diff --git a/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs b/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
index d1e53e12eeb..2158485a330 100644
--- a/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 use std::{collections::VecDeque, fmt, fs, process::Command, sync::Arc};
 
-use anyhow::{format_err, Context, Result};
+use anyhow::{bail, format_err, Context, Result};
 use base_db::{
     CrateDisplayName, CrateGraph, CrateId, CrateName, CrateOrigin, Dependency, Edition, Env,
     FileId, LangCrateOrigin, ProcMacroLoadResult, TargetLayoutLoadResult,
@@ -154,6 +154,12 @@ pub fn load(
     ) -> Result<ProjectWorkspace> {
         let res = match manifest {
             ProjectManifest::ProjectJson(project_json) => {
+                let metadata = fs::symlink_metadata(&project_json).with_context(|| {
+                    format!("Failed to read json file {}", project_json.display())
+                })?;
+                if metadata.is_symlink() {
+                    bail!("The project-json may not currently point to a symlink");
+                }
                 let file = fs::read_to_string(&project_json).with_context(|| {
                     format!("Failed to read json file {}", project_json.display())
                 })?;