new text"',
-      )
+    server.watcher.add(resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js'))
+    writeFileSync(
+      resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js'),
+      'export const test = "new text"',
+    )
 
-      // make sure watcher doesn't trigger
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500))
+    // make sure watcher doesn't trigger
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500))
+  })
+
+  it('when watcher is not disable, editing files triggers watcher', async () => {
+    expect.assertions(1)
+    const server = await createServer({
+      server: {
+        // "ready" event might not be triggered on macos otherwise
+        watch:
+          process.platform === 'darwin'
+            ? {
+                useFsEvents: false,
+                usePolling: false,
+              }
+            : {},
+      },
     })
+    const filename = resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js')
+
+    return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      server.watcher.on('change', (e) => {
+        expect(e).toMatch('/fixtures/watched/index.js')
+        resolve()
+      })
 
-    it('when watcher is not disable, editing files triggers watcher', async () => {
-      expect.assertions(1)
-      const server = await createServer()
-      const filename = resolve(__dirname, 'fixtures/watched/index.js')
-
-      return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
-        server.watcher.on('change', (e) => {
-          expect(e).toMatch('/fixtures/watched/index.js')
-          resolve()
-        })
-
-        server.watcher.on('ready', () => {
-          server.watcher.add(filename)
-          writeFileSync(filename, 'export const test = "new text"')
-        })
+      server.watcher.on('ready', () => {
+        server.watcher.add(filename)
+        writeFileSync(filename, 'export const test = "new text"')
       })
     })
-  },
-)
+  })
+})