diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/universal/files/src/__main@stripTsExtension__.ts.template b/packages/schematics/angular/universal/files/src/__main@stripTsExtension__.ts.template
index 4e9897c5ae49..b5c93cc71980 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/universal/files/src/__main@stripTsExtension__.ts.template
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/universal/files/src/__main@stripTsExtension__.ts.template
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
-<% if (hasLocalizePackage) { %>/***************************************************************************************************
+<% if (hasPlatformServerInit) { %>/***************************************************************************************************
+ * Initialize the server environment - for example, adding DOM built-in types to the global scope.
+ *
+ * NOTE:
+ * This import must come before any imports (direct or transitive) that rely on DOM built-ins being
+ * available, such as `@angular/elements`.
+ */
+import '@angular/localize/init';
+
+<% } %><% if (hasLocalizePackage) { %>/***************************************************************************************************
  * Load `$localize` onto the global scope - used if i18n tags appear in Angular templates.
-*/
+ */
 import '@angular/localize/init';
 
 <% } %>import { enableProdMode } from '@angular/core';
diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/universal/index.ts b/packages/schematics/angular/universal/index.ts
index 67d6be6f7be8..efd80612298f 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/universal/index.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/universal/index.ts
@@ -248,6 +248,8 @@ export default function (options: UniversalOptions): Rule {
     // and we don't want to break the 'ng add @nguniversal/express-engine schematics'
     const rootInSrc = clientProject.root === '' && clientTsConfig.includes('src/');
     const tsConfigDirectory = join(normalize(clientProject.root), rootInSrc ? 'src' : '');
+    const ngVersion = getPackageJsonDependency(host, '@angular/core')?.version ?? '0.0.0';
+    const ngMajorVersion = ngVersion.match(/^[^~>=]*(\d+)/)?.[1] ?? '0';
 
     if (!options.skipInstall) {
       context.addTask(new NodePackageInstallTask());
@@ -259,6 +261,7 @@ export default function (options: UniversalOptions): Rule {
         ...options as object,
         stripTsExtension: (s: string) => s.replace(/\.ts$/, ''),
         hasLocalizePackage: !!getPackageJsonDependency(host, '@angular/localize'),
+        hasPlatformServerInit: Number(ngMajorVersion) >= 12,
       }),
       move(join(normalize(clientProject.root), 'src')),
     ]);