diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_dists.py b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_dists.py
index 5e92b12755e..cf8685439a9 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_dists.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/metadata/importlib/_dists.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import importlib.metadata
 import pathlib
 import zipfile
+from os import PathLike
 from typing import (
     Collection,
     Dict,
@@ -95,6 +96,11 @@ def read_text(self, filename: str) -> Optional[str]:
             raise UnsupportedWheel(error)
         return text
 
+    def locate_file(self, path: str | PathLike[str]) -> pathlib.Path:
+        # This method doesn't make sense for our in-memory wheel, but the API
+        # requires us to define it.
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
 
 class Distribution(BaseDistribution):
     def __init__(