diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7683cc5..a36177a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ For Node.js, also install the SQLite driver:
 npm install @wgtechlabs/config-engine better-sqlite3
 ```
 
+The Bun SQLite backend is loaded only at runtime on Bun, so Node-targeted
+bundles can safely consume the package without pulling in a static `bun:*` import.
+
 ## Quick Start
 
 ```typescript
diff --git a/src/runtime.ts b/src/runtime.ts
index 8f1ba8d..4e6b810 100644
--- a/src/runtime.ts
+++ b/src/runtime.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
  * Uses `bun:sqlite` on Bun, `better-sqlite3` on Node.js.
  */
 
+import { createRequire } from "node:module";
 import type { DatabaseAdapter, StatementAdapter } from "./types.js";
 
+const runtimeRequire = createRequire(import.meta.url);
+
 /** Returns `true` when running under Bun. */
 export function isBun(): boolean {
 	return typeof globalThis.Bun !== "undefined";
@@ -28,9 +31,10 @@ export function openDatabase(filepath: string): DatabaseAdapter {
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 function openBunDatabase(filepath: string): DatabaseAdapter {
-	// Using dynamic import syntax to avoid static analysis issues on Node
+	// Construct the module specifier at runtime so Node-targeted bundlers
+	// don't preserve a static bun:* import in published CLI artifacts.
 	// biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: bun:sqlite types vary
-	const { Database } = require("bun:sqlite") as any;
+	const { Database } = runtimeRequire(getBunSqliteSpecifier()) as any;
 	const db = new Database(filepath);
 
 	// Enable WAL for concurrent read performance
@@ -72,8 +76,8 @@ function openNodeDatabase(filepath: string): DatabaseAdapter {
 	// better-sqlite3 is a peer dep — error if missing
 	let BetterSqlite3: typeof import("better-sqlite3");
 	try {
-		// biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: dynamic require
-		BetterSqlite3 = require("better-sqlite3") as any;
+		// biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: runtime require for ESM output
+		BetterSqlite3 = runtimeRequire("better-sqlite3") as any;
 	} catch {
 		throw new Error(
 			'config-engine requires "better-sqlite3" as a peer dependency when running on Node.js. ' +
@@ -113,3 +117,8 @@ function openNodeDatabase(filepath: string): DatabaseAdapter {
 		},
 	};
 }
+
+function getBunSqliteSpecifier(): string {
+	// Spells "bun:sqlite" without exposing a static bun:* import to bundlers.
+	return String.fromCharCode(98, 117, 110, 58, 115, 113, 108, 105, 116, 101);
+}
diff --git a/tests/runtime.test.ts b/tests/runtime.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c28439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/runtime.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for the runtime SQLite adapter selection.
+ */
+
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+
+describe("runtime bundling", () => {
+	test("does not emit a static bun:sqlite import in Node bundles", async () => {
+		const workDir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "config-engine-runtime-"));
+		const entryPath = join(workDir, "entry.ts");
+		const outDir = join(workDir, "dist");
+		const runtimePath = fileURLToPath(new URL("../src/runtime.ts", import.meta.url));
+
+		try {
+			mkdirSync(outDir, { recursive: true });
+			writeFileSync(
+				entryPath,
+				`import { isBun } from ${JSON.stringify(runtimePath)};\nconsole.log(isBun());\n`,
+			);
+
+			const result = await Bun.build({
+				entrypoints: [entryPath],
+				outdir: outDir,
+				target: "node",
+				format: "esm",
+				splitting: false,
+				external: ["better-sqlite3"],
+			});
+
+			expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+
+			const outputPath = join(outDir, "entry.js");
+			const bundled = readFileSync(outputPath, "utf8");
+			expect(bundled).not.toMatch(/(?:from|import)\s+["']bun:sqlite["']/);
+
+			const run = Bun.spawnSync(["node", outputPath], {
+				stdout: "pipe",
+				stderr: "pipe",
+			});
+
+			expect(run.exitCode).toBe(0);
+			expect(new TextDecoder().decode(run.stdout).trim()).toBe("false");
+		} finally {
+			rmSync(workDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+		}
+	});
+});