diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 53e0ed2557..a81fba36a3 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@
 				"@vscode/test-electron": "^2.5.2",
 				"@vscode/test-web": "^0.0.71",
 				"@vscode/vsce": "3.6.0",
-				"@vscode/zeromq": "0.2.7",
 				"copyfiles": "^2.4.1",
 				"csv-parse": "^6.0.0",
 				"dotenv": "^17.2.0",
@@ -6805,13 +6804,6 @@
 				"node": "*"
 			}
 		},
-		"node_modules/@vscode/zeromq": {
-			"version": "0.2.7",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@vscode/zeromq/-/zeromq-0.2.7.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha512-lbnfCMoVe6O7aHL0TkQJSU+yd5Hs1A6mpr/zG/C+ibFXlhGq7rUEIHt4krf6P9gn0rgoAYJceJkvLHnvDWk5/A==",
-			"dev": true,
-			"license": "MIT"
-		},
 		"node_modules/@xterm/headless": {
 			"version": "5.5.0",
 			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@xterm/headless/-/headless-5.5.0.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 2f0c0b64d6..62342bc368 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -4018,7 +4018,6 @@
 		"@vscode/test-electron": "^2.5.2",
 		"@vscode/test-web": "^0.0.71",
 		"@vscode/vsce": "3.6.0",
-		"@vscode/zeromq": "0.2.7",
 		"copyfiles": "^2.4.1",
 		"csv-parse": "^6.0.0",
 		"dotenv": "^17.2.0",
diff --git a/script/postinstall.ts b/script/postinstall.ts
index 7e7f0937b9..b81de31bc5 100644
--- a/script/postinstall.ts
+++ b/script/postinstall.ts
@@ -3,17 +3,28 @@
  *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-import { downloadZMQ } from '@vscode/zeromq';
+// --- Start Positron ---
+// zeromq dependency removed - tests that depend on it will be skipped
+// import { downloadZMQ } from '@vscode/zeromq';
+let downloadZMQ: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined;
+try {
+	// Check if the package exists before trying to require it
+	const zeromqPath = require.resolve('@vscode/zeromq');
+	if (zeromqPath) {
+		downloadZMQ = require('@vscode/zeromq').downloadZMQ;
+	}
+} catch (e) {
+	// @vscode/zeromq not available, skip ZMQ download
+	downloadZMQ = undefined;
+}
+// --- End Positron ---
+
 import { spawn } from 'child_process';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import * as path from 'path';
 import { compressTikToken } from './build/compressTikToken';
 import { copyStaticAssets } from './build/copyStaticAssets';
 
-// --- Start Positron ---
-import { spawn } from 'child_process';
-// --- End Positron ---
-
 export interface ITreeSitterGrammar {
 	name: string;
 	/**
@@ -157,10 +168,14 @@ async function main() {
 		'node_modules/@vscode/tree-sitter-wasm/wasm/tree-sitter.wasm',
 	], 'dist');
 
-	// Clone zeromq.js from specific commit
-	await cloneZeroMQ('1cbebce3e17801bea63a4dcc975b982923cb4592');
 
-	await downloadZMQ();
+	if (downloadZMQ) {
+		// Clone zeromq.js from specific commit
+		await cloneZeroMQ('1cbebce3e17801bea63a4dcc975b982923cb4592');
+		await downloadZMQ();
+	} else {
+		console.log('Skipping ZMQ download - zeromq dependency not available (tests requiring zeromq will be skipped)');
+	}
 
 	// Check if the base cache file exists
 	const baseCachePath = path.join('test', 'simulation', 'cache', 'base.sqlite');
diff --git a/test/simulation/notebookValidator.ts b/test/simulation/notebookValidator.ts
index 19f37e74d5..fd2cef38fb 100644
--- a/test/simulation/notebookValidator.ts
+++ b/test/simulation/notebookValidator.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,14 @@ import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'os';
 import { join } from 'path';
 import type * as vscode from 'vscode';
-import type { Dealer, Push, Socket, Subscriber } from 'zeromq';
+// --- Start Positron ---
+// import type { Dealer, Push, Socket, Subscriber } from 'zeromq';
+// zeromq dependency removed - import types conditionally
+type Dealer = any;
+type Push = any;
+type Socket = any;
+type Subscriber = any;
+// --- End Positron ---
 import { ITestingServicesAccessor } from '../../src/platform/test/node/services';
 import { createSha256Hash } from '../../src/util/common/crypto';
 import { ExtHostNotebookDocumentData, translateDisplayDataOutput, translateErrorOutput, translateStreamOutput } from '../../src/util/common/test/shims/notebookDocument';
@@ -120,7 +127,10 @@ export function getZeroMQ(): typeof import('zeromq') {
 		const zmq = require(`${'zeromq'}`);
 		return zmq;
 	} catch (e) {
-		throw e;
+		// --- Start Positron ---
+		// throw e;
+		throw new Error('zeromq dependency is not available. Tests requiring zeromq functionality have been disabled.');
+		// --- End Positron ---
 	}
 }