diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.n4js/src/org/eclipse/n4js/utils/ProjectDiscoveryHelper.java b/plugins/org.eclipse.n4js/src/org/eclipse/n4js/utils/ProjectDiscoveryHelper.java
index f627ee01ed..b35af93394 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.n4js/src/org/eclipse/n4js/utils/ProjectDiscoveryHelper.java
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.n4js/src/org/eclipse/n4js/utils/ProjectDiscoveryHelper.java
@@ -431,7 +431,6 @@ private Set<Path> collectNecessaryDependencies(Set<Path> allProjectDirs, Map<Pat
 	private void collectProjectDependencies(Set<Path> allProjectDirs, Path projectDir,
 			Map<Path, ProjectDescription> pdCache, Set<Path> dependencies) {
 
-		NodeModulesFolder nodeModulesFolder = nodeModulesDiscoveryHelper.getNodeModulesFolder(projectDir, pdCache);
 		LinkedHashSet<Path> workList = new LinkedHashSet<>();
 		workList.add(projectDir);
 		while (!workList.isEmpty()) {
@@ -439,6 +438,7 @@ private void collectProjectDependencies(Set<Path> allProjectDirs, Path projectDi
 			Path nextProject = iterator.next();
 			iterator.remove();
 
+			NodeModulesFolder nodeModulesFolder = nodeModulesDiscoveryHelper.getNodeModulesFolder(nextProject, pdCache);
 			findDependencies(allProjectDirs, nextProject, nodeModulesFolder, pdCache, workList, dependencies);
 		}
 	}