diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
index db8b41aee6a..2da788ddeec 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
@@ -451,13 +451,11 @@ package-vc-install-dependencies
                              (desc (cadr (assoc package pac))))
                         (and desc (seq-some
                                    (apply-partially #'depends-on-p target)
-                                   (package-desc-reqs desc))))))
+                                   (mapcar #'car (package-desc-reqs desc)))))))
                 (dependent-order (a b)
                   (let ((desc-a (package-desc-name a))
                         (desc-b (package-desc-name b)))
-                    (or (not desc-a) (not desc-b)
-                        (not (depends-on-p desc-b desc-a))
-                        (depends-on-p desc-a desc-b)))))
+                    (depends-on-p desc-a desc-b))))
       (mapc #'search requirements)
       (cl-callf sort to-install #'version-order)
       (cl-callf seq-uniq to-install #'duplicate-p)