diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b4ec4723a5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Changelog
+
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Changed
+- Updated warning message for invalid dist-info directory due to missing `METADATA` file.
diff --git a/news/12446.bugfix.rst b/news/12446.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2335f5136e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/12446.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+* Updated warning message for invalid dist-info directory due to missing `METADATA` file.
+* Added a check for the existence of the `METADATA` file in the `get_dist_canonical_name` function.
+* Added a test case to verify the new warning message for a missing `METADATA` file.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_compat.py b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_compat.py
index 8ebf0f9b07b..e4251f58539 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_compat.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_compat.py
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ def name(self) -> str:
     def parent(self) -> "BasePath":
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    def joinpath(self, *other) -> "BasePath":
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
 
 def get_info_location(d: importlib.metadata.Distribution) -> Optional[BasePath]:
     """Find the path to the distribution's metadata directory.