diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/src/command-builder/architect-command-module.ts b/packages/angular/cli/src/command-builder/architect-command-module.ts
index 9f508688a5ec..abd3d2c41fb4 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/src/command-builder/architect-command-module.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/src/command-builder/architect-command-module.ts
@@ -94,16 +94,18 @@ export abstract class ArchitectCommandModule
   }
 
   private getArchitectProject(): string | undefined {
-    const workspace = this.context.workspace;
-    if (!workspace) {
-      return undefined;
-    }
-
-    const [, projectName] = this.context.args.positional;
+    const { options, positional } = this.context.args;
+    const [, projectName] = positional;
 
     if (projectName) {
-      return workspace.projects.has(projectName) ? projectName : undefined;
+      return projectName;
     }
+
+    // Yargs allows positional args to be used as flags.
+    if (typeof options['project'] === 'string') {
+      return options['project'];
+    }
+
     const target = this.getArchitectTarget();
     const projectFromTarget = this.getProjectNamesByTarget(target);
 
diff --git a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/project-cannot-be-determined-by-cwd.ts b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/project-cannot-be-determined-by-cwd.ts
index 938a00105c64..e75e869fcb75 100644
--- a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/project-cannot-be-determined-by-cwd.ts
+++ b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/project-cannot-be-determined-by-cwd.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { join } from 'path';
+import { expectFileNotToExist, expectFileToExist } from '../../utils/fs';
 import { execAndWaitForOutputToMatch, ng } from '../../utils/process';
 import { updateJsonFile } from '../../utils/project';
 import { expectToFail } from '../../utils/utils';
@@ -27,6 +28,9 @@ export default async function () {
     // Help should still work
     execAndWaitForOutputToMatch('ng', ['build', '--help'], /--configuration/);
 
+    // Yargs allows positional args to be passed as flags. Verify that in this case the project can be determined.
+    await ng('build', '--project=third-app', '--configuration=development');
+
     process.chdir(join(startCwd, 'projects/second-app'));
     await ng('build', '--configuration=development');
   } finally {