diff --git a/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/handlers.rs b/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/handlers.rs
index cd8c9b7e18..3ed2eec5a0 100644
--- a/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/handlers.rs
+++ b/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/handlers.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ use vite_path::AbsolutePath;
 use crate::{
     cli::{ConfigCommands, DistTagCommands, OwnerCommands, PmCommands, TokenCommands},
     error::Error,
-    helpers::{build_package_manager, build_package_manager_or_npm_default, ensure_package_json},
+    helpers::{
+        build_package_manager, build_package_manager_or_npm_default, default_npm_package_manager,
+        ensure_package_json,
+    },
 };
 
 pub async fn run_add(
@@ -92,7 +95,11 @@ pub async fn run_outdated(
     cwd: &AbsolutePath,
     options: &OutdatedCommandOptions<'_>,
 ) -> Result<ExitStatus, Error> {
-    let pm = build_package_manager(cwd).await?;
+    let pm = if options.global {
+        default_npm_package_manager(cwd)
+    } else {
+        build_package_manager(cwd).await?
+    };
     Ok(pm.run_outdated_command(options, cwd).await?)
 }
 
@@ -100,7 +107,11 @@ pub async fn run_why(
     cwd: &AbsolutePath,
     options: &WhyCommandOptions<'_>,
 ) -> Result<ExitStatus, Error> {
-    let pm = build_package_manager(cwd).await?;
+    let pm = if options.global {
+        default_npm_package_manager(cwd)
+    } else {
+        build_package_manager(cwd).await?
+    };
     Ok(pm.run_why_command(options, cwd).await?)
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/helpers.rs b/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/helpers.rs
index fdf35f39a9..2c87a7c365 100644
--- a/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/helpers.rs
+++ b/crates/vite_pm_cli/src/helpers.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub async fn build_package_manager_or_npm_default(
     }
 }
 
-fn default_npm_package_manager(cwd: &AbsolutePath) -> PackageManager {
+pub(crate) fn default_npm_package_manager(cwd: &AbsolutePath) -> PackageManager {
     PackageManager {
         client: PackageManagerType::Npm,
         package_name: "npm".into(),
diff --git a/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/snap.txt b/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/snap.txt
index 2707e25d5e..cca707ab25 100644
--- a/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/snap.txt
+++ b/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/snap.txt
@@ -9,3 +9,16 @@ error: No package.json found.
 
 [1]> vp why lodash # should show friendly error
 error: No package.json found.
+
+> vp outdated definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg -g --format json # should not require package.json for global outdated
+{}
+
+[1]> vp why definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg -g --json # should not require package.json for global why
+npm error No dependencies found matching definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg
+{
+  "error": {
+    "summary": "No dependencies found matching definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg",
+    "detail": ""
+  }
+}
+npm error A complete log of this run can be found in: <homedir>/.npm/_logs/<timestamp>-debug.log
diff --git a/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/steps.json b/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/steps.json
index 4710180dbb..f1c5f05d3c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/steps.json
+++ b/packages/cli/snap-tests/command-pm-no-package-json/steps.json
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 {
+  "ignoredPlatforms": ["win32"],
   "commands": [
     "vp pm ls # should show friendly error",
     "vp pm prune # should show friendly error",
     "vp outdated # should show friendly error",
-    "vp why lodash # should show friendly error"
+    "vp why lodash # should show friendly error",
+    "vp outdated definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg -g --format json # should not require package.json for global outdated",
+    "vp why definitely-not-installed-vite-plus-snap-pkg -g --json # should not require package.json for global why"
   ]
 }