March 4, 2025 / 464 /

How to Fix ERR_PNPM_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE Error on Vercel

Mohammad Jamiu

Read Time 🕠 - 2mins

I was trying to deploy my Next.js project to Vercel, but the build failed with the following error:

ERR_PNPM_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE Cannot install with "frozen-lockfile" because pnpm-lock.yaml is not up to date with package.json

I realized that Vercel enforces a strict pnpm install process with the --frozen-lockfile flag, meaning it expects the pnpm-lock.yaml file to be perfectly in sync with package.json.

However, pnpm install ran without issues locally, indicating a possible mismatch between my lockfile and dependencies.

The Solution

To resolve this issue, I followed these steps:

1. Force Regenerate the Lockfile Locally

I ran the following command to update the lockfile explicitly:

pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile

This ensured that pnpm-lock.yaml was correctly regenerated to match the dependencies in package.json.

2. Commit and Push the Updated Lockfile

Since Vercel pulls the latest committed code, I had to commit and push the updated lockfile:

git add pnpm-lock.yaml
git commit -m "Fix pnpm lockfile mismatch"
git push origin main

After making these adjustments, my deployment on Vercel succeeded without encountering the lockfile error. 🚀

3. Set the Correct Install Command on Vercel

If the above step does not work, you can prevent Vercel from enforcing --frozen-lockfile by updating your Vercel project settings:

Open Vercel Dashboard
Navigate to Settings > Build & Development
Locate the Build Command section

Set the build command to:

pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile && pnpm build

4. (Optional) Delete and Regenerate the Lockfile

If the problem persists, try deleting the lockfile and reinstalling dependencies:

rm pnpm-lock.yaml
pnpm install

Then, repeat Step 2 to commit and push the changes.

After making these adjustments, your deployment on Vercel should succeed without encountering the lockfile error. 🚀

FAQ

1. Why is Vercel failing with `ERR_PNPM_OUTDATED_LOCKFILE`?

Vercel enforces strict lockfile consistency with pnpm install --frozen-lockfile.

If your pnpm-lock.yaml is outdated (not matching package.json), the build will fail.

2. Should I delete the `pnpm-lock.yaml` file?

Only as a last resort. First, try updating it with pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile.

If issues persist, delete and regenerate it with pnpm install.

3. How do I prevent this issue in the future?

Always commit pnpm-lock.yaml whenever dependencies change.
Run pnpm install locally before pushing new dependencies.
Use Dependabot or Renovate to keep dependencies updated.

4. Can I disable `frozen-lockfile` on Vercel?

Yes, update your build command to:

pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile && pnpm build

This prevents Vercel from enforcing strict lockfile consistency.