# Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory" - Fix Dependencies in CI

> Fix Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory" / "no cached repo found" in CI - subchart dependencies declared but never built; run helm dependency build.

Source: https://latchkey.dev/learn/kubernetes/helm-dependency-missing-build  
Updated: 2026-06-25

A chart’s `Chart.yaml` declares dependencies, but the `charts/` directory does not contain them. Helm will not pull subcharts implicitly at install time - you must run `helm dependency build`/`update` first, which CI often skips.

## Diagnose it: render the chart before you install it

Most Helm failures are visible in the rendered manifests. Template them locally with the same values CI uses and you will usually see the problem without touching the cluster.

```Terminal
# what will actually be applied
helm template <release> <chart> -f values.ci.yaml | head -60

# validate against the live cluster schema without installing
helm install <release> <chart> -f values.ci.yaml --dry-run --debug

# what state is the release actually in?
helm history <release>
helm status <release>
```

> A release stuck `pending-upgrade` blocks every later deploy and is usually left behind by a CI job that was cancelled mid-upgrade. `helm rollback` to the last good revision clears it.

## FAQ

### What causes Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory"?

There are 2 common causes: dependencies never built/vendored and dependency repo not added. A fresh checkout has Chart.yaml deps but an empty charts/ (the subcharts and Chart.lock were not committed), and CI did not run helm dependency build.

### How do I fix Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory"?

There are 2 fixes depending on which cause you have: build dependencies before install and add the dependency repos first. Work through them in order, since the first is the most common.

### What does Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory" actually mean?

helm install/upgrade/template fails with found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory: <dep> or no cached repo found ...

### How do I stop Helm "found in Chart.yaml, but missing in charts/ directory" happening again?

Run helm dependency build as an explicit early CI step. The prevention section lists 3 changes that keep it from recurring.

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Latchkey runs CI/CD that repairs its own failures. Agent entry points: https://latchkey.dev/agent.txt, https://latchkey.dev/openapi.json, https://latchkey.dev/llms.txt