diff --git a/lib/bootstrap-local.js b/lib/bootstrap-local.js
index 87c26379d3..977eccade9 100644
--- a/lib/bootstrap-local.js
+++ b/lib/bootstrap-local.js
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ require.extensions['.ts'] = function (m, filename) {
 //   lazy: true
 // });
 
+const resolve = require('resolve');
+
+
+// Look if there's a .angular-cli.json file, and if so toggle process.cwd() resolution.
+const isAngularProject = fs.existsSync(path.join(process.cwd(), '.angular-cli.json'))
+                      || fs.existsSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'angular-cli.json'));
+
+
 // If we're running locally, meaning npm linked. This is basically "developer mode".
 if (!__dirname.match(new RegExp(`\\${path.sep}node_modules\\${path.sep}`))) {
   const packages = require('./packages').packages;
@@ -71,6 +79,14 @@ if (!__dirname.match(new RegExp(`\\${path.sep}node_modules\\${path.sep}`))) {
         const p = path.join(packages[match].root, request.substr(match.length));
         return oldLoad.call(this, p, parent);
       } else {
+        try {
+          if (isAngularProject) {
+            return oldLoad.call(this, resolve.sync(request, { basedir: process.cwd() }), parent);
+          }
+        } catch (e) {
+          // Do nothing. Fallback to the old method.
+        }
+
         return oldLoad.apply(this, arguments);
       }
     }