diff --git a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Core/Internal/Implementation/Project.cs b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Core/Internal/Implementation/Project.cs
index d8175329b3..e0803c2d1f 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Core/Internal/Implementation/Project.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Core/Internal/Implementation/Project.cs
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Watcher.Core.Internal
             if (File.Exists(projectLockJsonPath))
             {
                 var lockFile = LockFileReader.Read(projectLockJsonPath, designTime: false);
-                ProjectDependencies = lockFile.ProjectLibraries.Select(dep => GetProjectRelativeFullPath(dep.Path)).ToList();
+                ProjectDependencies = lockFile.ProjectLibraries
+                    .Where(dep => !string.IsNullOrEmpty(dep.Path)) // The dependency path is null for xproj -> csproj reference
+                    .Select(dep => GetProjectRelativeFullPath(dep.Path))
+                    .ToList();
             }
             else
             {