diff --git a/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.test.ts b/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.test.ts
index 4969769e491..df839923cf8 100644
--- a/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.test.ts
@@ -321,30 +321,65 @@ describe('store auth service', () => {
       return 'abc123'
     })
 
-    await authenticateStoreWithApp(
-      {
-        store: 'shop.myshopify.com',
-        scopes: 'read_products',
-        signup: 'signed.signup.jwt',
-      },
-      {
-        openURL,
-        waitForStoreAuthCode: waitForStoreAuthCodeMock,
-        exchangeStoreAuthCodeForToken: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
-          access_token: 'token',
-          scope: 'read_products',
-          expires_in: 86400,
-          associated_user: {id: 42, email: 'test@example.com'},
-        }),
-        presenter,
-      },
-    )
+    await expect(
+      authenticateStoreWithApp(
+        {
+          store: 'shop.myshopify.com',
+          scopes: 'read_products',
+          signup: 'signed.signup.jwt',
+        },
+        {
+          openURL,
+          waitForStoreAuthCode: waitForStoreAuthCodeMock,
+          exchangeStoreAuthCodeForToken: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({
+            access_token: 'token',
+            scope: 'read_products',
+            expires_in: 86400,
+            associated_user: {id: 42, email: 'test@example.com'},
+          }),
+          presenter,
+        },
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toThrow()
 
     expect(presenter.manualAuthUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('signup=signed.signup.jwt'), {
       sensitive: true,
     })
   })
 
+  test('authenticateStoreWithApp fails immediately instead of waiting for a callback that cannot arrive', async () => {
+    const openURL = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(false)
+    const presenter = {
+      openingBrowser: vi.fn(),
+      manualAuthUrl: vi.fn(),
+      success: vi.fn(),
+    }
+    const exchangeStoreAuthCodeForToken = vi.fn()
+    const waitForStoreAuthCodeMock = vi.fn().mockImplementation(async (options) => {
+      await options.onListening?.()
+      return 'abc123'
+    })
+
+    await expect(
+      authenticateStoreWithApp(
+        {
+          store: 'shop.myshopify.com',
+          scopes: 'read_products',
+          signup: 'signed.signup.jwt',
+        },
+        {
+          openURL,
+          waitForStoreAuthCode: waitForStoreAuthCodeMock,
+          exchangeStoreAuthCodeForToken,
+          presenter,
+        },
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toThrow("Authentication can't continue without a browser.")
+
+    expect(exchangeStoreAuthCodeForToken).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(presenter.success).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   test('authenticateStoreWithApp records fqdn metadata before resolving existing scopes', async () => {
     await expect(
       authenticateStoreWithApp(
diff --git a/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.ts b/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.ts
index f342ae5074b..dcf179e40ac 100644
--- a/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.ts
+++ b/packages/store/src/cli/services/store/auth/index.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,14 @@ export async function authenticateStoreWithApp(
     ...bootstrap.waitForAuthCodeOptions,
     onListening: async () => {
       const opened = await resolvedDependencies.openURL(authorizationUrl)
-      if (!opened) resolvedDependencies.presenter.manualAuthUrl(authorizationUrl, {sensitive: Boolean(input.signup)})
+      if (opened) return
+
+      const sensitive = Boolean(input.signup)
+      resolvedDependencies.presenter.manualAuthUrl(authorizationUrl, {sensitive})
+
+      // A withheld URL never reaches the browser, so the callback this server is waiting for cannot
+      // arrive. Returning here would leave the command idle until the timeout elapses.
+      if (sensitive) throw new AbortError("Authentication can't continue without a browser.")
     },
   })
   const tokenResponse = await bootstrap.exchangeCodeForToken(code)