diff --git a/.changeset/hungry-pens-know.md b/.changeset/hungry-pens-know.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..695f0f7f2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hungry-pens-know.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/core": patch
+---
+
+Fixed an exception that was caused by reading the name property from a manifest that was not defined.
diff --git a/packages/core/src/install/index.ts b/packages/core/src/install/index.ts
index 6a2811e933..32f27690ac 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/install/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/install/index.ts
@@ -873,10 +873,14 @@ const _installInContext: InstallFunction = async (projects, ctx, opts) => {
             await Promise.all(
               directPkgs.map(async (dep) => {
                 const manifest = await dep.fetchingBundledManifest?.() ?? await safeReadProjectManifestOnly(dep.dir)
+                let nodeExecPath: string | undefined
+                if (manifest?.name) {
+                  nodeExecPath = project.manifest.dependenciesMeta?.[manifest.name]?.node
+                }
                 return {
                   location: dep.dir,
                   manifest,
-                  nodeExecPath: project.manifest.dependenciesMeta?.[manifest!.name!]?.node,
+                  nodeExecPath,
                 }
               })
             )