diff --git a/packages/driver/src/cy/jquery.js b/packages/driver/src/cy/jquery.js
index 830932279e54..a79f296e93f0 100644
--- a/packages/driver/src/cy/jquery.js
+++ b/packages/driver/src/cy/jquery.js
@@ -14,14 +14,16 @@ const create = function (state) {
 
   return {
     getRemotejQueryInstance (subject) {
-      const remoteJQuery = jquery()
-
       // we make assumptions that you cannot have
       // an array of mixed types, so we only look at
       // the first item (if there's an array)
       const firstSubject = $utils.unwrapFirst(subject)
 
-      if ($dom.isElement(firstSubject) && remoteJQueryisNotSameAsGlobal(remoteJQuery)) {
+      if (!$dom.isElement(firstSubject)) return
+
+      const remoteJQuery = jquery()
+
+      if (remoteJQueryisNotSameAsGlobal(remoteJQuery)) {
         const remoteSubject = remoteJQuery(subject)
 
         return remoteSubject