diff --git a/src/leiningen/repl.clj b/src/leiningen/repl.clj
index 93340b4d..ff83eb1a 100644
--- a/src/leiningen/repl.clj
+++ b/src/leiningen/repl.clj
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@
           port# (:port server#)
           repl-port-file# (apply io/file ~(repl-port-file-vector project))
           ;; TODO 3.0: remove legacy repl port support.
-          legacy-repl-port# (if (.exists (io/file ~(:target-path project)))
+          legacy-repl-port# (if (.exists (io/file ~(:target-path project "")))
                               (io/file ~(:target-path project) "repl-port"))]
       (when ~start-msg?
         (println "nREPL server started on port" port# "on host" ~(:host cfg)