[Bug]: Static Graph Restore failed with a NullReferenceException when a non-SDK-style project refs an SDK-style project with SetTargetFramework
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@zivkan is already working on this.
Since Jun 22, 2026.
Area:RestoreStaticGraph
Category:Quality Week
Functionality:Restore
Priority:2
Type:Bug
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Description
NuGet Product Used
MSBuild.exe
Product Version
msbuild 17
Worked before?
No
Impact
It's more difficult to complete my work
Repro Steps & Context
Dep\Dep.csproj:
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFrameworks>net472;net5.0</TargetFrameworks>
</PropertyGroup>
</Project>
Broken\Broken.csproj:
<Project>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" />
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.7.2</TargetFrameworkVersion>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectReference Include="..\Dep\Dep.csproj">
<SetTargetFramework>TargetFramework=net472</SetTargetFramework>
</ProjectReference>
</ItemGroup>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
</Project>
Do a static graph restore on Broken\Broken.csproj. The output looks like:
Microsoft (R) Build Engine version 17.2.0-dev-22166-01+719247ede for .NET Framework
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Determining projects to restore...
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\IntPreview\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\NuGet\NuGet.RestoreEx.targets(19,5): error : Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [C:\Code\tmp\GraphRestoreRepro\Broken\Broken.csproj]
Build FAILED.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\IntPreview\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\NuGet\NuGet.RestoreEx.targets(19,5): error : Object reference not set to an instance of an object. [C:\Code\tmp\GraphRestoreRepro\Broken\Broken.csproj]
0 Warning(s)
1 Error(s)
Time Elapsed 00:00:06.70
The NRE specifically is in MSBuildStaticGraphRestore.GetPackageSpec. The caller iterates each ProjectWithInnerNodes and calls GetPackageSpec(project.OuterProject), but project.OuterProject is null for the Dep\Dep.csproj entry.
If any of the following is changed, it works:
- Non-static graph restore
- Remove the
SetTargetFrameworkmetadata fromBroken\Broken.csproj - Migrate
Broken\Broken.csprojto SDK-style
Verbose Logs
No response
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