diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/application/index.ts b/packages/schematics/angular/application/index.ts
index 2a02c9af23d8..97b02484cfc8 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/application/index.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/application/index.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ function addAppToWorkspaceFile(options: ApplicationOptions, workspace: Workspace
   // }
   let projectRoot = options.projectRoot !== undefined
     ? options.projectRoot
-    : `${workspace.newProjectRoot}/${options.name}`;
+    : `${workspace.newProjectRoot || ''}/${options.name}`;
   if (projectRoot !== '' && !projectRoot.endsWith('/')) {
     projectRoot += '/';
   }
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ export default function (options: ApplicationOptions): Rule {
       };
 
     const workspace = getWorkspace(host);
-    let newProjectRoot = workspace.newProjectRoot || 'projects';
+    let newProjectRoot = workspace.newProjectRoot || '';
     let appDir = `${newProjectRoot}/${options.name}`;
     let sourceRoot = `${appDir}/src`;
     let sourceDir = `${sourceRoot}/app`;
diff --git a/packages/schematics/angular/library/index.ts b/packages/schematics/angular/library/index.ts
index 7f2573bc98a4..02fc671be66f 100644
--- a/packages/schematics/angular/library/index.ts
+++ b/packages/schematics/angular/library/index.ts
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ export default function (options: LibraryOptions): Rule {
     }
 
     const workspace = getWorkspace(host);
-    const newProjectRoot = workspace.newProjectRoot || 'projects';
+    const newProjectRoot = workspace.newProjectRoot || '';
 
     const scopeFolder = scopeName ? strings.dasherize(scopeName) + '/' : '';
     const folderName = `${scopeFolder}${strings.dasherize(options.name)}`;