diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/cursorlessEngine.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/cursorlessEngine.ts
index 71dd1b1d4e..6dc220db4a 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/cursorlessEngine.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/cursorlessEngine.ts
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ import { ScopeSupportWatcher } from "./scopeProviders/ScopeSupportWatcher";
 import { injectIde } from "./singletons/ide.singleton";
 import { TreeSitter } from "./typings/TreeSitter";
 
-export function createCursorlessEngine(
+export async function createCursorlessEngine(
   treeSitter: TreeSitter,
   ide: IDE,
   hats: Hats,
   commandServerApi: CommandServerApi | null,
   fileSystem: FileSystem,
-): CursorlessEngine {
+): Promise<CursorlessEngine> {
   injectIde(ide);
 
   const debug = new Debug(treeSitter);
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export function createCursorlessEngine(
   const storedTargets = new StoredTargetMap();
 
   const languageDefinitions = new LanguageDefinitions(fileSystem, treeSitter);
+  await languageDefinitions.init();
 
   const talonSpokenForms = new TalonSpokenFormsJsonReader(fileSystem);
 
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/languages/LanguageDefinitions.ts b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/languages/LanguageDefinitions.ts
index a38f0a20a8..04467ff5f2 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-engine/src/languages/LanguageDefinitions.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-engine/src/languages/LanguageDefinitions.ts
@@ -60,10 +60,6 @@ export class LanguageDefinitions {
         ? join(getCursorlessRepoRoot(), "queries")
         : "queries";
 
-    ide().visibleTextEditors.forEach(({ document }) =>
-      this.loadLanguage(document.languageId),
-    );
-
     if (ide().runMode === "development") {
       this.disposables.push(
         fileSystem.watchDir(this.queryDir, () => {
@@ -73,6 +69,20 @@ export class LanguageDefinitions {
     }
   }
 
+  public async init(): Promise<void> {
+    await this.loadAllLanguages();
+  }
+
+  private async loadAllLanguages(): Promise<void> {
+    const languageIds = ide().visibleTextEditors.map(
+      ({ document }) => document.languageId,
+    );
+
+    await Promise.all(
+      languageIds.map((languageId) => this.loadLanguage(languageId)),
+    );
+  }
+
   public async loadLanguage(languageId: string): Promise<void> {
     if (this.languageDefinitions.has(languageId)) {
       return;
diff --git a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/extension.ts b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/extension.ts
index fcc7e2334d..de08aa21b6 100644
--- a/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/extension.ts
+++ b/packages/cursorless-vscode/src/extension.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export async function activate(
     runIntegrationTests,
     addCommandRunnerDecorator,
     customSpokenFormGenerator,
-  } = createCursorlessEngine(
+  } = await createCursorlessEngine(
     treeSitter,
     normalizedIde,
     hats,