diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/lib/cli/index.ts b/packages/angular/cli/lib/cli/index.ts
index fd55a21a6731..c38285ffdecd 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/lib/cli/index.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/lib/cli/index.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import { logging, terminal } from '@angular-devkit/core';
 import { filter } from 'rxjs/operators';
 import { runCommand } from '../../models/command-runner';
+import { getWorkspaceRaw } from '../../utilities/config';
 import { getWorkspaceDetails } from '../../utilities/project';
 
 
@@ -21,6 +22,14 @@ export default async function(options: { testing?: boolean, cliArgs: string[] })
 
   let projectDetails = getWorkspaceDetails();
   if (projectDetails === null) {
+    const [, localPath] = getWorkspaceRaw('local');
+    if (localPath !== null) {
+      logger.fatal(`An invalid configuration file was found ['${localPath}'].`
+                 + ' Please delete the file before running the command.');
+
+      return 1;
+    }
+
     projectDetails = { root: process.cwd() };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
index 932cd62ad4d5..b7c2cd1d0874 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ export abstract class Command<T extends BaseCommandOptions = BaseCommandOptions>
   async validateScope(): Promise<void> {
     switch (this.description.scope) {
       case CommandScope.OutProject:
-        if (this.workspace.configFile || getWorkspace('local') !== null) {
+        if (this.workspace.configFile) {
           this.logger.fatal(tags.oneLine`
             The ${this.description.name} command requires to be run outside of a project, but a
-            project definition was found at "${this.workspace.root}".
+            project definition was found at "${this.workspace.configFile}".
           `);
           throw 1;
         }