[BUG] Installing dependencies of nested workspaces seems to not work properly in version 8.5+

Is there an existing issue for this?

I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

In my repository, I have a nested workspace structure that looks something like this:

root/
├─ test-1/
│  ├─ test-1a/
│  │  ├─ package.json
│  ├─ test-1b/
│  │  ├─ package.json
│  ├─ package.json
├─ test-2/
│  ├─ package.json
├─ package.json

./package.json defines the directories test-1 and test-2 as workspaces
./test-1/package.json defines the directories test-1a and test-1b as workspaces
These directories have their own dependencies:
- ./test-1a
- ./test-1b
- ./test2

The problem: Running npm install in ./test-1 doesn't result in installing dependencies from test-1a and test-1b in ./test-1/node_modules. The only thing that happens is symlinking ./test-1 in ./node_modules.

Expected Behavior

In versions up to 8.4.x, running npm install in a nested workspace (directory with is both a workspace for a parent directory and defines its own workspaces) resulted in installing the dependencies from workspaces defined in its package.json to ./path-to-nested-workspace/node_modules.

Steps To Reproduce

I created a repo with the setup I'm explaining.

Either see a workflow that installs dependencies of a nested workspace for 3 different npm versions:

https://github.com/jansiegel/nested-workspace-dependencies/actions/runs/2189924517

Or:

Clone https://github.com/jansiegel/nested-workspace-dependencies
Run npm install in the root directory
cd test1
npm install
See what was installed

Environment

npm: 8.5.0+
Node.js: v16.14.2

specific npm version to avoid npm/cli#4774

Is there any ETA for this?

In my case, I can't even run scripts in the nested workspaces; npm says "no workspaces," although they are listed.

root/
├─ moon/
│  ├─ front/
│  │  ├─ package.json
│  ├─ package.json <-- npm run build -w front
├─ package.json

{
  "name": "@moon/monorepo",
  "workspaces": [
    "front"
  ],
  "scripts": {
    "build": "npm run -w front build"
  }
}

front: wire up osrd-ui to osrd front build

@wraithgar

@wraithgar Sorry for the ping, but can this get assigned a priority please? It's the 11th most thumbed up issue and it looks like this is getting completely forgotten.

PS: There are other issues with more upvotes than this one that are also labeled as "Needs triage"

@wraithgar

@wraithgar @owlstronaut Please, at this point is almost mandatory to switch to pnpm due to the lacking support that npm gives to workspace setups.

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[BUG] Installing dependencies of nested workspaces seems to not work properly in version 8.5+ #4774

Is there an existing issue for this?

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[BUG] Installing dependencies of nested workspaces seems to not work properly in version 8.5+ #4774

Description

Is there an existing issue for this?

This issue exists in the latest npm version

Current Behavior

Expected Behavior

Steps To Reproduce

Environment

Activity

agarwalvaibhav0211 commented on Jul 22, 2023

ddubrava commented on Aug 22, 2023

ferferga commented on Jul 8, 2025

ferferga commented on Mar 19, 2026

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