Minimal reproduction for npm/cli#3847 without any npm link or file: references, just a plain NPM workspace referring to other packages by package name:

$ # Reproduces with all the following:

$ nvm use 18
Now using node v18.3.0 (npm v8.11.0)

$ nvm use 17.2.0
Now using node v17.2.0 (npm v8.1.4)

$ nvm use 17
Now using node v17.9.1 (npm v8.11.0)

$ nvm use 16
Now using node v16.14.2 (npm v8.5.0)

$ rm -rf node_modules && npm install --workspace packages/server
npm ERR! Cannot set properties of null (setting 'dev')

npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
npm ERR!     /Users/.../.npm/_logs/...-debug.log

$ rm -rf node_modules && npm install

added 3 packages, and audited 8 packages in 130ms

found 0 vulnerabilities