diff --git a/news/9838.bugfix.rst b/news/9838.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0ae54bec8a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/9838.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix compatibility between distutils and sysconfig when the project name is unknown.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/locations/_sysconfig.py b/src/pip/_internal/locations/_sysconfig.py
index e4d66d25d24..9b034091366 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/locations/_sysconfig.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/locations/_sysconfig.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def get_scheme(
     scheme = Scheme(
         platlib=paths["platlib"],
         purelib=paths["purelib"],
-        headers=os.path.join(paths["include"], dist_name),
+        headers=os.path.join(paths["include"], dist_name or "UNKNOWN"),
         scripts=paths["scripts"],
         data=paths["data"],
     )