diff --git a/spacy/cli/project/run.py b/spacy/cli/project/run.py
index ebab7471e..638e7fab1 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/project/run.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/project/run.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def project_run(
     force: bool = False,
     dry: bool = False,
     capture: bool = False,
+    skip_requirements_check: bool = False,
 ) -> None:
     """Run a named script defined in the project.yml. If the script is part
     of the default pipeline (defined in the "run" section), DVC is used to
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ def project_run(
         sys.exit will be called with the return code. You should use capture=False
         when you want to turn over execution to the command, and capture=True
         when you want to run the command more like a function.
+    skip_requirements_check (bool): Whether to skip the requirements check.
     """
     config = load_project_config(project_dir, overrides=overrides)
     commands = {cmd["name"]: cmd for cmd in config.get("commands", [])}
@@ -76,9 +78,10 @@ def project_run(
     validate_subcommand(list(commands.keys()), list(workflows.keys()), subcommand)
 
     req_path = project_dir / "requirements.txt"
-    if config.get("check_requirements", True) and os.path.exists(req_path):
-        with req_path.open() as requirements_file:
-            _check_requirements([req.replace("\n", "") for req in requirements_file])
+    if not skip_requirements_check:
+        if config.get("check_requirements", True) and os.path.exists(req_path):
+            with req_path.open() as requirements_file:
+                _check_requirements([req.strip() for req in requirements_file])
 
     if subcommand in workflows:
         msg.info(f"Running workflow '{subcommand}'")
@@ -90,6 +93,7 @@ def project_run(
                 force=force,
                 dry=dry,
                 capture=capture,
+                skip_requirements_check=True,
             )
     else:
         cmd = commands[subcommand]
@@ -338,6 +342,11 @@ def _check_requirements(requirements: List[str]) -> Tuple[bool, bool]:
             failed_pkgs_msgs.append(dnf.report())
         except pkg_resources.VersionConflict as vc:
             conflicting_pkgs_msgs.append(vc.report())
+        except Exception:
+            msg.warn(f"Unable to check requirement: {req} "
+                     "Check that the requirement is formatted according to PEP "
+                     "440, in particular that URLs are formatted as "
+                     "'package_name @ URL'")
 
     if len(failed_pkgs_msgs) or len(conflicting_pkgs_msgs):
         msg.warn(