diff --git a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.test.ts b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.test.ts
index 265f84062..3950f8419 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import path from 'node:path'
 import { parseAstAsync } from 'vite'
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { transformHoistInlineDirective } from './hoist'
+import { findDirectives, transformHoistInlineDirective } from './hoist'
 
 describe('fixtures', () => {
   const fixtures = import.meta.glob(
@@ -128,6 +128,43 @@ async function f() {
     expect(await testTransform(input)).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`undefined`)
   })
 
+  it('ignores strings outside a function directive prologue', async () => {
+    const input = `
+async function initialized() {
+  initialize();
+  "use server";
+}
+
+async function parenthesized() {
+  ("use server");
+}
+`
+    expect(await testTransform(input)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('recognizes a directive after another prologue directive', async () => {
+    const input = `
+async function action() {
+  "use strict";
+  "use server";
+}
+`
+    expect(await testTransformNames(input)).toEqual(['$$hoist_0_action'])
+  })
+
+  it('finds directives only in directive-capable bodies', async () => {
+    const input = `
+{
+  "use server";
+}
+async function action() {
+  "use server";
+}
+`
+    const ast = await parseAstAsync(input)
+    expect(findDirectives(ast, 'use server')).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
   it('top level', async () => {
     const input = `
 const x = "x";
diff --git a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.ts b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.ts
index 8f72cfad1..63291351c 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/hoist.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { walk } from 'estree-walker'
 import MagicString from 'magic-string'
 import type { ESTree } from 'vite'
 import { buildScopeTree, type ScopeTree } from './scope'
+import { isDirective } from './utils'
 
 /**
  * Turns an inline directive function into a module-level registered function.
@@ -263,11 +264,7 @@ function getRuntimeHoistPosition(ast: Program): number {
   // Preserve leading directives so directive-based transforms can
   // still compose just in case.
   for (const statement of ast.body) {
-    const isDirective =
-      statement.type === 'ExpressionStatement' &&
-      statement.expression.type === 'Literal' &&
-      typeof statement.expression.value === 'string'
-    if (!isDirective) {
+    if (!isDirective(statement)) {
       return statement.start
     }
   }
@@ -282,15 +279,12 @@ function matchDirective(
   directive: RegExp,
 ): { match: RegExpMatchArray; node: Literal } | undefined {
   for (const stmt of body) {
-    if (
-      stmt.type === 'ExpressionStatement' &&
-      stmt.expression.type === 'Literal' &&
-      typeof stmt.expression.value === 'string'
-    ) {
-      const match = stmt.expression.value.match(directive)
-      if (match) {
-        return { match, node: stmt.expression }
-      }
+    if (!isDirective(stmt)) {
+      return
+    }
+    const match = stmt.directive.match(directive)
+    if (match) {
+      return { match, node: stmt.expression }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.test.ts b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.test.ts
index 0968e551c..a5d45b22c 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,24 @@
 import { parseAstAsync } from 'vite'
 import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest'
 import { transformProxyExport } from './proxy-export'
-import { validateNonAsyncFunction } from './utils'
+import { hasDirective, validateNonAsyncFunction } from './utils'
 import { transformWrapExport } from './wrap-export'
 
+describe(hasDirective, () => {
+  test.each([
+    [`'use server'; export {};`, true],
+    [`'use strict'; 'use server'; export {};`, true],
+    [`import './setup.js'; 'use server'; export {};`, false],
+    [`('use server'); export {};`, false],
+    [`; 'use server'; export {};`, false],
+    [`'use client'; export {};`, false],
+    [`'use strict'; 'use client'; export {};`, false],
+  ])('recognizes directive prologues', async (input, expected) => {
+    const ast = await parseAstAsync(input)
+    expect(hasDirective(ast.body, 'use server')).toBe(expected)
+  })
+})
+
 describe(validateNonAsyncFunction, () => {
   // next.js's validation isn't entirely consistent.
   // for now we aim to make it at least as forgiving as next.js.
diff --git a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.ts b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.ts
index 3affcbdfc..030184dc3 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-rsc/src/transforms/utils.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
-import type { ExportDefaultDeclaration } from 'estree'
+import type { Directive, ExportDefaultDeclaration } from 'estree'
 import type { Identifier, Node, Pattern, Program } from 'estree'
 import type { ESTree } from 'vite'
 
+export function isDirective(node: Node): node is Directive {
+  // Directive is not its own `type`
+  // https://github.com/estree/estree/blob/master/es5.md#directive
+  return node.type === 'ExpressionStatement' && 'directive' in node
+}
+
 export function hasDirective(
   viteBody: ESTree.Program['body'],
   directive: string,
 ): boolean {
   const body = viteBody as unknown as Program['body']
-  return !!body.find(
-    (stmt) =>
-      stmt.type === 'ExpressionStatement' &&
-      stmt.expression.type === 'Literal' &&
-      typeof stmt.expression.value === 'string' &&
-      stmt.expression.value === directive,
-  )
+  return body.some((stmt) => isDirective(stmt) && stmt.directive === directive)
 }
 
 // Copied from periscopic `extract_names` / `extract_identifiers`