diff --git a/internal/resolver/resolver.go b/internal/resolver/resolver.go
index b3269d8da..706357a89 100644
--- a/internal/resolver/resolver.go
+++ b/internal/resolver/resolver.go
@@ -59,21 +59,28 @@ func (r *Resolver) Resolve(reqs []*chart.Dependency, repoNames map[string]string
 	locked := make([]*chart.Dependency, len(reqs))
 	missing := []string{}
 	for i, d := range reqs {
+		var constraint *semver.Constraints
+
+		// Validate version early if set, regardless of local or remote
+		if d.Version != "" {
+			var err error
+			constraint, err = semver.NewConstraint(d.Version)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("dependency %q has an invalid version/constraint format: %w", d.Name, err)
+			}
+		}
+
 		// Handle local chart dependencies (empty repository)
 		if d.Repository == "" {
-			// Local chart subfolder - maintain backward compatibility
-			if _, err := GetLocalPath(filepath.Join("charts", d.Name), r.chartpath); err != nil {
+			chartpath, err := GetLocalPath(filepath.Join("charts", d.Name), r.chartpath)
+			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
 
-			// For empty repository, determine version from local chart if not specified
 			version := d.Version
-			if version == "" {
-				chartpath, err := GetLocalPath(filepath.Join("charts", d.Name), r.chartpath)
-				if err != nil {
-					return nil, err
-				}
 
+			// Determine version from local chart if not specified
+			if version == "" {
 				ch, err := loader.LoadDir(chartpath)
 				if err != nil {
 					return nil, err
@@ -113,11 +120,6 @@ func (r *Resolver) Resolve(reqs []*chart.Dependency, repoNames map[string]string
 
 			// If version is specified, validate it against the local chart
 			if d.Version != "" {
-				constraint, err := semver.NewConstraint(d.Version)
-				if err != nil {
-					return nil, fmt.Errorf("dependency %q has an invalid version/constraint format: %w", d.Name, err)
-				}
-
 				if !constraint.Check(v) {
 					missing = append(missing, fmt.Sprintf("%q (repository %q, version %q)", d.Name, d.Repository, d.Version))
 					continue
@@ -132,16 +134,6 @@ func (r *Resolver) Resolve(reqs []*chart.Dependency, repoNames map[string]string
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Handle remote repository dependencies
-		var constraint *semver.Constraints
-		if d.Version != "" {
-			var err error
-			constraint, err = semver.NewConstraint(d.Version)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("dependency %q has an invalid version/constraint format: %w", d.Name, err)
-			}
-		}
-
 		repoName := repoNames[d.Name]
 		// if the repository was not defined, but the dependency defines a repository url, bypass the cache
 		if repoName == "" && d.Repository != "" {
@@ -216,7 +208,7 @@ func (r *Resolver) Resolve(reqs []*chart.Dependency, repoNames map[string]string
 				// Not a legit entry.
 				continue
 			}
-			if constraint == nil || constraint.Check(v) {
+			if constraint.Check(v) {
 				found = true
 				locked[i].Version = v.Original()
 				break