diff --git a/packages/workspace/index.ts b/packages/workspace/index.ts
index 820c2c2f7d6d6..e994ca26f0fb8 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/index.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/index.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,11 @@ export {
 export { output } from './src/utils/output';
 export { commandsObject } from './src/command-line/nx-commands';
 export { supportedNxCommands } from './src/command-line/supported-nx-commands';
-export { readWorkspaceJson, readNxJson } from './src/core/file-utils';
+export {
+  readWorkspaceJson,
+  readNxJson,
+  readWorkspaceConfig,
+} from './src/core/file-utils';
 export { NxJson } from './src/core/shared-interfaces';
 export {
   ProjectGraphNode,
diff --git a/packages/workspace/src/core/file-utils.ts b/packages/workspace/src/core/file-utils.ts
index 22adcdd0c172d..2b76e14c581f8 100644
--- a/packages/workspace/src/core/file-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/workspace/src/core/file-utils.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { ProjectGraphNode } from './project-graph';
 import { Environment, NxJson } from './shared-interfaces';
 import { defaultFileHasher } from './hasher/file-hasher';
 import { performance } from 'perf_hooks';
-import { Workspaces } from '@nrwl/tao/src/shared/workspace';
+import { toOldFormatOrNull, Workspaces } from '@nrwl/tao/src/shared/workspace';
 
 const ignore = require('ignore');
 
@@ -168,6 +168,16 @@ export function readWorkspaceJson(): any {
   return ws.readWorkspaceConfiguration();
 }
 
+export function readWorkspaceConfig(opts: { format: 'angularCli' | 'nx' }) {
+  const json = readWorkspaceJson();
+  if (opts.format === 'angularCli') {
+    const formatted = toOldFormatOrNull(json);
+    return formatted ? formatted : json;
+  } else {
+    return json;
+  }
+}
+
 export function workspaceFileName() {
   if (fileExists(`${appRootPath}/angular.json`)) {
     return 'angular.json';