diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 90ce473b0d..6cf9285199 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
     "@graphql-tools/schema": "10.0.31",
     "@graphql-tools/utils": "11.0.0",
     "@parse/fs-files-adapter": "3.0.0",
-    "@parse/push-adapter": "8.4.0",
     "bcryptjs": "3.0.3",
     "commander": "14.0.3",
     "cors": "2.8.6",
@@ -146,7 +145,8 @@
     "parse-server": "bin/parse-server"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
-    "@node-rs/bcrypt": "1.10.7"
+    "@node-rs/bcrypt": "1.10.7",
+    "@parse/push-adapter": "8.4.0"
   },
   "collective": {
     "type": "opencollective",
diff --git a/spec/index.spec.js b/spec/index.spec.js
index 988f35cc3e..d143d39fb1 100644
--- a/spec/index.spec.js
+++ b/spec/index.spec.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const parseServerPackage = require('../package.json');
 const MockEmailAdapterWithOptions = require('./support/MockEmailAdapterWithOptions');
 const ParseServer = require('../lib/index');
 const Config = require('../lib/Config');
+const adapterLoader = require('../lib/Adapters/AdapterLoader');
 const express = require('express');
 
 const MongoStorageAdapter = require('../lib/Adapters/Storage/Mongo/MongoStorageAdapter').default;
@@ -211,6 +212,52 @@ describe('server', () => {
       .catch(done.fail);
   });
 
+  it('can start when push is not configured and optional push adapter is missing', async () => {
+    const originalLoadModule = adapterLoader.loadModule;
+    const loadModuleSpy = spyOn(adapterLoader, 'loadModule').and.callFake(modulePath => {
+      if (modulePath === '@parse/push-adapter') {
+        const error = new Error("Cannot find package '@parse/push-adapter'");
+        error.code = 'ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND';
+        return Promise.reject(error);
+      }
+      return originalLoadModule(modulePath);
+    });
+
+    try {
+      await reconfigureServer({
+        push: undefined,
+      });
+      const config = Config.get('test');
+      expect(config.hasPushSupport).toEqual(false);
+    } finally {
+      loadModuleSpy.and.callThrough();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('throws clear error when push is configured and optional push adapter is missing', async () => {
+    const originalLoadModule = adapterLoader.loadModule;
+    const loadModuleSpy = spyOn(adapterLoader, 'loadModule').and.callFake(modulePath => {
+      if (modulePath === '@parse/push-adapter') {
+        const error = new Error("Cannot find package '@parse/push-adapter'");
+        error.code = 'ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND';
+        return Promise.reject(error);
+      }
+      return originalLoadModule(modulePath);
+    });
+
+    try {
+      await expectAsync(
+        reconfigureServer({
+          push: {},
+        })
+      ).toBeRejectedWithError(
+        'Push is configured but the optional dependency "@parse/push-adapter" is not installed. Install "@parse/push-adapter" or configure "push.adapter".'
+      );
+    } finally {
+      loadModuleSpy.and.callThrough();
+    }
+  });
+
   it('can properly sets the push support ', done => {
     reconfigureServer({
       push: {
diff --git a/src/Controllers/index.js b/src/Controllers/index.js
index 9397dac561..4581f126ff 100644
--- a/src/Controllers/index.js
+++ b/src/Controllers/index.js
@@ -169,6 +169,13 @@ interface PushControlling {
   pushWorker: PushWorker;
 }
 
+function isPushAdapterModuleMissing(error: any): boolean {
+  const message = `${error?.message || error || ''}`;
+  const hasMissingCode =
+    error?.code === 'ERR_MODULE_NOT_FOUND' || error?.code === 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND';
+  return hasMissingCode && message.includes('@parse/push-adapter');
+}
+
 export async function getPushController(options: ParseServerOptions): PushControlling {
   const { scheduledPush, push } = options;
 
@@ -179,7 +186,19 @@ export async function getPushController(options: ParseServerOptions): PushContro
   }
 
   // Pass the push options too as it works with the default
-  const ParsePushAdapter = await loadModule('@parse/push-adapter');
+  let ParsePushAdapter;
+  try {
+    ParsePushAdapter = await loadModule('@parse/push-adapter');
+  } catch (error) {
+    if (!isPushAdapterModuleMissing(error)) {
+      throw error;
+    }
+    if (push && !pushOptions.adapter) {
+      throw new Error(
+        'Push is configured but the optional dependency "@parse/push-adapter" is not installed. Install "@parse/push-adapter" or configure "push.adapter".'
+      );
+    }
+  }
   const pushAdapter = loadAdapter(
     pushOptions && pushOptions.adapter,
     ParsePushAdapter,
@@ -195,7 +214,7 @@ export async function getPushController(options: ParseServerOptions): PushContro
 
   const pushControllerQueue = new PushQueue(pushQueueOptions);
   let pushWorker;
-  if (!disablePushWorker) {
+  if (!disablePushWorker && hasPushSupport) {
     pushWorker = new PushWorker(pushAdapter, pushQueueOptions);
   }
   return {