diff --git a/pkg/action/package.go b/pkg/action/package.go
index 963883707..0ab49538c 100644
--- a/pkg/action/package.go
+++ b/pkg/action/package.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (p *Package) Run(path string, _ map[string]interface{}) (string, error) {
 		ch.Metadata.AppVersion = p.AppVersion
 	}
 
-	if reqs := ac.MetaDependencies(); reqs != nil {
+	if reqs := ac.MetaDependencies(); len(reqs) > 0 {
 		if err := CheckDependencies(ch, reqs); err != nil {
 			return "", err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/install.go b/pkg/cmd/install.go
index e5d311394..d36cd9e34 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/install.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/install.go
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func runInstall(args []string, client *action.Install, valueOpts *values.Options
 		slog.Warn("this chart is deprecated")
 	}
 
-	if req := ac.MetaDependencies(); req != nil {
+	if req := ac.MetaDependencies(); len(req) > 0 {
 		// If CheckDependencies returns an error, we have unfulfilled dependencies.
 		// As of Helm 2.4.0, this is treated as a stopping condition:
 		// https://github.com/helm/helm/issues/2209
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/upgrade.go b/pkg/cmd/upgrade.go
index 92f130f60..bcb4b048f 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/upgrade.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/upgrade.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func newUpgradeCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			if req := ac.MetaDependencies(); req != nil {
+			if req := ac.MetaDependencies(); len(req) > 0 {
 				if err := action.CheckDependencies(ch, req); err != nil {
 					err = fmt.Errorf("an error occurred while checking for chart dependencies. You may need to run `helm dependency build` to fetch missing dependencies: %w", err)
 					if client.DependencyUpdate {