diff --git a/packages/nx/src/project-graph/utils/project-configuration-utils.ts b/packages/nx/src/project-graph/utils/project-configuration-utils.ts
index 4696220e5057e6..bb48f709c18fef 100644
--- a/packages/nx/src/project-graph/utils/project-configuration-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/nx/src/project-graph/utils/project-configuration-utils.ts
@@ -644,10 +644,12 @@ function normalizeTargets(
     const projectSourceMaps = sourceMaps[project.root];
 
     const targetConfig = project.targets[targetName];
-    const targetDefaults = readTargetDefaultsForTarget(
-      targetName,
-      nxJsonConfiguration.targetDefaults,
-      targetConfig.executor
+    const targetDefaults = deepClone(
+      readTargetDefaultsForTarget(
+        targetName,
+        nxJsonConfiguration.targetDefaults,
+        targetConfig.executor
+      )
     );
 
     // We only apply defaults if they exist
@@ -718,6 +720,10 @@ function targetDefaultShouldBeApplied(
   return !plugin?.startsWith('nx/');
 }
 
+function deepClone(obj) {
+  return JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(obj));
+}
+
 export function mergeTargetDefaultWithTargetDefinition(
   targetName: string,
   project: ProjectConfiguration,
@@ -725,7 +731,7 @@ export function mergeTargetDefaultWithTargetDefinition(
   sourceMap: Record<string, SourceInformation>
 ): TargetConfiguration {
   const targetDefinition = project.targets[targetName] ?? {};
-  const result = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(targetDefinition));
+  const result = deepClone(targetDefinition);
 
   for (const key in targetDefault) {
     switch (key) {