diff --git a/.changeset/fix-dev-quit-fonts-dist.md b/.changeset/fix-dev-quit-fonts-dist.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4fcdcd7344fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-dev-quit-fonts-dist.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'astro': patch
+---
+
+Fixes an issue where stopping the dev server with `q+enter` incorrectly created a `dist` folder and copied font files when using the experimental Fonts API
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/assets/fonts/vite-plugin-fonts.ts b/packages/astro/src/assets/fonts/vite-plugin-fonts.ts
index 6971ddc274db..7e4d5e3d968b 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/assets/fonts/vite-plugin-fonts.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/assets/fonts/vite-plugin-fonts.ts
@@ -308,38 +308,38 @@ export function fontsPlugin({ settings, sync, logger }: Options): Plugin {
 			}
 		},
 		async buildEnd() {
-			if (sync || settings.config.experimental.fonts!.length === 0) {
-				cleanup();
-				return;
-			}
+		if (sync || settings.config.experimental.fonts!.length === 0 || !isBuild) {
+			cleanup();
+			return;
+		}
 
+		try {
+			const dir = getClientOutputDirectory(settings);
+			const fontsDir = new URL(`.${assetsDir}`, dir);
 			try {
-				const dir = getClientOutputDirectory(settings);
-				const fontsDir = new URL(`.${assetsDir}`, dir);
-				try {
-					mkdirSync(fontsDir, { recursive: true });
-				} catch (cause) {
-					throw new AstroError(AstroErrorData.UnknownFilesystemError, { cause });
-				}
-				if (fontFileDataMap) {
-					logger.info(
-						'assets',
-						`Copying fonts (${fontFileDataMap.size} file${fontFileDataMap.size === 1 ? '' : 's'})...`,
-					);
-					await Promise.all(
-						Array.from(fontFileDataMap.entries()).map(async ([hash, associatedData]) => {
-							const data = await fontFetcher!.fetch({ hash, ...associatedData });
-							try {
-								writeFileSync(new URL(hash, fontsDir), data);
-							} catch (cause) {
-								throw new AstroError(AstroErrorData.UnknownFilesystemError, { cause });
-							}
-						}),
-					);
-				}
-			} finally {
-				cleanup();
+				mkdirSync(fontsDir, { recursive: true });
+			} catch (cause) {
+				throw new AstroError(AstroErrorData.UnknownFilesystemError, { cause });
 			}
-		},
+			if (fontFileDataMap) {
+				logger.info(
+					'assets',
+					`Copying fonts (${fontFileDataMap.size} file${fontFileDataMap.size === 1 ? '' : 's'})...`,
+				);
+				await Promise.all(
+					Array.from(fontFileDataMap.entries()).map(async ([hash, associatedData]) => {
+						const data = await fontFetcher!.fetch({ hash, ...associatedData });
+						try {
+							writeFileSync(new URL(hash, fontsDir), data);
+						} catch (cause) {
+							throw new AstroError(AstroErrorData.UnknownFilesystemError, { cause });
+						}
+					}),
+				);
+			}
+		} finally {
+			cleanup();
+		}
+	},
 	};
 }
diff --git a/packages/astro/test/fonts.test.js b/packages/astro/test/fonts.test.js
index 70f711875c19..5b99393c9e04 100644
--- a/packages/astro/test/fonts.test.js
+++ b/packages/astro/test/fonts.test.js
@@ -200,6 +200,34 @@ describe('astro fonts', () => {
 				assert.equal(parsed[0].src[0].url.startsWith('/_astro/fonts/'), true);
 			});
 		});
+
+		it('Does not create dist folder or copy fonts when dev server stops', async () => {
+			const { fixture, run } = await createDevFixture({
+				experimental: {
+					fonts: [
+						{
+							name: 'Poppins',
+							cssVariable: '--font-test',
+							provider: fontProviders.fontsource(),
+							weights: [400, 500],
+						},
+					],
+				},
+			});
+			await run(async () => {
+				await fixture.fetch('/');
+			});
+
+
+			try {
+				await readdir(new URL('./dist/', fixture.config.root));
+				assert.fail('dist folder should not exist after dev server shutdown');
+			} catch (err) {
+				if (typeof err === 'object' && err && 'code' in err && err.code !== 'ENOENT') {
+					throw err;
+				}
+			}
+		});
 	});
 
 	describe('build', () => {