Deploy fails for Custom Fields on packaged objects: "Must specify a non-empty label for the CustomObject"

Summary

Custom Fields on objects that reside in packages (both managed & unmanaged/unlocked) fail to deploy, requiring an object-meta.xml file that already exists in the package.

A “workaround” is to have the full object-meta.xml file in two places, which is not very acceptable for an org-based development pattern. Or any, for that matter.

Steps To Reproduce:

I’m sorry but I don’t know if I have the ability to create an easy reproduction. I think that would require creating an unlocked package & then unpackaged source… This is most certainly a confirmed issue though.

https://trailblazer.salesforce.com/issues_view?id=a1p4V000000KTo0QAG&title=must-specify-a-non-empty-label-for-the-customobject

1. Have a package that has an object CustomObject__c in it (i.e. the source of truth for CustomObject__c.object-meta.xml)
2. Using sfdx force:source:deploy to try to deploy CustomObject__c.CustomField__c

Expected result

Deploys successfully

Actual result

Get the error: “Get “Error:Must specify a non-empty label for the CustomObject””

System Information

{
        "cliVersion": "sfdx-cli/7.118.1",
        "architecture": "win32-x64",
        "nodeVersion": "node-v14.17.4",
        "pluginVersions": [
                "@oclif/plugin-autocomplete 0.3.0 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-commands 1.3.0 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-help 3.2.3 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-not-found 1.2.4 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-plugins 1.10.1 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-update 1.4.0-3 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-warn-if-update-available 1.7.0 (core)",
                "@oclif/plugin-which 1.0.3 (core)",
                "@salesforce/sfdx-diff 0.0.6",
                "alias 1.1.10 (core)",
                "auth 1.7.1 (core)",
                "config 1.2.34 (core)",
                "generator 1.2.0 (core)",
                "mo-dx-plugin 0.3.2",
                "plugin-lightning-testing-service 1.0.1",
                "salesforcedx 52.0.0",
                "├─ data 0.4.11",
                "├─ apex 0.2.2",
                "├─ custom-metadata 1.0.12",
                "├─ user 1.3.0",
                "├─ org 1.6.6",
                "├─ schema 1.0.7",
                "├─ templates 51.5.0",
                "├─ limits 1.2.1",
                "├─ @salesforce/sfdx-plugin-lwc-test 0.1.7",
                "└─ salesforce-alm 52.0.0",
                "sfdx-cli 7.118.1 (core)",
                "sfdx-git-delta 4.9.0",
                "sfdx-git-packager 0.3.3",
                "sfdx-isdot 2.6.3 (link) C:\\Users\\jpetraglia\\repos\\isdot",
                "sfdx-jayree 3.11.2",
                "└─ @jayree/sfdx-plugin-prettier 1.0.4",
                "source 1.0.15 (core)",
                "telemetry 1.2.3 (core)",
                "texei-sfdx-plugin 1.10.1",
                "trust 1.0.7 (core)"
        ],
        "osVersion": "Windows_NT 10.0.17134"
}

Additional information