diff --git a/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts b/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
index 92fa396d596203..d3f8b303e208d1 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
@@ -79,13 +79,8 @@ function getPluginPathAndName(
       throw e;
     }
   }
-  const packageJsonPath = path.join(pluginPath, 'package.json');
-  const { name } =
-    !['.ts', '.js'].some((x) => x === path.extname(pluginPath)) && // Not trying to point to a ts or js file
-    existsSync(packageJsonPath) // plugin has a package.json
-      ? readJsonFile(packageJsonPath) // read name from package.json
-      : { name: path.basename(pluginPath) }; // use the name of the file we point to
-  return { pluginPath, name };
+
+  return { pluginPath, name: moduleName };
 }
 
 export async function loadNxPluginAsync(