diff --git a/.changeset/cuddly-kangaroos-rush.md b/.changeset/cuddly-kangaroos-rush.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..295e71171c8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cuddly-kangaroos-rush.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@sveltejs/kit': patch
+---
+
+fix: don't automatically prerender non-SSR'd pages
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/core/postbuild/analyse.js b/packages/kit/src/core/postbuild/analyse.js
index b31df2c5f4e2..a9b1a1d1fb51 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/core/postbuild/analyse.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/core/postbuild/analyse.js
@@ -122,15 +122,7 @@ async function analyse({ manifest_path, env }) {
 				validate_common_exports(page.universal, page.universal_id);
 			}
 
-			const should_prerender = get_option(nodes, 'prerender');
-			prerender =
-				should_prerender === true ||
-				// Try prerendering if ssr is false and no server needed. Set it to 'auto' so that
-				// the route is not removed from the manifest, there could be a server load function.
-				// People can opt out of this behavior by explicitly setting prerender to false
-				(should_prerender !== false && get_option(nodes, 'ssr') === false && !page?.server?.actions
-					? 'auto'
-					: should_prerender ?? false);
+			prerender = get_option(nodes, 'prerender') ?? false;
 
 			config = get_config(nodes);
 		}
diff --git a/packages/kit/src/runtime/server/page/index.js b/packages/kit/src/runtime/server/page/index.js
index c649be652bf8..fdf7713be962 100644
--- a/packages/kit/src/runtime/server/page/index.js
+++ b/packages/kit/src/runtime/server/page/index.js
@@ -79,38 +79,13 @@ export async function render_page(event, page, options, manifest, state, resolve
 		// it's crucial that we do this before returning the non-SSR response, otherwise
 		// SvelteKit will erroneously believe that the path has been prerendered,
 		// causing functions to be omitted from the manifesst generated later
-		const should_prerender = get_option(nodes, 'prerender');
-
+		const should_prerender = get_option(nodes, 'prerender') ?? false;
 		if (should_prerender) {
 			const mod = leaf_node.server;
 			if (mod?.actions) {
 				throw new Error('Cannot prerender pages with actions');
 			}
 		} else if (state.prerendering) {
-			// Try to render the shell when ssr is false and prerendering not explicitly disabled.
-			// People can opt out of this behavior by explicitly setting prerender to false.
-			if (
-				should_prerender !== false &&
-				get_option(nodes, 'ssr') === false &&
-				!leaf_node.server?.actions
-			) {
-				return await render_response({
-					branch: [],
-					fetched: [],
-					page_config: {
-						ssr: false,
-						csr: get_option(nodes, 'csr') ?? true
-					},
-					status,
-					error: null,
-					event,
-					options,
-					manifest,
-					state,
-					resolve_opts
-				});
-			}
-
 			// if the page isn't marked as prerenderable, then bail out at this point
 			return new Response(undefined, {
 				status: 204
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/.gitignore b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 1e18f275e97c..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-!.env
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/package.json b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index f4f34b88fb17..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-{
-	"name": "prerendering-test-ssr-false",
-	"private": true,
-	"version": "0.0.2-next.0",
-	"scripts": {
-		"dev": "vite dev",
-		"build": "vite build",
-		"preview": "vite preview",
-		"check": "svelte-kit sync && tsc && svelte-check",
-		"test": "svelte-kit sync && pnpm build && uvu test"
-	},
-	"devDependencies": {
-		"@sveltejs/kit": "workspace:^",
-		"svelte": "^3.55.1",
-		"svelte-check": "^3.0.2",
-		"typescript": "^4.9.4",
-		"uvu": "^0.5.6",
-		"vite": "^4.1.1"
-	},
-	"type": "module"
-}
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.d.ts b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.d.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b39ff31cd34..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.d.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-/// <reference types="@sveltejs/kit" />;
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.html b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.html
deleted file mode 100644
index d35c108bb8f2..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/app.html
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-<!DOCTYPE html>
-<html lang="en">
-	<head>
-		<meta charset="utf-8" />
-		<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" />
-		%sveltekit.head%
-	</head>
-	<body>
-		%sveltekit.body%
-	</body>
-</html>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/+layout.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/+layout.js
deleted file mode 100644
index a3d15781a772..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/+layout.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export const ssr = false;
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.server.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.server.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 0e3c3113444f..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.server.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-export const actions = {
-	default: () => {}
-};
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.svelte b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index 3a4fb4b1663c..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/not-prerenderable/+page.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<p>Not prerenderable because it has +page.server.js actions</p>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d43d0cd2a55d..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-export const prerender = false;
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.svelte b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index c2e1feb1d2eb..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/opt-out/+page.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<p>prerenderable shell, but opted out of prerendering explicitly</p>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.server.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.server.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 59b30f2adadf..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.server.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-export function load() {
-	throw new Error('I should not be called during prerendering');
-}
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.svelte b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index f844d12b1532..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-2/+page.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<p>prerenderable shell</p>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.js
deleted file mode 100644
index f1b9bcf9eee4..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-export const prerender = 'auto';
-export const ssr = true;
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.svelte b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index f844d12b1532..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable-3/+page.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<p>prerenderable shell</p>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 59b30f2adadf..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-export function load() {
-	throw new Error('I should not be called during prerendering');
-}
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.svelte b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.svelte
deleted file mode 100644
index f844d12b1532..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/src/routes/prerenderable/+page.svelte
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-<p>prerenderable shell</p>
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/svelte.config.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/svelte.config.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 821c14379ec8..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/svelte.config.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-/** @type {import('@sveltejs/kit').Config} */
-const config = {
-	kit: {}
-};
-
-export default config;
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/test/test.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/test/test.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 26004b3640dc..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/test/test.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,39 +0,0 @@
-import * as fs from 'node:fs';
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
-import { test } from 'uvu';
-import * as assert from 'uvu/assert';
-
-const build = fileURLToPath(new URL('../.svelte-kit/output/prerendered/pages', import.meta.url));
-
-/** @param {string} file */
-const read = (file, encoding = 'utf-8') => fs.readFileSync(`${build}/${file}`, encoding);
-
-test('prerenders /prerenderable shell', () => {
-	const content = read('prerenderable.html');
-	assert.ok(!content.includes('prerenderable shell'));
-});
-
-test('prerenders /prerenderable-2 shell', () => {
-	const content = read('prerenderable-2.html');
-	assert.ok(!content.includes('prerenderable shell'));
-});
-
-test('prerenders /prerenderable-3 shell with ssr=true and prerender=auto', () => {
-	const content = read('prerenderable-3.html');
-	assert.ok(content.includes('prerenderable shell'));
-});
-
-test('does not prerender non prerenderable things', () => {
-	assert.equal(fs.readdirSync(build).length, 3);
-});
-
-test('keeps not-explicitly-prerendered routes in the manifest', () => {
-	const manifest = fileURLToPath(
-		new URL('../.svelte-kit/output/server/manifest.js', import.meta.url)
-	);
-	const content = fs.readFileSync(manifest, 'utf-8');
-	assert.ok(content.includes('/prerenderable'));
-	assert.ok(content.includes('/prerenderable-2'));
-});
-
-test.run();
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/tsconfig.json b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/tsconfig.json
deleted file mode 100644
index df547741d5bb..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/tsconfig.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,16 +0,0 @@
-{
-	"compilerOptions": {
-		"allowJs": true,
-		"checkJs": true,
-		"noEmit": true,
-		"module": "esnext",
-		"moduleResolution": "node",
-		"paths": {
-			"@sveltejs/kit": ["../../../types"],
-			"$lib": ["./src/lib"],
-			"$lib/*": ["./src/lib/*"],
-			"types": ["../../../types/internal"]
-		}
-	},
-	"extends": "./.svelte-kit/tsconfig.json"
-}
diff --git a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/vite.config.js b/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/vite.config.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 574b809dd36f..000000000000
--- a/packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false/vite.config.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-import * as path from 'node:path';
-import { sveltekit } from '@sveltejs/kit/vite';
-
-/** @type {import('vite').UserConfig} */
-const config = {
-	build: {
-		minify: false
-	},
-
-	clearScreen: false,
-
-	logLevel: 'silent',
-
-	plugins: [sveltekit()],
-
-	define: {
-		'process.env.MY_ENV': '"MY_ENV DEFINED"'
-	},
-
-	server: {
-		fs: {
-			allow: [path.resolve('../../../src')]
-		}
-	}
-};
-
-export default config;
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 0578685eb8e5..35f6014deb2c 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -640,22 +640,6 @@ importers:
       uvu: 0.5.6
       vite: 4.1.1
 
-  packages/kit/test/prerendering/ssr-false:
-    specifiers:
-      '@sveltejs/kit': workspace:^
-      svelte: ^3.55.1
-      svelte-check: ^3.0.2
-      typescript: ^4.9.4
-      uvu: ^0.5.6
-      vite: ^4.1.1
-    devDependencies:
-      '@sveltejs/kit': link:../../..
-      svelte: 3.55.1
-      svelte-check: 3.0.2_svelte@3.55.1
-      typescript: 4.9.4
-      uvu: 0.5.6
-      vite: 4.1.1
-
   packages/migrate:
     specifiers:
       '@types/prompts': ^2.4.1