diff --git a/.changeset/angry-bobcats-develop.md b/.changeset/angry-bobcats-develop.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a1de02d9fe9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/angry-bobcats-develop.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/plugin-commands-installation": patch
+"pnpm": patch
+---
+
+`pnpm link -g <pkg-name>` should not modify the `package.json` file [#4341](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/issues/4341).
diff --git a/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/link.ts b/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/link.ts
index 872f732f9b1..e58f93d0df6 100644
--- a/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/link.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/link.ts
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ export async function handler (
     storeDir: storeL.dir,
     manifest,
   } as LinkFunctionOptions)
-  await writeProjectManifest(newManifest)
+  if (!opts.cliOptions?.global) {
+    await writeProjectManifest(newManifest)
+  }
 
   await Promise.all(
     Array.from(storeControllerCache.values())