pnpm 12.8.2 fails with ERR_PNPM_FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE when packageManager is defined

Verify latest release

I verified that the issue exists in the latest pnpm release

pnpm version

No response

Which area(s) of pnpm are affected? (leave empty if unsure)

CLI

Link to the code that reproduces this issue or a replay of the bug

No response

Reproduction steps

The issue appears to be related to the following package.json configuration:

{
  "name": "test",
  "private": true,
  "dependencies": {},
  "packageManager": "pnpm@12.8.2",
  "main": "main.js"
}

and lockfile:

---
lockfileVersion: "9.0"

importers:
  .:
    configDependencies: {}
    packageManagerDependencies:
      pnpm:
        specifier: 12.8.2
        version: 12.8.2

packages:
  "@pnpm/exe.android-arm64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-b0gzsJQuxYCX1Pokkf9z+lvajgb5bqBExjmw4kj8H4Bwd2AfH8TkQVxDtrHGptEdkuwokEUSERdpNbRok2cc6Q==,
      }
    cpu: [arm64]
    os: [android]

  "@pnpm/exe.android-x64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-j7dzfFMc0XxwhbFvslb06r51tdIlaQQpHUcIrpM7b4ACRYr+LgrpQIB7fI8SdlqPLvsFrrzNYIZXLQN6Kc+xbQ==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [android]

  "@pnpm/exe.darwin-arm64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-J3cmPRwOVXnPspYeQ3OwwrR8Di9GWRA1aBWD/T1go/4KiD5dvwmE1Q0nW7+F2vAz7FRDRt/91/ZaAujdLX8PIA==,
      }
    cpu: [arm64]
    os: [darwin]

  "@pnpm/exe.darwin-x64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-+6UGMD/E7CfzYPqePOkVtWSpDeP7YV5L2k2IwDJykYZ4HH17aYUNGH1FHJSiBTZ/GjLAtdxy0X625sj/wm0w8w==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [darwin]

  "@pnpm/exe.freebsd-x64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-5fg6lDYuxaPSZawglnhtZMUJI+tgJxybI1DbrKDpQ1v6jitEOptzyMIsrisKVg1sWwO9lbIW+OnQC7OC29ZbOA==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [freebsd]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64-musl@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-HLOlwfubM+29gs++BDUFejTb09E9aN+4EVzOANU1V9BtoUpY0itBKXeLcxUVTtWwtfAdTUJwmgK6sNgZHC8xBg==,
      }
    cpu: [arm64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [musl]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-Q7wIusa83KRHg8MV4hbZq1Ua8pgiET2hJc6U49cd1BWxqob3lwiPg90WLZ5qqYvXM4yytLUSxsMTQlsTWjgsrA==,
      }
    cpu: [arm64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [glibc]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-ppc64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-QQhbXz7q/YK/xkTarU4wv4++aZjVOTZ8BrgLopuJkGdFNtJHJWeXA8cm/SLXir4KTb+pMyc/+Ece44pobEMbkA==,
      }
    cpu: [ppc64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [glibc]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-riscv64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-gfoFW48o3SHMM6hsTKYwobtGKzMR8y+8A9fuXcc0YMdJubR3BmCtzyUa98IWcxM+kE0mKwQYvzxjeaAVppX7qA==,
      }
    cpu: [riscv64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [glibc]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-s390x@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-O786sSXtm9Qs5BiUQMKaOGU9n7/UwGzYSTAP2+ltaNMeOTrJSkl9QszOMzlK31/JfTnV4F5dg9PQN2pWdW4aOQ==,
      }
    cpu: [s390x]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [glibc]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64-musl@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-GJ9ZkN9RVlu1LGRYTFjp7c/QAbSYaaVzplP00m4ijKdiv+fGeINeIETBR5MdUZ8biPZf7MJFoKHhMnz88JIj5A==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [musl]

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-2rjP1HbpSMeSyfbP2CcGG0L2+r+9gHKAjYCZZQj/3SdQBywugJ9aa5OWyPp6yz0Z5xd7tKdUtQJh09TnZOUhwA==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [linux]
    libc: [glibc]

  "@pnpm/exe.win32-arm64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-B1bszoDtTn4o6VGHAE/wrcjceW0zUsxIakTguK3vgbZZ4t6oCv+0d100gJzjmynxg9mHmBXH35JT87SGzyXE2g==,
      }
    cpu: [arm64]
    os: [win32]

  "@pnpm/exe.win32-x64@12.8.2":
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-rOZPUUTU1PHop5dsBQcdQZCnRp7Nz5/v0fnRJkL/4kgKPRONwzD809YwQ/s4mBdSgRY5CcGaYrzwOerp+pFbRg==,
      }
    cpu: [x64]
    os: [win32]

  pnpm@12.8.2:
    resolution:
      {
        integrity: sha512-pZQWeWY9lSxfDsw4upivmLTcAblXgDVPaJTy+HOXPO8vfimJ19s+5Tk5OK4h9i/ga832hdR13a2CmmIJXSuLEQ==,
      }
    engines: { node: ">=18.*" }
    hasBin: true

snapshots:
  "@pnpm/exe.android-arm64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.android-x64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.darwin-arm64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.darwin-x64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.freebsd-x64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64-musl@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-ppc64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-riscv64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-s390x@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64-musl@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.win32-arm64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  "@pnpm/exe.win32-x64@12.8.2":
    optional: true

  pnpm@12.8.2:
    optionalDependencies:
      "@pnpm/exe.android-arm64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.android-x64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.darwin-arm64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.darwin-x64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.freebsd-x64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-arm64-musl": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-ppc64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-riscv64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-s390x": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.linux-x64-musl": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.win32-arm64": 12.8.2
      "@pnpm/exe.win32-x64": 12.8.2

Describe the Bug

The error indicates that pnpm wants to update packageManagerDependencies, but this is prohibited by --frozen-lockfile.

Error: ERR_PNPM_FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE
  × resolve package manager dependencies
  ╰─▶ Cannot update packageManagerDependencies with "frozen-lockfile" because
      the lockfile is not up to date

Expected Behavior

If:

"packageManager": "pnpm@12.8.2"

is present in package.json, and the lockfile contains:

pnpm install --frozen-lockfile

should consider the lockfile up to date and proceed successfully.

Which Node.js version are you using?

24.21.0

Which operating systems have you used?

macOS
Windows
Linux

If your OS is a Linux based, which one it is? (Include the version if relevant)

No response

Contributing a fix

I am working on a fix

A fix is open in #16479. It covers the whole issue.

The lockfile in the report holds only the section that records the pinned pnpm, with no --- separator after it. pnpm read that shape as having no pinned version, so --frozen-lockfile reported the lockfile as outdated. Even with the separator present, a frozen install still failed in a project with no dependencies, because the main lockfile section was empty. pnpm writes exactly that file when a command such as pnpm run runs before the first install.

With the PR, pnpm reads the pin from both shapes, and a frozen install in a project with no dependencies succeeds without a main lockfile section. The fix lands in both pnpm 11 and pnpm 12.

Written by an agent (Claude Code, claude-opus-5-5).

fix(install): accept a lockfile that records only the pinned pnpm

fix(install): accept a lockfile that records only the pinned pnpm (#1…

docs(release): curate the pacquet 12.9.0 release notes

chore(release): pacquet 12.9.0 (#16539)

@zkochan

@zkochan I don't think that was the problem. I can reproduce the bug with v12.9.0 as well. To simplify the reproduction, I removed all other dependencies.

As you can see from the error message, it seems to be related to packageManagerDependencies:

Cannot update packageManagerDependencies with "frozen-lockfile" because the lockfile is not up to date.

js(deps) pnpm 12.6.0 -> 12.7.0

fix(deps): update dependencias no-major (#23)

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pnpm 12.8.2 fails with ERR_PNPM_FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE when packageManager is defined #16477

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pnpm 12.8.2 fails with ERR_PNPM_FROZEN_LOCKFILE_WITH_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE when packageManager is defined #16477

Description

Verify latest release

pnpm version

Which area(s) of pnpm are affected? (leave empty if unsure)

Link to the code that reproduces this issue or a replay of the bug

Reproduction steps

Describe the Bug

Expected Behavior

Which Node.js version are you using?

Which operating systems have you used?

If your OS is a Linux based, which one it is? (Include the version if relevant)

Contributing a fix

Activity

zkochan commented on Oct 1, 2026

ertl commented on Oct 3, 2026

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