diff --git a/.changeset/spicy-years-stick.md b/.changeset/spicy-years-stick.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76834e8381
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/spicy-years-stick.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'svelte': patch
+---
+
+fix: remove `$inspect` calls after await expressions when compiling for production server code
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/shared/transform-async.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/shared/transform-async.js
index 2b9c219d7d..8d3a6b2769 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/shared/transform-async.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/shared/transform-async.js
@@ -86,7 +86,14 @@ export function transform_body(instance_body, runner, transform) {
 			}
 
 			if (s.node.type === 'ExpressionStatement') {
-				const expression = /** @type {ESTree.Expression} */ (transform(s.node.expression));
+				// the expression may be a $inspect call, which will be transformed into an empty statement
+				const expression = /** @type {ESTree.Expression | ESTree.EmptyStatement} */ (
+					transform(s.node.expression)
+				);
+
+				if (expression.type === 'EmptyStatement') {
+					return null;
+				}
 
 				return expression.type === 'AwaitExpression'
 					? b.thunk(expression, true)
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6214e6b429
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { test } from '../../test';
+
+export default test({
+	compileOptions: {
+		experimental: { async: true },
+		dev: false
+	}
+});
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/client/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/client/index.svelte.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e8aa8dfa11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/client/index.svelte.js
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import 'svelte/internal/disclose-version';
+import 'svelte/internal/flags/async';
+import * as $ from 'svelte/internal/client';
+
+var root = $.from_html(`<p> </p>`);
+
+export default function Async_top_level_inspect_server($$anchor) {
+	var data;
+	var $$promises = $.run([async () => data = await Promise.resolve(42),,]);
+	var p = root();
+	var text = $.child(p, true);
+
+	$.reset(p);
+	$.template_effect(() => $.set_text(text, data), void 0, void 0, [$$promises[1]]);
+	$.append($$anchor, p);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb99a2fe1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import 'svelte/internal/flags/async';
+import * as $ from 'svelte/internal/server';
+
+export default function Async_top_level_inspect_server($$renderer) {
+	var data;
+	var $$promises = $$renderer.run([async () => data = await Promise.resolve(42),,]);
+
+	$$renderer.push(`<p>`);
+
+	$$renderer.async([$$promises[1]], ($$renderer) => {
+		$$renderer.push(() => $.escape(data));
+	});
+
+	$$renderer.push(`</p>`);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/index.svelte b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/index.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..06bb995b1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/async-top-level-inspect-server/index.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<script>
+	let data = await Promise.resolve(42);
+	$inspect(data);
+</script>
+
+<p>{data}</p>