diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb b/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
index 37d4d8a98fc..aee6883934c 100644
--- a/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
+++ b/npm_and_yarn/lib/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater/yarn_lockfile_updater.rb
@@ -575,15 +575,10 @@ def yarnrc_content
         end
 
         def sanitized_package_json_content(content)
-          updated_content =
-            content.
+          content.
             gsub(/\{\{[^\}]*?\}\}/, "something"). # {{ nm }} syntax not allowed
             gsub(/(?<!\\)\\ /, " ").          # escaped whitespace not allowed
             gsub(%r{^\s*//.*}, " ")           # comments are not allowed
-
-          json = JSON.parse(updated_content)
-          json["name"] = json["name"].delete(" ") if json["name"].is_a?(String)
-          json.to_json
         end
 
         def sanitize_package_name(package_name)
diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/spec/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater_spec.rb b/npm_and_yarn/spec/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater_spec.rb
index 15185f6da52..57ba1d279bf 100644
--- a/npm_and_yarn/spec/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater_spec.rb
+++ b/npm_and_yarn/spec/dependabot/npm_and_yarn/file_updater_spec.rb
@@ -99,16 +99,6 @@
       end
     end
 
-    context "with a name that needs sanitizing" do
-      let(:files) { project_dependency_files("npm6/invalid_name") }
-
-      it "updates the files" do
-        expect { updated_files }.to_not(change { Dir.entries(tmp_path) })
-        updated_files.each { |f| expect(f).to be_a(Dependabot::DependencyFile) }
-        expect(updated_files.count).to eq(2)
-      end
-    end
-
     context "with multiple dependencies" do
       let(:files) { project_dependency_files("npm6_and_yarn/multiple_updates") }
 
@@ -1561,16 +1551,6 @@
         end
       end
 
-      context "with a name that needs sanitizing" do
-        let(:files) { project_dependency_files("npm8/invalid_name") }
-
-        it "updates the files" do
-          expect { updated_files }.to_not(change { Dir.entries(tmp_path) })
-          updated_files.each { |f| expect(f).to be_a(Dependabot::DependencyFile) }
-          expect(updated_files.count).to eq(2)
-        end
-      end
-
       context "with multiple dependencies" do
         let(:files) { project_dependency_files("npm8/multiple_updates") }
 
diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package-lock.json b/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package-lock.json
deleted file mode 100644
index bca00e73d3a..00000000000
--- a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package-lock.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-{
-	"name": "{{ name }}",
-	"version": "1.0.0",
-	"lockfileVersion": 1,
-	"requires": true,
-	"dependencies": {
-		"encoding": {
-			"version": "0.1.12",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/encoding/-/encoding-0.1.12.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-U4tm8+5izRq1HsMjgp0flIDHS+s=",
-			"requires": {
-				"iconv-lite": "0.4.19"
-			}
-		},
-		"es6-promise": {
-			"version": "3.3.1",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/es6-promise/-/es6-promise-3.3.1.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-oIzd6EzNvzTQJ6FFG8kdS80ophM="
-		},
-		"etag": {
-			"version": "1.8.1",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/etag/-/etag-1.8.1.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-Qa4u62XvpiJorr/qg6x9eSmbCIc=",
-			"dev": true
-		},
-		"fetch-factory": {
-			"version": "0.0.1",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fetch-factory/-/fetch-factory-0.0.1.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-4AdgWb2zHjFHx1s7jAQTO6jH4HE=",
-			"requires": {
-				"es6-promise": "3.3.1",
-				"isomorphic-fetch": "2.2.1",
-				"lodash": "3.10.1"
-			}
-		},
-		"iconv-lite": {
-			"version": "0.4.19",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/iconv-lite/-/iconv-lite-0.4.19.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha512-oTZqweIP51xaGPI4uPa56/Pri/480R+mo7SeU+YETByQNhDG55ycFyNLIgta9vXhILrxXDmF7ZGhqZIcuN0gJQ=="
-		},
-		"is-stream": {
-			"version": "1.1.0",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/is-stream/-/is-stream-1.1.0.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-EtSj3U5o4Lec6428hBc66A2RykQ="
-		},
-		"isomorphic-fetch": {
-			"version": "2.2.1",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isomorphic-fetch/-/isomorphic-fetch-2.2.1.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-YRrhrPFPXoH3KVB0coGf6XM1WKk=",
-			"requires": {
-				"node-fetch": "1.7.3",
-				"whatwg-fetch": "2.0.3"
-			}
-		},
-		"lodash": {
-			"version": "3.10.1",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lodash/-/lodash-3.10.1.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-W/Rejkm6QYnhfUgnid/RW9FAt7Y="
-		},
-		"node-fetch": {
-			"version": "1.7.3",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-1.7.3.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha512-NhZ4CsKx7cYm2vSrBAr2PvFOe6sWDf0UYLRqA6svUYg7+/TSfVAu49jYC4BvQ4Sms9SZgdqGBgroqfDhJdTyKQ==",
-			"requires": {
-				"encoding": "0.1.12",
-				"is-stream": "1.1.0"
-			}
-		},
-		"whatwg-fetch": {
-			"version": "2.0.3",
-			"resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-fetch/-/whatwg-fetch-2.0.3.tgz",
-			"integrity": "sha1-nITsLc9oGH/wC8ZOEnS0QhduHIQ="
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package.json b/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 7c0728a6bce..00000000000
--- a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm6/invalid_name/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "Spaces are invalid",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
-  "description": "",
-  "main": "index.js",
-  "scripts": {
-      "test": "echo \"Error: no\\ test\ specified\" && exit 1"
-  },
-  "repository": {
-      "type": "git",
-      "url": "git+https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST.git"
-  },
-  "author": "",
-  "license": "ISC",
-  "bugs": {
-      "url": "https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST/issues"
-  },
-  "homepage": "https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST#readme",
-  "dependencies": {
-    "fetch-factory": "^0.0.1"
-  },
-  "devDependencies": {
-    "etag" : "^1.0.0"
-  }}
diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package-lock.json b/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package-lock.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 904ee0dcd1d..00000000000
--- a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package-lock.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,164 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "spacesareinvalid",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
-  "lockfileVersion": 2,
-  "requires": true,
-  "packages": {
-    "": {
-      "name": "spacesareinvalid",
-      "version": "1.0.0",
-      "license": "ISC",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "fetch-factory": "^0.0.1"
-      },
-      "devDependencies": {
-        "etag": "^1.0.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/encoding": {
-      "version": "0.1.12",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/encoding/-/encoding-0.1.12.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-U4tm8+5izRq1HsMjgp0flIDHS+s=",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "iconv-lite": "~0.4.13"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/es6-promise": {
-      "version": "3.3.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/es6-promise/-/es6-promise-3.3.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-oIzd6EzNvzTQJ6FFG8kdS80ophM="
-    },
-    "node_modules/etag": {
-      "version": "1.8.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/etag/-/etag-1.8.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-Qa4u62XvpiJorr/qg6x9eSmbCIc=",
-      "dev": true,
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">= 0.6"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/fetch-factory": {
-      "version": "0.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fetch-factory/-/fetch-factory-0.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-4AdgWb2zHjFHx1s7jAQTO6jH4HE=",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "es6-promise": "^3.0.2",
-        "isomorphic-fetch": "^2.1.1",
-        "lodash": "^3.10.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/iconv-lite": {
-      "version": "0.4.19",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/iconv-lite/-/iconv-lite-0.4.19.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-oTZqweIP51xaGPI4uPa56/Pri/480R+mo7SeU+YETByQNhDG55ycFyNLIgta9vXhILrxXDmF7ZGhqZIcuN0gJQ==",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.10.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/is-stream": {
-      "version": "1.1.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/is-stream/-/is-stream-1.1.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-EtSj3U5o4Lec6428hBc66A2RykQ=",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.10.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/isomorphic-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.2.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isomorphic-fetch/-/isomorphic-fetch-2.2.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-YRrhrPFPXoH3KVB0coGf6XM1WKk=",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "node-fetch": "^1.0.1",
-        "whatwg-fetch": ">=0.10.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/lodash": {
-      "version": "3.10.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lodash/-/lodash-3.10.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-W/Rejkm6QYnhfUgnid/RW9FAt7Y="
-    },
-    "node_modules/node-fetch": {
-      "version": "1.7.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-1.7.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-NhZ4CsKx7cYm2vSrBAr2PvFOe6sWDf0UYLRqA6svUYg7+/TSfVAu49jYC4BvQ4Sms9SZgdqGBgroqfDhJdTyKQ==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "encoding": "^0.1.11",
-        "is-stream": "^1.0.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "node_modules/whatwg-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-fetch/-/whatwg-fetch-2.0.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-nITsLc9oGH/wC8ZOEnS0QhduHIQ="
-    }
-  },
-  "dependencies": {
-    "encoding": {
-      "version": "0.1.12",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/encoding/-/encoding-0.1.12.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-U4tm8+5izRq1HsMjgp0flIDHS+s=",
-      "requires": {
-        "iconv-lite": "~0.4.13"
-      }
-    },
-    "es6-promise": {
-      "version": "3.3.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/es6-promise/-/es6-promise-3.3.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-oIzd6EzNvzTQJ6FFG8kdS80ophM="
-    },
-    "etag": {
-      "version": "1.8.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/etag/-/etag-1.8.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-Qa4u62XvpiJorr/qg6x9eSmbCIc=",
-      "dev": true
-    },
-    "fetch-factory": {
-      "version": "0.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/fetch-factory/-/fetch-factory-0.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-4AdgWb2zHjFHx1s7jAQTO6jH4HE=",
-      "requires": {
-        "es6-promise": "^3.0.2",
-        "isomorphic-fetch": "^2.1.1",
-        "lodash": "^3.10.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "iconv-lite": {
-      "version": "0.4.19",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/iconv-lite/-/iconv-lite-0.4.19.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-oTZqweIP51xaGPI4uPa56/Pri/480R+mo7SeU+YETByQNhDG55ycFyNLIgta9vXhILrxXDmF7ZGhqZIcuN0gJQ=="
-    },
-    "is-stream": {
-      "version": "1.1.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/is-stream/-/is-stream-1.1.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-EtSj3U5o4Lec6428hBc66A2RykQ="
-    },
-    "isomorphic-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.2.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/isomorphic-fetch/-/isomorphic-fetch-2.2.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-YRrhrPFPXoH3KVB0coGf6XM1WKk=",
-      "requires": {
-        "node-fetch": "^1.0.1",
-        "whatwg-fetch": ">=0.10.0"
-      }
-    },
-    "lodash": {
-      "version": "3.10.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lodash/-/lodash-3.10.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-W/Rejkm6QYnhfUgnid/RW9FAt7Y="
-    },
-    "node-fetch": {
-      "version": "1.7.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-1.7.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-NhZ4CsKx7cYm2vSrBAr2PvFOe6sWDf0UYLRqA6svUYg7+/TSfVAu49jYC4BvQ4Sms9SZgdqGBgroqfDhJdTyKQ==",
-      "requires": {
-        "encoding": "^0.1.11",
-        "is-stream": "^1.0.1"
-      }
-    },
-    "whatwg-fetch": {
-      "version": "2.0.3",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/whatwg-fetch/-/whatwg-fetch-2.0.3.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha1-nITsLc9oGH/wC8ZOEnS0QhduHIQ="
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package.json b/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 39d532641bf..00000000000
--- a/npm_and_yarn/spec/fixtures/projects/npm8/invalid_name/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "Spaces are invalid",
-  "version": "1.0.0",
-  "description": "",
-  "main": "index.js",
-  "repository": {
-    "type": "git",
-    "url": "git+https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST.git"
-  },
-  "author": "",
-  "license": "ISC",
-  "bugs": {
-    "url": "https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST/issues"
-  },
-  "homepage": "https://github.com/waltfy/PROTO_TEST#readme",
-  "dependencies": {
-    "fetch-factory": "^0.0.1"
-  },
-  "devDependencies": {
-    "etag": "^1.0.0"
-  }
-}