patch location ` ` does not contain packages matching `…

Error message

patch location `{}` does not contain packages matching `{}`
help: check `{}` patch definition for `{}` in `{}`

What it means

The `[patch]` target source contains zero packages matching the patched dependency name. After collecting available versions (`vers`), if `found.is_empty()` the registry bails: the patch points at a source that has no crate by that name. This is the `found.is_empty()` branch at registry.rs:1040.

Solutions

Verify the package name in the patch exactly matches a package in the target source.
Check the patch URL/path is correct and the source is reachable.
If the crate was renamed, update the patch key and dependency to the new name.

Example fix

# before
[patch.crates-io]
foo = { git = "https://example.com/wrong-repo" }

# after
[patch.crates-io]
foo = { git = "https://example.com/correct-repo" }

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Confirm the target source actually contains the named package
fn patch_source_has_package(available_names: &[&str], patched_name: &str) -> bool {
    available_names.iter().any(|n| *n == patched_name)
}

Prevention

Verify the patch URL/path hosts a crate with the exact patched name.
Watch for crate renames; update both dep and patch keys.
Clone the patch source and run `cargo metadata` to list package names.

When it happens

Trigger: `[patch.crates-io] foo = { git = "https://..." }` but the git repo has no package named `foo` (typo, wrong repo, or the crate was renamed/removed).

Common situations: Typo in the package name or repo URL. Pointing a patch at a repo that hosts a differently-named crate. The upstream crate was renamed but the patch still uses the old name.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of rust-lang/cargo@98a09e7e7d (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/f30b7894b2f37ff9. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/workspace/registry.rs:1062

        });
    let mut vers = name_summaries
        .iter()
        .filter_map(|s| match s {
            IndexSummary::Candidate(s) => Some(s.version()),
            _ => None,
        })
        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
    let found = match vers.len() {
        0 => "".to_string(),
        1 => format!("version `{}`", vers[0]),
        _ => {
            vers.sort();
            let strs: Vec<_> = vers.into_iter().map(|v| v.to_string()).collect();
            format!("versions `{}`", strs.join(", "))
        }
    };
    Err(if found.is_empty() {
        anyhow::anyhow!(
            "patch location `{}` does not contain packages matching `{}`\n\
            help: check `{}` patch definition for `{}` in `{}`",
            &original_patch.dep.source_id(),
            &original_patch.dep.package_name(),
            &original_patch.dep.package_name(),
            orig_patch_url,
            original_patch.loc
        )
    } else {
        anyhow::anyhow!(
            "patch `{}` version mismatch\n\
            note: patch location contains {}, but patch definition requires `{}`\n\
            help: check patch location `{}`\n\
            help: check `{}` patch definition for `{}` in `{}`",
            &original_patch.dep.package_name(),
            found,
            &original_patch.dep.version_req(),
            &original_patch.dep.source_id(),

View on GitHub (pinned to 98a09e7e7d)