diff --git a/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs b/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
index ba61d352d3..a866660f36 100644
--- a/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
@@ -97,11 +97,10 @@ pub async fn publish(
     match cli_options.start_dir.maybe_deno_json() {
       Some(deno_json) => {
         debug_assert!(!deno_json.is_package());
+        if deno_json.json.name.is_none() {
+          bail!("Missing 'name' field in '{}'.", deno_json.specifier);
+        }
         error_missing_exports_field(deno_json)?;
-        bail!(
-          "Missing 'name' or 'exports' field in '{}'.",
-          deno_json.specifier
-        );
       }
       None => {
         bail!(
diff --git a/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/__test__.jsonc b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/__test__.jsonc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..241bb87e04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/__test__.jsonc
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "args": "publish --token 'sadfasdf'",
+  "output": "publish.out",
+  "exitCode": 1
+}
diff --git a/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/deno.json b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/deno.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b0018cf62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/deno.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "exports": "./mod.ts"
+}
diff --git a/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/mod.ts b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/mod.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8d9b8a22a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/mod.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export function add(a: number, b: number): number {
+  return a + b;
+}
diff --git a/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/publish.out b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/publish.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..10e0688ef2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/specs/publish/missing_name/publish.out
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+error: Missing 'name' field in 'file:///[WILDCARD]deno.json'.