diff --git a/assets/js/main.js b/assets/js/main.js
index 315040e0..964b1f43 100644
--- a/assets/js/main.js
+++ b/assets/js/main.js
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import "./highlightHeadline.js";
 import "./contentNavigation.js";
 import "./anchorlinks.js";
 import "./dropdown.js";
-import "./darkmode.js";
 import "./search.js";
 import "./interactiveMap.js";
 import "./expander.js";
diff --git a/layouts/partials/head.html b/layouts/partials/head.html
index c4943356..543376a6 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/head.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/head.html
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
     {{ printf "%s | %s" .Title site.Title }}
   {{ end }}
 </title>
+{{ partial "head/js" (dict "file" "js/darkmode.js" "defer" false) }}
+
 {{ $options := (dict "targetPath" "css/styles.css" "outputStyle" "compressed") }}
 {{ with resources.Get "sass/main.scss" }}
   {{ $style := (resources.ExecuteAsTemplate "sass/main_templated.scss" $ .) | toCSS $options | minify }}
@@ -24,7 +26,7 @@
   new PagefindHighlight({ highlightParam: "highlight" });
 </script>
 
-{{ partialCached "head/js" . }}
+{{ partial "head/js" (dict "file" "js/main.js") }}
 
 
 <!-- include a favicon for your site if you have it, else omit the line below
diff --git a/layouts/partials/head/js.html b/layouts/partials/head/js.html
index c73dbaa2..dfc88456 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/head/js.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/head/js.html
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
-{{- with resources.Get "js/main.js" }}
+{{ $defer := .defer | default true }}
+{{- with resources.Get .file }}
   {{- if eq hugo.Environment "development" }}
     {{- with . | js.Build }}
-      <script src="{{ .RelPermalink }}"></script>
+      <script
+        src="{{ .RelPermalink }}"
+        {{ if $defer -}}defer{{- end }}
+      ></script>
     {{- end }}
   {{- else }}
     {{- $opts := dict "minify" true }}
@@ -12,7 +16,7 @@
         src="{{ .RelPermalink }}"
         integrity="{{- .Data.Integrity }}"
         crossorigin="anonymous"
-        defer
+        {{- if $defer }}defer{{- end }}
       ></script>
     {{- end }}
   {{- end }}