diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/package.json b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/package.json
index 5ba109bcaaa11..9af2d2310b3ee 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk-lib/package.json
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk-lib/package.json
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
         "packageName": "awscdk"
       }
     },
-    "projectReferences": false,
+    "projectReferences": true,
     "metadata": {
       "jsii": {
         "rosetta": {
diff --git a/tools/@aws-cdk/pkglint/lib/rules.ts b/tools/@aws-cdk/pkglint/lib/rules.ts
index 808911a78e36d..ef6d739945f6c 100644
--- a/tools/@aws-cdk/pkglint/lib/rules.ts
+++ b/tools/@aws-cdk/pkglint/lib/rules.ts
@@ -645,13 +645,6 @@ export class JSIIProjectReferences extends ValidationRule {
     if (!isJSII(pkg)) {
       return;
     }
-
-    expectJSON(
-      this.name,
-      pkg,
-      'jsii.projectReferences',
-      pkg.json.name !== 'aws-cdk-lib',
-    );
   }
 }