diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e0bdf12005c..0986ffdb164 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,3 +26,7 @@
 - The compiler now correctly tracks the minimum required version for expressions
   in `BitArray`s' `size` option to be `>= 1.12.0`.
   ([Giacomo Cavalieri](https://github.com/giacomocavalieri))
+
+- Added an error message when attempting to update packages that are not dependencies
+  of the project, instead of failing silently.
+  ([Etienne Boutet](https://github.com/EtienneBoutet)) and ([Vladislav Shakitskiy](https://github.com/vshakitskiy))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/dependency_manager.rs b/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/dependency_manager.rs
index bb4dc8bd69a..a46a6ed0042 100644
--- a/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/dependency_manager.rs
+++ b/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/dependency_manager.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,22 @@ use super::{
     remove_extra_packages, unlock_packages,
 };
 
+/// Verifies that all specified packages exist in the manifest.
+pub fn ensure_packages_exist_locally(manifest: &Manifest, packages: &[EcoString]) -> Result<()> {
+    let missing_packages: Vec<EcoString> = packages
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|package_name| !manifest.packages.iter().any(|p| &p.name == *package_name))
+        .cloned()
+        .collect();
+
+    if !missing_packages.is_empty() {
+        return Err(Error::PackagesToUpdateNotExist {
+            packages: missing_packages,
+        });
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 pub struct DependencyManagerConfig {
     // If `Yes` we read the manifest from disc. If not set then we ignore any
     // manifest which will result in the latest versions of the dependency
@@ -81,10 +97,12 @@ where
         if !paths.manifest().exists() {
             tracing::debug!("manifest_not_present");
             let manifest = self.perform_version_resolution(paths, config, None, Vec::new())?;
+            ensure_packages_exist_locally(&manifest, &packages_to_update)?;
             return Ok(Resolved::all_added(manifest));
         }
 
         let existing_manifest = read_manifest_from_disc(paths)?;
+        ensure_packages_exist_locally(&existing_manifest, &packages_to_update)?;
 
         // If we have been asked not to use the manifest then
         let (requirements_changed, manifest_for_resolver) = match self.use_manifest {
diff --git a/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/tests.rs b/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/tests.rs
index b8c8d6cac87..b3ec0149d68 100644
--- a/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/tests.rs
+++ b/compiler-cli/src/dependencies/tests.rs
@@ -1374,3 +1374,48 @@ fn test_pretty_print_version_updates() {
 
     insta::assert_snapshot!(output);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_ensure_packages_exist_locally_all_present() {
+    let manifest = Manifest {
+        requirements: HashMap::new(),
+        packages: vec![
+            manifest_package("package_a", "1.0.0", vec![]),
+            manifest_package("package_b", "2.0.0", vec![]),
+            manifest_package("package_c", "3.0.0", vec![]),
+        ],
+    };
+
+    let packages_to_check = vec!["package_a".into(), "package_b".into()];
+    let result = dependency_manager::ensure_packages_exist_locally(&manifest, &packages_to_check);
+
+    assert!(result.is_ok(), "All packages exist, should return Ok");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_ensure_packages_exist_locally_some_missing() {
+    let manifest = Manifest {
+        requirements: HashMap::new(),
+        packages: vec![
+            manifest_package("package_a", "1.0.0", vec![]),
+            manifest_package("package_b", "2.0.0", vec![]),
+        ],
+    };
+
+    let packages_to_check = vec![
+        "package_a".into(),
+        "package_b".into(),
+        "missing_package".into(),
+        "another_missing".into(),
+    ];
+    let result = dependency_manager::ensure_packages_exist_locally(&manifest, &packages_to_check);
+
+    match result {
+        Err(Error::PackagesToUpdateNotExist { packages }) => {
+            assert_eq!(packages.len(), 2);
+            assert!(packages.contains(&"missing_package".into()));
+            assert!(packages.contains(&"another_missing".into()));
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected PackagesToUpdateNotExist error"),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/compiler-core/src/error.rs b/compiler-core/src/error.rs
index 3f7e758e248..70d6dfebc27 100644
--- a/compiler-core/src/error.rs
+++ b/compiler-core/src/error.rs
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ file_names.iter().map(|x| x.as_str()).join(", "))]
     #[error("Packages not exist: {}", packages.iter().join(", "))]
     RemovedPackagesNotExist { packages: Vec<String> },
 
+    #[error("Packages to update not exist: {}", packages.iter().join(", "))]
+    PackagesToUpdateNotExist { packages: Vec<EcoString> },
+
     #[error("unable to find project root")]
     UnableToFindProjectRoot { path: String },
 
@@ -1012,6 +1015,24 @@ If you want to overwrite these files, delete them and run the command again.
                     "These packages are not dependencies of your package so they could not
 be removed.
 
+{}
+",
+                    packages
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|p| format!("  - {}", p.as_str()))
+                        .join("\n")
+                ),
+                level: Level::Error,
+                hint: None,
+                location: None,
+            }],
+
+            Error::PackagesToUpdateNotExist { packages } => vec![Diagnostic {
+                title: "Packages to update not found".into(),
+                text: format!(
+                    "These packages are not dependencies of your package so they could not
+be updated.
+
 {}
 ",
                     packages