Error: Cannot find module ... 'pnpm.cjs' when using pnpm 12 in Volta v1.1.1 on macOS
Author: shirakabaCreated Sep 18, 2026Updated Sep 18, 2026
When trying to use pnpm 12 installed via Volta v1.1.1 on macOS Tahoe 26.7, it looks for a pnpm.cjs file that is not present.
# Install pnpm 12 via Volta
volta install [email protected]
success: installed and set [email protected] as default
# Try running a `pnpm install` in my repo:
pnpm install --no-frozen-lockfile
node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1459
throw err;
^
Error: Cannot find module '/Users/jamie/.volta/tools/image/pnpm/12.4.2/bin/pnpm.cjs'
at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1456:15)
at defaultResolveImpl (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1066:19)
at resolveForCJSWithHooks (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1071:22)
at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1242:25)
at wrapModuleLoad (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:255:19)
at Module.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (node:internal/modules/run_main:154:5)
at node:internal/main/run_main_module:33:47 {
code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
requireStack: []
}Source: volta-cli/volta