Index: src/wp-includes/script-loader.php
===================================================================
--- src/wp-includes/script-loader.php	(revision 47118)
+++ src/wp-includes/script-loader.php	(working copy)
@@ -287,14 +287,16 @@
 
 	foreach ( $packages as $package ) {
 		$handle = 'wp-' . $package;
-		$path   = "/wp-includes/js/dist/$package$suffix.js";
+		$path   = WPINC . '/js/dist/$package$suffix.js';
+		$php_support_file_path =  ABSPATH . WPINC . '/assets/dist/$package$suffix.asset.php';
 
-		if ( ! file_exists( ABSPATH . $path ) ) {
-			continue;
+		if( ! file_exists( $php_support_file_path ) ){
+			wp_die(__('You need to run "npm build:dev" for this site to create the assets/dist files' ) );
 		}
 
-		$asset_file   = include ABSPATH . WPINC . "/assets/dist/$package$suffix.asset.php";
+		$asset_file   = include $php_support_file_path;
 		$dependencies = $asset_file['dependencies'];
+		$version = $asset_file['version'];
 
 		// Add dependencies that cannot be detected and generated by build tools.
 		switch ( $handle ) {
@@ -305,9 +307,8 @@
 				array_push( $dependencies, 'media-models', 'media-views', 'postbox', 'wp-dom-ready' );
 				break;
 		}
+		$scripts->add( $handle, $path, $dependencies, $version, 1 );
 
-		$scripts->add( $handle, $path, $dependencies, $asset_file['version'], 1 );
-
 		if ( in_array( $package, $package_translations, true ) ) {
 			$scripts->set_translations( $handle );
 		}