python-poetry/poetry · error · RuntimeError

The dependency name for {dependency.name} does not match the

Error message

The dependency name for {dependency.name} does not match the actual package's name: {package.name}

What it means

Raised by Provider.validate_package_for_dependency() when a resolved Package's name differs from the Dependency's name that pulled it in. Poetry requires the canonical names to match so the resolver's bookkeeping stays consistent; a mismatch usually indicates the dependency was pointed at a distribution whose real package name differs (e.g. a renamed project).

Source

Thrown at src/poetry/puzzle/provider.py:277

            self._env = None
            self._package_python_constraint = original_python_constraint

    @contextmanager
    def use_latest_for(self, names: Collection[NormalizedName]) -> Iterator[Provider]:
        self._use_latest = names

        try:
            yield self
        finally:
            self._use_latest = []

    @staticmethod
    def validate_package_for_dependency(
        dependency: Dependency, package: Package
    ) -> None:
        if dependency.name != package.name:
            # For now, the dependency's name must match the actual package's name
            raise RuntimeError(
                f"The dependency name for {dependency.name} does not match the actual"
                f" package's name: {package.name}"
            )

    def search_for_direct_origin_dependency(self, dependency: Dependency) -> Package:
        package = self._deferred_cache.get(dependency)
        if package is not None:
            pass

        elif dependency.is_vcs():
            dependency = cast("VCSDependency", dependency)
            package = self._search_for_vcs(dependency)

        elif dependency.is_file():
            dependency = cast("FileDependency", dependency)
            package = self._search_for_file(dependency)

        elif dependency.is_directory():

View on GitHub (pinned to 92b74dcfe3)

Solutions

1. Update the dependency declaration to use the package's actual canonical name.
2. If the project was renamed, point at the new name and version.
3. For url/vcs/file deps, verify the upstream's pyproject.toml/setup.py [project].name matches what you declared.
4. Run `poetry show <dep>` or inspect the fetched archive metadata to confirm the real name.

Example fix

// before: dependency name mismatch
[tool.poetry.dependencies]
foo = { git = "https://github.com/org/foo-lib.git" }
# but foo-lib's pyproject.toml name = "foo-lib"

// after
[tool.poetry.dependencies]
foo-lib = { git = "https://github.com/org/foo-lib.git" }

from poetry.core.utils.patterns import canonicalize_name

def names_match(dependency_name: str, package_name: str) -> bool:
    return canonicalize_name(dependency_name) == canonicalize_name(package_name)

from poetry.puzzle.provider import Provider

try:
    Provider.validate_package_for_dependency(dep, pkg)
except RuntimeError:
    # names diverge; realign the declaration to pkg.name
    ...

When it happens

Trigger: A dependency declaration names one package but the source it resolves to (file/url/vcs/directory) yields a package with a different canonical name. validate_package_for_dependency() is called after a direct-origin or source package is fetched.

Common situations: A dependency on 'foo' that actually installs a project renamed to 'foo-lib'; a git/url dep where the repo/package was renamed but pyproject.toml still references the old name; a fork published under a different name; a wheel whose metadata name differs from its filename.

Related errors

• {dependency}: unknown direct dependency type {dependency.sou
• Incompatible constraints in requirements of {package}: {cons
• Could not find a matching version of package {name}
• Unsupported VCS dependency {vcs}
• Invalid dependency specification: {requirement}

AI-assisted analysis of python-poetry/poetry@92b74dcfe3 (2026-08-04). Data as JSON: /data/errors/8afee99a75fdc123.json. Report an issue: GitHub.