diff --git a/sqlmesh/core/context.py b/sqlmesh/core/context.py
index 18df3a01fd..c0d9b21ff8 100644
--- a/sqlmesh/core/context.py
+++ b/sqlmesh/core/context.py
@@ -2537,8 +2537,8 @@ def clear_caches(self) -> None:
         if self.cache_dir.exists():
             rmtree(self.cache_dir)
 
-        if isinstance(self.state_sync, CachingStateSync):
-            self.state_sync.clear_cache()
+        if isinstance(self._state_sync, CachingStateSync):
+            self._state_sync.clear_cache()
 
     def export_state(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/core/test_context.py b/tests/core/test_context.py
index 0f14fd4a8b..e0567e8168 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_context.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_context.py
@@ -647,6 +647,9 @@ def test_clear_caches(tmp_path: pathlib.Path):
     assert not cache_dir.exists()
     assert models_dir.exists()
 
+    # Ensure that we don't initialize a CachingStateSync only to clear its (empty) caches
+    assert context._state_sync is None
+
     # Test clearing caches when cache directory doesn't exist
     # This should not raise an exception
     context.clear_caches()