diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
index 4aaaa8d2065..5b9984a4924 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/buildlist.go
@@ -73,13 +73,6 @@ func Selected(path string) (version string) {
 	return ""
 }
 
-// SetBuildList sets the module build list.
-// The caller is responsible for ensuring that the list is valid.
-// SetBuildList does not retain a reference to the original list.
-func SetBuildList(list []module.Version) {
-	buildList = append([]module.Version{}, list...)
-}
-
 // EditBuildList edits the global build list by first adding every module in add
 // to the existing build list, then adjusting versions (and adding or removing
 // requirements as needed) until every module in mustSelect is selected at the
@@ -222,7 +215,7 @@ type Conflict struct {
 }
 
 // ReloadBuildList resets the state of loaded packages, then loads and returns
-// the build list set in SetBuildList.
+// the build list set by EditBuildList.
 func ReloadBuildList() []module.Version {
 	loaded = loadFromRoots(loaderParams{
 		PackageOpts: PackageOpts{
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/mvs.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/mvs.go
index 02b13cdd053..db57b3ec5fe 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/mvs.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/modload/mvs.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type mvsReqs struct {
 }
 
 // Reqs returns the current module requirement graph.
-// Future calls to SetBuildList do not affect the operation
+// Future calls to EditBuildList do not affect the operation
 // of the returned Reqs.
 func Reqs() mvs.Reqs {
 	r := &mvsReqs{
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
index 7e26d4e6a37..0f91a86311d 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/work/build.go
@@ -789,10 +789,12 @@ func installOutsideModule(ctx context.Context, args []string) {
 		base.Fatalf(directiveFmt, args[0], installMod, "exclude")
 	}
 
-	// Initialize the build list using a dummy main module that requires the
-	// module providing the packages on the command line.
-	target := module.Version{Path: "go-install-target"}
-	modload.SetBuildList([]module.Version{target, installMod})
+	// Since we are in NoRoot mode, the build list initially contains only
+	// the dummy command-line-arguments module. Add a requirement on the
+	// module that provides the packages named on the command line.
+	if err := modload.EditBuildList(ctx, nil, []module.Version{installMod}); err != nil {
+		base.Fatalf("go install %s: %v", args[0], err)
+	}
 
 	// Load packages for all arguments. Ignore non-main packages.
 	// Print a warning if an argument contains "..." and matches no main packages.
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_install_pkg_version.txt b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_install_pkg_version.txt
index 93318b6659d..e4a76683518 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_install_pkg_version.txt
+++ b/src/cmd/go/testdata/script/mod_install_pkg_version.txt
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ cmp stderr exclude-err
 # 'go install pkg@version' should report an error if the module requires a
 # higher version of itself.
 ! go install example.com/cmd/a@v1.0.0-newerself
-stderr '^go install: example.com/cmd@v1.0.0-newerself: module requires a higher version of itself \(v1.0.0\)$'
+stderr '^go install example.com/cmd/a@v1.0.0-newerself: version constraints conflict:\n\texample.com/cmd@v1.0.0-newerself requires example.com/cmd@v1.0.0, but example.com/cmd@v1.0.0-newerself is requested$'
 
 
 # 'go install pkg@version' will only match a retracted version if it's