diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/InfoParserDynamic.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/InfoParserDynamic.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/InfoParserDynamic.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/InfoParserDynamic.php
@@ -28,4 +28,27 @@
 
   /**
+   * Determines if a version satisfies the given constraints.
+   *
+   * This method uses \Composer\Semver\Semver::satisfies() but returns FALSE if
+   * the version or constraints are not valid instead of throwing an exception.
+   *
+   * @param string $version
+   *   The version.
+   * @param string $constraints
+   *   The constraints.
+   *
+   * @return bool
+   *   TRUE if the version satisfies the constraints, otherwise FALSE.
+   */
+  protected static function satisfies($version, $constraints) {
+    try {
+      return Semver::satisfies($version, $constraints);
+    }
+    catch (\UnexpectedValueException $exception) {
+      return FALSE;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
@@ -49,12 +72,26 @@
         //   https://www.drupal.org/node/3070401.
         throw new InfoParserException("The 'core_version_requirement' key is not supported in profiles in $filename");
       }
+
       if (!isset($parsed_info['core']) && !isset($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'])) {
-        throw new InfoParserException("The 'core' or the 'core_version_requirement' key must be present in " . $filename);
+        if (isset($parsed_info['dependencies'])) {
+          throw new InfoParserException("If the 'dependencies' key is used the 'core' or 'core_version_requirement' key is required in $filename");
+        }
+        $composer_filename = dirname($filename) . '/composer.json';
+        if (!file_exists($composer_filename)) {
+          throw new InfoParserException("If the 'core' or 'core_version_requirement' key is not provided a composer.json file is required in $filename");
+        }
+        $parsed_info += $this->parseComposerFile($composer_filename);
+        if (static::isConstraintSatisfiedByPreviousVersion($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'], static::FIRST_COMPOSER_JSON_SUPPORTED_VERSION)) {
+          throw new InfoParserException('Core versions before ' . static::FIRST_COMPOSER_JSON_SUPPORTED_VERSION . "must be specified in the module info.yml in $filename");
+        }
       }
-      if (isset($parsed_info['core']) && !preg_match("/^\d\.x$/", $parsed_info['core'])) {
-        throw new InfoParserException("Invalid 'core' value \"{$parsed_info['core']}\" in " . $filename);
+      else {
+        if (isset($parsed_info['core']) && !preg_match("/^\d\.x$/", $parsed_info['core'])) {
+          throw new InfoParserException("Invalid 'core' value \"{$parsed_info['core']}\" in " . $filename);
+        }
       }
+
       if (isset($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'])) {
         $supports_pre_core_version_requirement_version = static::isConstraintSatisfiedByPreviousVersion($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'], static::FIRST_CORE_VERSION_REQUIREMENT_SUPPORTED_VERSION);
         // If the 'core_version_requirement' constraint does not satisfy any
@@ -72,26 +109,12 @@
         //   https://www.drupal.org/node/3070401.
         throw new InfoParserException("The 'core_version_requirement' key is not supported in profiles in $filename");
       }
-
       if (!isset($parsed_info['core']) && !isset($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'])) {
-        if (isset($parsed_info['dependencies'])) {
-          throw new InfoParserException("If the 'dependencies' key is used the 'core' or 'core_version_requirement' key is required in $filename");
-        }
-        $composer_filename = dirname($filename) . '/composer.json';
-        if (!file_exists($composer_filename)) {
-          throw new InfoParserException("If the 'core' or 'core_version_requirement' key is not provided a composer.json file is required in $filename");
-        }
-        $parsed_info += $this->parseComposerFile($composer_filename);
-        if (static::isConstraintSatisfiedByPreviousVersion($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'], static::FIRST_COMPOSER_JSON_SUPPORTED_VERSION)) {
-          throw new InfoParserException('Core versions before ' . static::FIRST_COMPOSER_JSON_SUPPORTED_VERSION . "must be specified in the module info.yml in $filename");
-        }
+        throw new InfoParserException("The 'core' or the 'core_version_requirement' key must be present in " . $filename);
       }
-      else {
-        if (isset($parsed_info['core']) && !preg_match("/^\d\.x$/", $parsed_info['core'])) {
-          throw new InfoParserException("Invalid 'core' value \"{$parsed_info['core']}\" in " . $filename);
-        }
+      if (isset($parsed_info['core']) && !preg_match("/^\d\.x$/", $parsed_info['core'])) {
+        throw new InfoParserException("Invalid 'core' value \"{$parsed_info['core']}\" in " . $filename);
       }
-
       if (isset($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'])) {
         $supports_pre_core_version_requirement_version = static::isConstraintSatisfiedByPreviousVersion($parsed_info['core_version_requirement'], static::FIRST_CORE_VERSION_REQUIREMENT_SUPPORTED_VERSION);
         // If the 'core_version_requirement' constraint does not satisfy any
interdiff impossible; taking evasive action
reverted:
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ModuleExtensionList.php
+++ a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ModuleExtensionList.php
@@ -219,20 +219,8 @@
    */
   protected function ensureRequiredDependencies(Extension $module, array $modules = []) {
     if (!empty($module->info['required'])) {
+      foreach ($module->info['dependencies'] as $dependency) {
+        $dependency_name = Dependency::createFromString($dependency)->getName();
-      // Modern composer.json file.
-      if (!empty($module->info[InfoParserDynamic::COMPOSER_DEPENDENCIES])) {
-        $dependencies = array_keys($module->info[InfoParserDynamic::COMPOSER_DEPENDENCIES]);
-      }
-      else {
-        // Legacy .info.yml files.
-        $dependencies = array_map(function ($dependency) {
-          return Dependency::createFromString($dependency)->getName();
-        }, $module->info['dependencies']);
-      }
-      foreach ($dependencies as $dependency_name) {
-        if ($dependency_name === 'core') {
-          continue;
-        }
         if (!isset($modules[$dependency_name]->info['required'])) {
           $modules[$dependency_name]->info['required'] = TRUE;
           $modules[$dependency_name]->info['explanation'] = $this->t('Dependency of required module @module', ['@module' => $module->info['name']]);
unchanged:
--- a/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ModuleExtensionList.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Extension/ModuleExtensionList.php
@@ -209,8 +209,20 @@ protected function getInstalledExtensionNames() {
    */
   protected function ensureRequiredDependencies(Extension $module, array $modules = []) {
     if (!empty($module->info['required'])) {
-      foreach ($module->info['dependencies'] as $dependency) {
-        $dependency_name = Dependency::createFromString($dependency)->getName();
+      // Modern composer.json file.
+      if (!empty($module->info[InfoParserDynamic::COMPOSER_DEPENDENCIES])) {
+        $dependencies = array_keys($module->info[InfoParserDynamic::COMPOSER_DEPENDENCIES]);
+      }
+      else {
+        // Legacy .info.yml files.
+        $dependencies = array_map(function ($dependency) {
+          return Dependency::createFromString($dependency)->getName();
+        }, $module->info['dependencies']);
+      }
+      foreach ($dependencies as $dependency_name) {
+        if ($dependency_name === 'core') {
+          continue;
+        }
         if (!isset($modules[$dependency_name]->info['required'])) {
           $modules[$dependency_name]->info['required'] = TRUE;
           $modules[$dependency_name]->info['explanation'] = $this->t('Dependency of required module @module', ['@module' => $module->info['name']]);