diff --git a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/javascript.spec.ts.snap b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/javascript.spec.ts.snap
index 7963019e3..8e642f69f 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/javascript.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/javascript.spec.ts.snap
@@ -318,6 +318,10 @@ exports[`javascript configuration for android 1`] = `
       {
         '__jest__/src/__@nativescript_webpack_virtual_entry_javascript__': '// VIRTUAL ENTRY START\\\\nrequire(\\\\'@nativescript/core/bundle-entry-points\\\\')\\\\nconst context = require.context(\\"~/\\", /* deep: */ true, /* filter: */ /.(xml|js|s?css)$/);\\\\nglobal.registerWebpackModules(context);\\\\n// VIRTUAL ENTRY END'
       }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files') */
+    new ContextExclusionPlugin(
+      /\\\\b_.+\\\\./
     )
   ],
   entry: {
@@ -651,6 +655,10 @@ exports[`javascript configuration for ios 1`] = `
       {
         '__jest__/src/__@nativescript_webpack_virtual_entry_javascript__': '// VIRTUAL ENTRY START\\\\nrequire(\\\\'@nativescript/core/bundle-entry-points\\\\')\\\\nconst context = require.context(\\"~/\\", /* deep: */ true, /* filter: */ /.(xml|js|s?css)$/);\\\\nglobal.registerWebpackModules(context);\\\\n// VIRTUAL ENTRY END'
       }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files') */
+    new ContextExclusionPlugin(
+      /\\\\b_.+\\\\./
     )
   ],
   entry: {
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/typescript.spec.ts.snap b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/typescript.spec.ts.snap
index c32035b0b..c3ccd94a5 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/typescript.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/webpack5/__tests__/configuration/__snapshots__/typescript.spec.ts.snap
@@ -318,6 +318,10 @@ exports[`typescript configuration for android 1`] = `
       {
         '__jest__/src/__@nativescript_webpack_virtual_entry_typescript__': '// VIRTUAL ENTRY START\\\\nrequire(\\\\'@nativescript/core/bundle-entry-points\\\\')\\\\nconst context = require.context(\\"~/\\", /* deep: */ true, /* filter: */ /\\\\\\\\.(xml|js|(?<!\\\\\\\\.d\\\\\\\\.)ts|s?css)$/);\\\\nglobal.registerWebpackModules(context);\\\\n// VIRTUAL ENTRY END'
       }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files') */
+    new ContextExclusionPlugin(
+      /\\\\b_.+\\\\./
     )
   ],
   entry: {
@@ -651,6 +655,10 @@ exports[`typescript configuration for ios 1`] = `
       {
         '__jest__/src/__@nativescript_webpack_virtual_entry_typescript__': '// VIRTUAL ENTRY START\\\\nrequire(\\\\'@nativescript/core/bundle-entry-points\\\\')\\\\nconst context = require.context(\\"~/\\", /* deep: */ true, /* filter: */ /\\\\\\\\.(xml|js|(?<!\\\\\\\\.d\\\\\\\\.)ts|s?css)$/);\\\\nglobal.registerWebpackModules(context);\\\\n// VIRTUAL ENTRY END'
       }
+    ),
+    /* config.plugin('ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files') */
+    new ContextExclusionPlugin(
+      /\\\\b_.+\\\\./
     )
   ],
   entry: {
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
index da2fe0e3b..0696e9b7b 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/javascript.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { getEntryPath, getEntryDirPath } from '../helpers/platform';
 import { addVirtualEntry } from '../helpers/virtualModules';
 import { chainedSetAddAfter } from '../helpers/chain';
 import { env as _env, IWebpackEnv } from '../index';
+import { ContextExclusionPlugin } from 'webpack';
 import base from './base';
 
 export default function (config: Config, env: IWebpackEnv = _env): Config {
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@ export default function (config: Config, env: IWebpackEnv = _env): Config {
 	`
 	);
 
+	// exclude files starting with _ from require.context
+	config
+		.plugin(`ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files`)
+		.use(ContextExclusionPlugin, [/\b_.+\./]);
+
 	chainedSetAddAfter(
 		config.entry('bundle'),
 		'@nativescript/core/globals/index.js',
diff --git a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/typescript.ts b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/typescript.ts
index 3a43f7527..b8b9492a2 100644
--- a/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/typescript.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack5/src/configuration/typescript.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { getEntryDirPath, getEntryPath } from '../helpers/platform';
 import { addVirtualEntry } from '../helpers/virtualModules';
 import { chainedSetAddAfter } from '../helpers/chain';
 import { env as _env, IWebpackEnv } from '../index';
+import { ContextExclusionPlugin } from 'webpack';
 import base from './base';
 
 export default function (config: Config, env: IWebpackEnv = _env): Config {
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@ export default function (config: Config, env: IWebpackEnv = _env): Config {
 	`
 	);
 
+	// exclude files starting with _ from require.context
+	config
+		.plugin(`ContextExclusionPlugin|exclude_files`)
+		.use(ContextExclusionPlugin, [/\b_.+\./]);
+
 	chainedSetAddAfter(
 		config.entry('bundle'),
 		'@nativescript/core/globals/index.js',