diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/factory.ts b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/factory.ts
index e3635ae7b30f..ed15fcb8a05c 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/factory.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/factory.ts
@@ -145,17 +145,18 @@ export async function createPackageManager(options: {
   }
 
   // Do not verify if the package manager is installed during a dry run.
+  let initializationError: Error | undefined;
   if (!dryRun && !version) {
     try {
       version = await getPackageManagerVersion(host, cwd, name, logger);
     } catch {
       if (source === 'default') {
-        throw new Error(
+        initializationError = new Error(
           `'${DEFAULT_PACKAGE_MANAGER}' was selected as the default package manager, but it is not installed or` +
             ` cannot be found in the PATH. Please install '${DEFAULT_PACKAGE_MANAGER}' to continue.`,
         );
       } else {
-        throw new Error(
+        initializationError = new Error(
           `The project is configured to use '${name}', but it is not installed or cannot be` +
             ` found in the PATH. Please install '${name}' to continue.`,
         );
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ export async function createPackageManager(options: {
     logger,
     tempDirectory,
     version,
+    initializationError,
   });
 
   logger?.debug(`Successfully created PackageManager for '${name}'.`);
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager.ts b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager.ts
index 7be28fc108f2..fd3b0a663a79 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ export interface PackageManagerOptions {
    * instead of running the version command.
    */
   version?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * An error that occurred during the initialization of the package manager.
+   * If provided, this error will be thrown when attempting to execute any command.
+   */
+  initializationError?: Error;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -84,6 +90,7 @@ export interface PackageManagerOptions {
 export class PackageManager {
   readonly #manifestCache = new Map<string, PackageManifest | null>();
   readonly #metadataCache = new Map<string, PackageMetadata | null>();
+  readonly #initializationError?: Error;
   #dependencyCache: Map<string, InstalledPackage> | null = null;
   #version: string | undefined;
 
@@ -104,6 +111,7 @@ export class PackageManager {
       throw new Error('A logger must be provided when dryRun is enabled.');
     }
     this.#version = options.version;
+    this.#initializationError = options.initializationError;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -113,6 +121,18 @@ export class PackageManager {
     return this.descriptor.binary;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Ensures that the package manager is installed and available in the PATH.
+   * If it is not, this method will throw an error with instructions on how to install it.
+   *
+   * @throws {Error} If the package manager is not installed.
+   */
+  ensureInstalled(): void {
+    if (this.#initializationError) {
+      throw this.#initializationError;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * A private method to lazily populate the dependency cache.
    * This is a performance optimization to avoid running `npm list` multiple times.
@@ -142,6 +162,8 @@ export class PackageManager {
     args: readonly string[],
     options: { timeout?: number; registry?: string; cwd?: string } = {},
   ): Promise<{ stdout: string; stderr: string }> {
+    this.ensureInstalled();
+
     const { registry, cwd, ...runOptions } = options;
     const finalArgs = [...args];
     let finalEnv: Record<string, string> | undefined;
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager_spec.ts b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager_spec.ts
index 2482349b323d..802f50fa66ab 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/src/package-managers/package-manager_spec.ts
@@ -51,4 +51,32 @@ describe('PackageManager', () => {
       expect(runCommandSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('initializationError', () => {
+    it('should throw initializationError when running commands', async () => {
+      const error = new Error('Not installed');
+      const pm = new PackageManager(host, '/tmp', descriptor, { initializationError: error });
+
+      expect(() => pm.ensureInstalled()).toThrow(error);
+      await expectAsync(pm.getVersion()).toBeRejectedWith(error);
+      await expectAsync(pm.install()).toBeRejectedWith(error);
+      await expectAsync(pm.add('foo', 'none', false, false, false)).toBeRejectedWith(error);
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw initializationError for operations that do not require the binary', async () => {
+      const error = new Error('Not installed');
+      const pm = new PackageManager(host, '/tmp', descriptor, { initializationError: error });
+
+      // Mock readFile for getManifest directory case
+      spyOn(host, 'readFile').and.resolveTo('{"name": "foo", "version": "1.0.0"}');
+
+      // Should not throw
+      const manifest = await pm.getManifest({
+        type: 'directory',
+        fetchSpec: '/tmp/foo',
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+      } as any);
+      expect(manifest).toEqual({ name: 'foo', version: '1.0.0' });
+    });
+  });
 });