diff --git a/packages/devkit/src/executors/read-target-options.ts b/packages/devkit/src/executors/read-target-options.ts
index 39945ee7ff3da..0710a9d99d7d3 100644
--- a/packages/devkit/src/executors/read-target-options.ts
+++ b/packages/devkit/src/executors/read-target-options.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export function readTargetOptions<T = any>(
 
   return combineOptionsForExecutor(
     {},
-    configuration ?? '',
+    configuration ?? targetConfiguration.defaultConfiguration ?? '',
     targetConfiguration,
     schema,
     defaultProject,