diff --git a/packages/core/schematics/test/project_tsconfig_paths_spec.ts b/packages/core/schematics/test/project_tsconfig_paths_spec.ts
index 0091ce0070..0ebf15276d 100644
--- a/packages/core/schematics/test/project_tsconfig_paths_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/schematics/test/project_tsconfig_paths_spec.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,26 @@ describe('project tsconfig paths', () => {
     expect(getProjectTsConfigPaths(testTree).buildPaths).toEqual(['my-custom-config.json']);
   });
 
+  it('should be able to read workspace configuration which is using JSON5 features', () => {
+    testTree.create('/my-build-config.json', '');
+    testTree.create('/angular.json', `{
+      // Comments, unquoted properties or trailing commas are only supported in JSON5.
+      projects: {
+        with_tests: {
+          targets: {
+            build: {
+              options: {
+                tsConfig: './my-build-config.json',
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      },
+    }`);
+
+    expect(getProjectTsConfigPaths(testTree).buildPaths).toEqual(['my-build-config.json']);
+  });
+
   it('should detect test tsconfig path inside of angular.json file', () => {
     testTree.create('/my-test-config.json', '');
     testTree.create('/angular.json', JSON.stringify({
diff --git a/packages/core/schematics/utils/project_tsconfig_paths.ts b/packages/core/schematics/utils/project_tsconfig_paths.ts
index 05d46ae1cc..6690974fb0 100644
--- a/packages/core/schematics/utils/project_tsconfig_paths.ts
+++ b/packages/core/schematics/utils/project_tsconfig_paths.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {normalize} from '@angular-devkit/core';
+import {JsonParseMode, normalize, parseJson} from '@angular-devkit/core';
 import {Tree} from '@angular-devkit/schematics';
 import {WorkspaceProject} from '@schematics/angular/utility/workspace-models';
 
@@ -78,8 +78,10 @@ function getWorkspaceConfigGracefully(tree: Tree): any {
   }
 
   try {
-    return JSON.parse(configBuffer.toString());
-  } catch {
+    // Parse the workspace file as JSON5 which is also supported for CLI
+    // workspace configurations.
+    return parseJson(configBuffer.toString(), JsonParseMode.Json5);
+  } catch (e) {
     return null;
   }
 }