diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/BuildIndexHtmlCommand.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/BuildIndexHtmlCommand.cs
index ddbda6d7af..2d8efaafc6 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/BuildIndexHtmlCommand.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/BuildIndexHtmlCommand.cs
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
                 "Path to the HTML Page containing the Blazor bootstrap script tag.",
                 CommandOptionType.SingleValue);
 
-            var references = command.Option("--reference",
-                "The path from the _bin folder to a given referenced dll file (typically just the dll name)",
-                CommandOptionType.MultipleValue);
+            var referencesFile = command.Option("--references",
+                "The path to a file that lists the paths to given referenced dll files",
+                CommandOptionType.SingleValue);
 
             var embeddedResourcesFile = command.Option("--embedded-resources",
                 "The path to a file that lists the paths of .NET assemblies that may contain embedded resources (typically, referenced assemblies in their pre-linked states)",
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
             command.OnExecute(() =>
             {
                 if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(mainAssemblyPath.Value) ||
-                    !clientPage.HasValue() || !references.HasValue() || !outputPath.HasValue())
+                    !clientPage.HasValue() || !referencesFile.HasValue() || !outputPath.HasValue())
                 {
                     command.ShowHelp(command.Name);
                     return 1;
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
 
                 try
                 {
+                    var referencesSources = referencesFile.HasValue()
+                        ? File.ReadAllLines(referencesFile.Value())
+                        : Array.Empty<string>();
+
                     var embeddedResourcesSources = embeddedResourcesFile.HasValue()
                         ? File.ReadAllLines(embeddedResourcesFile.Value())
                         : Array.Empty<string>();
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
                     IndexHtmlWriter.UpdateIndex(
                         clientPage.Value(),
                         mainAssemblyPath.Value,
-                        references.Values.ToArray(),
+                        referencesSources,
                         embeddedResourcesSources,
                         linkerEnabledFlag.HasValue(),
                         outputPath.Value());
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/ResolveRuntimeDependenciesCommand.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/ResolveRuntimeDependenciesCommand.cs
index 4a892f2872..e749713c42 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/ResolveRuntimeDependenciesCommand.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/Cli/Commands/ResolveRuntimeDependenciesCommand.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
 
 using System;
+using System.IO;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.CommandLineUtils;
 
 namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
@@ -10,9 +11,9 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
     {
         public static void Command(CommandLineApplication command)
         {
-            var references = command.Option("--reference",
-                "Full path to a referenced assembly file",
-                CommandOptionType.MultipleValue);
+            var referencesFile = command.Option("--references",
+                "The path to a file that lists the paths to given referenced dll files",
+                CommandOptionType.SingleValue);
 
             var baseClassLibrary = command.Option("--base-class-library",
                 "Full path to a directory in which BCL assemblies can be found",
@@ -36,9 +37,13 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build.Cli.Commands
 
                 try
                 {
+                    var referencesSources = referencesFile.HasValue()
+                        ? File.ReadAllLines(referencesFile.Value())
+                        : Array.Empty<string>();
+
                     RuntimeDependenciesResolver.ResolveRuntimeDependencies(
                         mainAssemblyPath.Value,
-                        references.Values.ToArray(),
+                        referencesSources,
                         baseClassLibrary.Values.ToArray(),
                         outputPath.Value());
 
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/targets/Blazor.MonoRuntime.targets b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/targets/Blazor.MonoRuntime.targets
index f428a76e9d..7061f7cfde 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/targets/Blazor.MonoRuntime.targets
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNetCore.Blazor.Build/targets/Blazor.MonoRuntime.targets
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@
       <FileWrites Include="@(BlazorItemOutput->'%(TargetOutputPath)')" />
     </ItemGroup>
   </Target>
-  
+
   <Target Name="_BlazorTrackResolveReferencesDidRun" AfterTargets="ResolveReferences">
     <PropertyGroup>
       <!-- So we know we can trust @(ReferenceCopyLocalPaths) later -->
       <_BlazorResolveReferencesDidRun>true</_BlazorResolveReferencesDidRun>
-    </PropertyGroup>  
+    </PropertyGroup>
   </Target>
 
   <Target Name="_BlazorBuildReport"
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
 
       <!-- /obj/<<configuration>>/<<targetframework>>/blazor/inputs.copylocal.txt -->
       <BlazorLocalReferencesOutputPath>$(BlazorIntermediateOutputPath)inputs.copylocal.txt</BlazorLocalReferencesOutputPath>
-      
+
       <!-- /obj/<<configuration>>/<<targetframework>>/blazor/inputs.linkerswitch.cache -->
       <BlazorBuildLinkerSwitchInputsCache>$(BlazorIntermediateOutputPath)inputs.linkerswitch.cache</BlazorBuildLinkerSwitchInputsCache>
 
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@
       <!-- /obj/<<configuration>>/<<targetframework>>/blazor/inputs.index.cache -->
       <BlazorBuildIndexInputsCache>$(BlazorIntermediateOutputPath)inputs.index.cache</BlazorBuildIndexInputsCache>
 
+      <!-- /obj/<<configuration>>/<<targetframework>>/blazor/embedded.resources.txt -->
+      <BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath>$(BlazorIntermediateOutputPath)references.txt</BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath>
+
       <!-- /obj/<<configuration>>/<<targetframework>>/blazor/embedded.resources.txt -->
       <BlazorEmbeddedResourcesConfigFilePath>$(BlazorIntermediateOutputPath)embedded.resources.txt</BlazorEmbeddedResourcesConfigFilePath>
 
@@ -279,7 +282,7 @@
       File="$(BlazorBuildCommonInputsCache)"
       Overwrite="True"
       WriteOnlyWhenDifferent="True" />
-    
+
     <WriteLinesToFile
       Lines="@(_BlazorDependencyInput)"
       File="$(BlazorLocalReferencesOutputPath)"
@@ -389,9 +392,9 @@
       Overwrite="True"
       WriteOnlyWhenDifferent="True" />
 
-  <ItemGroup>
-    <FileWrites Include="$(BlazorBuildLinkerInputsCache)" />
-  </ItemGroup>
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <FileWrites Include="$(BlazorBuildLinkerInputsCache)" />
+    </ItemGroup>
 
   </Target>
 
@@ -472,10 +475,10 @@
 
   <PropertyGroup>
     <_CollectResolvedAssembliesDependsOn>
-    _ResolveBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
-    _ReadResolvedBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
-    _IntermediateCopyBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
-    _TouchBlazorApplicationAssemblies
+      _ResolveBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
+      _ReadResolvedBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
+      _IntermediateCopyBlazorApplicationAssemblies;
+      _TouchBlazorApplicationAssemblies
     </_CollectResolvedAssembliesDependsOn>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
@@ -509,14 +512,18 @@
             @(_BlazorDependencyInput)"
     Outputs="$(BlazorResolvedAssembliesOutputPath)"
   >
-    <ItemGroup>
-      <_DependenciesParameter Include="@(_BlazorDependencyInput->'--reference &quot;%(Identity)&quot;')" />
-    </ItemGroup>
+
     <PropertyGroup>
+      <_ReferencesArg Condition="'@(_BlazorDependencyInput)' != ''">--references &quot;$(BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath)&quot;</_ReferencesArg>
       <_BclParameter>--base-class-library &quot;$(MonoBaseClassLibraryPath)&quot; --base-class-library &quot;$(MonoBaseClassLibraryFacadesPath)&quot;</_BclParameter>
     </PropertyGroup>
 
-    <Exec Command="$(BlazorBuildExe) resolve-dependencies &quot;@(IntermediateAssembly->'%(FullPath)')&quot; @(_DependenciesParameter, ' ') $(_BclParameter) --output &quot;$(BlazorResolvedAssembliesOutputPath)&quot;" />
+    <WriteLinesToFile
+          File="$(BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath)"
+          Lines="@(_BlazorDependencyInput)"
+          Overwrite="true" />
+
+    <Exec Command="$(BlazorBuildExe) resolve-dependencies &quot;@(IntermediateAssembly->'%(FullPath)')&quot; $(_ReferencesArg) $(_BclParameter) --output &quot;$(BlazorResolvedAssembliesOutputPath)&quot;" />
 
   </Target>
 
@@ -600,16 +607,22 @@
     </ItemGroup>
     <PropertyGroup>
       <_LinkerEnabledFlag Condition="'$(_BlazorShouldLinkApplicationAssemblies)' != ''">--linker-enabled</_LinkerEnabledFlag>
+      <_ReferencesArg Condition="'@(_AppReferences)' != ''">--references &quot;$(BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath)&quot;</_ReferencesArg>
       <_EmbeddedResourcesArg Condition="'@(_UnlinkedAppReferencesPaths)' != ''">--embedded-resources &quot;$(BlazorEmbeddedResourcesConfigFilePath)&quot;</_EmbeddedResourcesArg>
     </PropertyGroup>
 
+    <WriteLinesToFile
+      File="$(BlazorReferencesConfigFilePath)"
+      Lines="@(_AppReferences)"
+      Overwrite="true" />
+
     <WriteLinesToFile
       Condition="'@(_UnlinkedAppReferencesPaths)' != ''"
       File="$(BlazorEmbeddedResourcesConfigFilePath)"
       Lines="@(_UnlinkedAppReferencesPaths)"
       Overwrite="true" />
 
-    <Exec Command="$(BlazorBuildExe) build @(IntermediateAssembly) --html-page &quot;$(BlazorIndexHtml)&quot; @(_AppReferences->'--reference &quot;%(Identity)&quot;', ' ') $(_EmbeddedResourcesArg) $(_LinkerEnabledFlag) --output &quot;$(BlazorIndexHtmlOutputPath)&quot;" />
+    <Exec Command="$(BlazorBuildExe) build @(IntermediateAssembly) --html-page &quot;$(BlazorIndexHtml)&quot; $(_ReferencesArg) $(_EmbeddedResourcesArg) $(_LinkerEnabledFlag) --output &quot;$(BlazorIndexHtmlOutputPath)&quot;" />
 
     <ItemGroup Condition="Exists('$(BlazorIndexHtmlOutputPath)')">
       <_BlazorIndex Include="$(BlazorIndexHtmlOutputPath)" />
@@ -627,4 +640,4 @@
 
   </Target>
 
-</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</Project>