[BUG] npm install fails with "Exit handler never called!" after cleaning node_modules

[mm-lilianka]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

Running npm install fails with "Exit handler never called!". This happened after a previous npm install failed with ENOTEMPTY (rename of node_modules/ajv-formats). I removed node_modules and ran npm install again; the second run produced this error instead.

Expected Behavior

npm install completes and installs dependencies.

Steps To Reproduce

1. In a project with existing package-lock.json, run npm install.
2. If a previous install left node_modules in a bad state, run rm -rf node_modules then npm install again.

Install fails with:

• Error: Exit handler never called!
• Message: "This is an error with npm itself. Please report this error at: https://github.com/npm/cli/issues"

Environment

• OS: [e.g. macOS – Version 26.2 (25C56)]
• Node: node -v v24.12.0
• npm: npm -v 11.6.2
• Project: Node/npm project (e.g. React + Storybook + Vite).

; copy and paste output from `npm config ls` 
; "default" config from default values
_auth = (protected)
access = null
all = false
allow-same-version = false
also = null
audit = true
audit-level = null
auth-type = "web"
before = null
bin-links = true
browser = null
ca = null
cache = "[redacted].npm"
cache-max = null
cache-min = 0
cafile = null
call = ""
cert = null
cidr = null
color = true
commit-hooks = true
cpu = null
depth = null
description = true
dev = false
diff = []
diff-dst-prefix = "b/"
diff-ignore-all-space = false
diff-name-only = false
diff-no-prefix = false
diff-src-prefix = "a/"
diff-text = false
diff-unified = 3
dry-run = false
editor = "vi"
engine-strict = false
expect-result-count = null
expect-results = null
fetch-retries = 2
fetch-retry-factor = 10
fetch-retry-maxtimeout = 60000
fetch-retry-mintimeout = 10000
fetch-timeout = 300000
force = false
foreground-scripts = false
format-package-lock = true
fund = true
git = "git"
git-tag-version = true
global = false
global-style = false
globalconfig = "/usr/local/etc/npmrc"
heading = "npm"
https-proxy = null
if-present = false
ignore-scripts = false
include = []
include-staged = false
include-workspace-root = false
init-author-email = ""
init-author-name = ""
init-author-url = ""
init-license = "ISC"
init-module = "[redacted].npm-init.js"
init-private = false
init-type = "commonjs"
init-version = "1.0.0"
init.author.email = ""
init.author.name = ""
init.author.url = ""
init.license = "ISC"
init.module = "[redacted].npm-init.js"
init.version = "1.0.0"
install-links = false
install-strategy = "hoisted"
json = false
key = null
legacy-bundling = false
legacy-peer-deps = false
libc = null
link = false
local-address = null
location = "user"
lockfile-version = null
loglevel = "notice"
logs-dir = null
logs-max = 10
; long = false ; overridden by cli
maxsockets = 15
message = "%s"
node-gyp = "/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/bin/node-gyp.js"
node-options = null
noproxy = [""]
npm-version = "11.6.2"
offline = false
omit = []
omit-lockfile-registry-resolved = false
only = null
optional = null
os = null
otp = null
pack-destination = "."
package = []
package-lock = true
package-lock-only = false
parseable = false
prefer-dedupe = false
prefer-offline = false
prefer-online = false
prefix = "/usr/local"
preid = ""
production = null
progress = true
provenance = false
provenance-file = null
proxy = null
read-only = false
rebuild-bundle = true
registry = "https://registry.npmjs.org/"
replace-registry-host = "npmjs"
save = true
save-bundle = false
save-dev = false
save-exact = false
save-optional = false
save-peer = false
save-prefix = "^"
save-prod = false
sbom-format = null
sbom-type = "library"
scope = ""
script-shell = null
searchexclude = ""
searchlimit = 20
searchopts = ""
searchstaleness = 900
shell = "/bin/zsh"
shrinkwrap = true
sign-git-commit = false
sign-git-tag = false
strict-peer-deps = false
; strict-ssl = true ; overridden by user
tag = "latest"
tag-version-prefix = "v"
timing = false
umask = 0
unicode = true
update-notifier = true
usage = false
user-agent = "npm/{npm-version} node/{node-version} {platform} {arch} workspaces/{workspaces} {ci}"
userconfig = "[redacted].npmrc"
version = false
versions = false
viewer = "man"
which = null
workspace = []
workspaces = null
workspaces-update = true
yes = null

; "user" config from [redacted]

strict-ssl = true

; "cli" config from command line options

long = true

npm debug.rtf

[kchindam-infy]

Closing: this error can arise for a number of reasons; Please read this document & refile an issue with as much information as possible if you're able to consistently reproduce this error. I request more information such as the package.json file and steps to reproduce.