diff --git a/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts b/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
index 92fa396d59620..883e49f9328d4 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/utils/nx-plugin.ts
@@ -80,11 +80,12 @@ function getPluginPathAndName(
     }
   }
   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
+      : { name: moduleName };
   return { pluginPath, name };
 }