diff --git a/.changeset/defer-maintainer-validate-review.md b/.changeset/defer-maintainer-validate-review.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f7eeee63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/defer-maintainer-validate-review.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/intent': patch
+---
+
+Load `validate` and `review` command modules in `intent maintainer` only when the requested action uses them. `maintainer setup`, `add`, `remove`, and `sync` no longer evaluate the validation, example-checking, and review command bundles at startup; behavior does not change.
diff --git a/packages/intent/src/commands/maintainer.ts b/packages/intent/src/commands/maintainer.ts
index 8034c061..71370e5e 100644
--- a/packages/intent/src/commands/maintainer.ts
+++ b/packages/intent/src/commands/maintainer.ts
@@ -21,14 +21,11 @@ import {
 } from '../maintainer/distribution.js'
 import { planSetupGithubActions } from '../setup/index.js'
 import { detectIntentCommandPackageManager } from '../shared/command-runner.js'
-import { describeSkillExamples } from '../validate/blocks.js'
 import { getMetaDir } from './support.js'
 import {
   buildMaintainerGuidanceBlock,
   planIntentSkillsBlock,
 } from './install/guidance.js'
-import { runReviewCommand } from './review.js'
-import { runValidateCommand } from './validate.js'
 import type { DistributionOptions } from '../maintainer/distribution.js'
 import type { ReviewPrompts } from '../review/interactive.js'
 
@@ -326,6 +323,7 @@ export async function runMaintainerCommand(
       await runInteractiveReview(process.cwd(), options.base, prompts)
       return
     }
+    const { runReviewCommand } = await import('./review.js')
     runReviewCommand(undefined, options)
     return
   }
@@ -474,6 +472,7 @@ export async function runMaintainerCommand(
   const validatedExamples = new Map<string, string>()
   let validation: unknown
   if (action === 'check') {
+    const { runValidateCommand } = await import('./validate.js')
     // Include default workspace skills and any custom registered roots. Their errors land in
     // one report and one summary section, and the failure is rethrown after
     // the check summary below so the two sections keep their order.
@@ -494,7 +493,9 @@ export async function runMaintainerCommand(
       ? validatedExamples
       : options.json
         ? new Map<string, string>()
-        : await describeSkillExamples(
+        : await (
+            await import('../validate/blocks.js')
+          ).describeSkillExamples(
             project.root,
             review.items
               .filter((item) => item.kind === 'skill' && !item.problems.length)