diff --git a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsProjectLoader.java b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsProjectLoader.java
index febba4572077..132f7442275e 100644
--- a/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsProjectLoader.java
+++ b/jps/model-serialization/src/org/jetbrains/jps/model/serialization/JpsProjectLoader.java
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ public class JpsProjectLoader extends JpsLoaderBase {
       mergedFacetsTag = JDOMUtil.deepMerge(facetsTag, externalFacetsTag);
     }
     else {
-      mergedFacetsTag = null;
+      mergedFacetsTag = facetsTag;
     }
     JpsFacetSerializer.loadFacets(module, mergedFacetsTag);
     return module;