diff --git a/packages/express/src/generators/application/application.ts b/packages/express/src/generators/application/application.ts
index 66c36a6f25e764..adf4ae7adb131e 100644
--- a/packages/express/src/generators/application/application.ts
+++ b/packages/express/src/generators/application/application.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ async function normalizeOptions(
     projectType: 'application',
     directory: options.directory,
     projectNameAndRootFormat: options.projectNameAndRootFormat,
+    callingGenerator: '@nx/express:application',
   });
   options.projectNameAndRootFormat = projectNameAndRootFormat;