diff --git a/packages/nx/src/tasks-runner/create-task-graph.ts b/packages/nx/src/tasks-runner/create-task-graph.ts
index 7ab3cd2fa6e7d..97572012dd4f8 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/tasks-runner/create-task-graph.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/tasks-runner/create-task-graph.ts
@@ -388,10 +388,10 @@ export function createTaskGraph(
 }
 
 export function mapTargetDefaultsToDependencies(
-  defaults: TargetDefaults
+  defaults: TargetDefaults | undefined
 ): TargetDependencies {
   const res = {};
-  Object.keys(defaults).forEach((k) => {
+  Object.keys(defaults ?? {}).forEach((k) => {
     res[k] = defaults[k].dependsOn;
   });