diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 064c4691619..c34818e0f39 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     "stats": "webpack --mode production --config scripts/webpack/webpack.prod.js --profile --json > compilation-stats.json",
     "storybook": "yarn workspace @grafana/ui storybook --ci",
     "storybook:build": "yarn workspace @grafana/ui storybook:build",
-    "themes:generate": "ts-node --project ./scripts/cli/tsconfig.json ./scripts/cli/generateSassVariableFiles.ts",
+    "themes:generate": "ts-node --transpile-only --project ./scripts/cli/tsconfig.json ./scripts/cli/generateSassVariableFiles.ts",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit && yarn run packages:typecheck",
     "plugins:build-bundled": "grafana-toolkit plugin:bundle-managed",
     "watch": "yarn start -d watch,start core:start --watchTheme",