diff --git a/packages/webpack/src/plugins/nx-webpack-plugin/lib/apply-base-config.ts b/packages/webpack/src/plugins/nx-webpack-plugin/lib/apply-base-config.ts
index 802114b9c786e..00aaba9c823ca 100644
--- a/packages/webpack/src/plugins/nx-webpack-plugin/lib/apply-base-config.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack/src/plugins/nx-webpack-plugin/lib/apply-base-config.ts
@@ -197,6 +197,20 @@ function applyNxIndependentConfig(
     moduleTrace: !!options.verbose,
     usedExports: !!options.verbose,
   };
+
+  /**
+   * Initialize properties that get set when webpack is used during task execution.
+   * These properties may be used by consumers who expect them to not be undefined.
+   *
+   * When @nx/webpack/plugin resolves the config, it is not during a task, and therefore
+   * these values are not set, which can lead to errors being thrown when reading
+   * the webpack options from the resolved file.
+   */
+  config.entry ??= {};
+  config.resolve ??= {};
+  config.module ??= {};
+  config.plugins ??= [];
+  config.externals ??= [];
 }
 
 function applyNxDependentConfig(