Failed to install customized chart due to missing CRDs

[khteh]

I customize cluster chart and when I try to install it with --dry-run --debug, it hits the following error:

$ helm install --dry-run --debug postgresql-cluster PostgreSQL_Cluster/
install.go:225: 2026-05-09 13:50:18.734344916 +0800 +08 m=+0.023992805 [debug] Original chart version: ""
install.go:242: 2026-05-09 13:50:18.734380444 +0800 +08 m=+0.024028318 [debug] CHART PATH: /usr/src/kubernetes/PostgreSQL/PostgreSQL_Cluster

Error: INSTALLATION FAILED: unable to build kubernetes objects from release manifest: resource mapping not found for name: "postgresql-cluster" namespace: "default" from "": no matches for kind "Cluster" in version "postgresql.cnpg.io/v1"
ensure CRDs are installed first
helm.go:92: 2026-05-09 13:50:19.33944243 +0800 +08 m=+0.629090304 [debug] resource mapping not found for name: "postgresql-cluster" namespace: "default" from "": no matches for kind "Cluster" in version "postgresql.cnpg.io/v1"
ensure CRDs are installed first
unable to build kubernetes objects from release manifest
helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/action.(*Install).RunWithContext
	helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/action/install.go:335
main.runInstall
	helm.sh/helm/v3/cmd/helm/install.go:317
main.newInstallCmd.func2
	helm.sh/helm/v3/cmd/helm/install.go:156
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).execute
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1015
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).ExecuteC
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1148
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).Execute
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1071
main.main
	helm.sh/helm/v3/cmd/helm/helm.go:91
runtime.main
	runtime/proc.go:285
runtime.goexit
	runtime/asm_amd64.s:1693
INSTALLATION FAILED
main.newInstallCmd.func2
	helm.sh/helm/v3/cmd/helm/install.go:158
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).execute
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1015
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).ExecuteC
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1148
github.com/spf13/cobra.(*Command).Execute
	github.com/spf13/cobra@v1.10.2/command.go:1071
main.main
	helm.sh/helm/v3/cmd/helm/helm.go:91
runtime.main
	runtime/proc.go:285
runtime.goexit
	runtime/asm_amd64.s:1693

Chart.yml:

dependencies:
  - name: cloudnative-pg
    version: "v0.28.0"
    repository: https://cloudnative-pg.github.io/charts
  - name: cluster
    version: "v0.6.0"
    repository: https://cloudnative-pg.github.io/charts

$ helm install postgresql-cluster PostgreSQL_Cluster/
Error: INSTALLATION FAILED: unable to build kubernetes objects from release manifest: resource mapping not found for name: "postgresql-cluster" namespace: "default" from "": no matches for kind "Cluster" in version "postgresql.cnpg.io/v1"
ensure CRDs are installed first

[rouke-broersma]

I don't think helm install --dry-run can correctly detect that one subchart provides crds that another subchart requires. Your cluster does not have the crds installed yet, so the install fails. I think your expectations here are flawed.

[khteh]

Aren't the crds provided by cloudnative-pg which is in the dependency?

[rouke-broersma]

Yes but I don't think helm install --dry-run considers those not-installed CRDs during the dry-run. Also I'm not sure helm even guarantees correct ordering during install.

[khteh]

--dry-run or not doesn't change the error. How to guarantee the ordering?