diff --git a/build/common.targets b/build/common.targets
index 6bf1305e..abcf2d87 100644
--- a/build/common.targets
+++ b/build/common.targets
@@ -3,79 +3,10 @@
 
   <!--compile constants -->
   <PropertyGroup>
+    <AssemblySearchPaths>$(AssemblySearchPaths);{GAC}</AssemblySearchPaths>
     <DefineConstants Condition="$(OS) == 'Windows_NT'">$(DefineConstants);SMAPI_FOR_WINDOWS</DefineConstants>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
-  <!-- add game references-->
-  <Choose>
-    <When Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' == 'SMAPI' OR '$(MSBuildProjectName)' == 'SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands' OR '$(MSBuildProjectName)' == 'SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup' OR '$(MSBuildProjectName)' == 'SMAPI.Tests'">
-      <!-- Windows -->
-      <PropertyGroup>
-        <!--recognise XNA Framework DLLs in the GAC-->
-        <AssemblySearchPaths>$(AssemblySearchPaths);{GAC}</AssemblySearchPaths>
-      </PropertyGroup>
-
-      <ItemGroup Condition="$(OS) == 'Windows_NT'">
-        <Reference Include="Stardew Valley">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Stardew Valley.exe</HintPath>
-          <Private Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' != 'SMAPI.Tests'">False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' != 'SMAPI.Tests'">False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Netcode">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Netcode.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' != 'SMAPI.Tests'">False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Xact, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-      </ItemGroup>
-
-      <!-- Linux/Mac -->
-      <ItemGroup Condition="$(OS) != 'Windows_NT'">
-        <Reference Include="StardewValley">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.exe</HintPath>
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private Condition="'$(MSBuildProjectName)' != 'SMAPI.Tests'">False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="MonoGame.Framework">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\MonoGame.Framework.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-      </ItemGroup>
-
-      <!-- common -->
-      <ItemGroup>
-        <Reference Include="GalaxyCSharp">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\GalaxyCSharp.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="Lidgren.Network">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Lidgren.Network.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-        <Reference Include="xTile">
-          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\xTile.dll</HintPath>
-          <Private>False</Private>
-        </Reference>
-      </ItemGroup>
-    </When>
-  </Choose>
-
   <!-- if game path is invalid, show one user-friendly error instead of a slew of reference errors -->
   <Target Name="ValidateInstallPath" AfterTargets="BeforeBuild">
     <Error Condition="!Exists('$(GamePath)')" Text="Failed to find the game install path automatically; edit the *.csproj file and manually add a &lt;GamePath&gt; setting with the full directory path containing the Stardew Valley executable." />
diff --git a/src/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands.csproj b/src/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands.csproj
index 13f92443..6cceb22d 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands.csproj
+++ b/src/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands/SMAPI.Mods.ConsoleCommands.csproj
@@ -17,6 +17,55 @@
     </ProjectReference>
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="$(GameExecutableName)">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\$(GameExecutableName).exe</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <Choose>
+    <!-- Windows -->
+    <When Condition="$(OS) == 'Windows_NT'">
+      <ItemGroup>
+        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Netcode">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Netcode.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Xact, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+      </ItemGroup>
+    </When>
+
+    <!-- Linux/Mac -->
+    <Otherwise>
+      <ItemGroup>
+        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="MonoGame.Framework">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\MonoGame.Framework.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+      </ItemGroup>
+    </Otherwise>
+  </Choose>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="..\..\build\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs">
       <Link>Properties\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs</Link>
diff --git a/src/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup.csproj b/src/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup.csproj
index 9375cb64..d2e41e77 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup.csproj
+++ b/src/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup/SMAPI.Mods.SaveBackup.csproj
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@
     </ProjectReference>
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="$(GameExecutableName)">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\$(GameExecutableName).exe</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
+  </ItemGroup>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="..\..\build\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs">
       <Link>Properties\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs</Link>
diff --git a/src/SMAPI.Tests/SMAPI.Tests.csproj b/src/SMAPI.Tests/SMAPI.Tests.csproj
index 1c414127..2f632a49 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI.Tests/SMAPI.Tests.csproj
+++ b/src/SMAPI.Tests/SMAPI.Tests.csproj
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@
     <PackageReference Include="System.ValueTuple" Version="4.5.0" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="$(GameExecutableName)">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\$(GameExecutableName).exe</HintPath>
+      <Private>True</Private>
+    </Reference>
+  </ItemGroup>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="..\..\build\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs">
       <Link>Properties\GlobalAssemblyInfo.cs</Link>
diff --git a/src/SMAPI/SMAPI.csproj b/src/SMAPI/SMAPI.csproj
index d723d954..8b7d6277 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI/SMAPI.csproj
+++ b/src/SMAPI/SMAPI.csproj
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="$(GameExecutableName)">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\$(GameExecutableName).exe</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
     <Reference Include="System.Numerics">
       <Private>True</Private>
     </Reference>
@@ -32,6 +36,64 @@
     <Reference Include="System.Windows.Forms" Condition="$(OS) == 'Windows_NT'" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <Choose>
+    <!-- Windows -->
+    <When Condition="$(OS) == 'Windows_NT'">
+      <ItemGroup>
+        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Netcode">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Netcode.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Graphics, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Xact, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=842cf8be1de50553, processorArchitecture=x86">
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+      </ItemGroup>
+    </When>
+
+    <!-- Linux/Mac -->
+    <Otherwise>
+      <ItemGroup>
+        <Reference Include="StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\StardewValley.GameData.MonoGame.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+        <Reference Include="MonoGame.Framework">
+          <HintPath>$(GamePath)\MonoGame.Framework.dll</HintPath>
+          <Private>False</Private>
+        </Reference>
+      </ItemGroup>
+    </Otherwise>
+  </Choose>
+
+  <!-- common -->
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Reference Include="GalaxyCSharp">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\GalaxyCSharp.dll</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
+    <Reference Include="Lidgren.Network">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\Lidgren.Network.dll</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
+    <Reference Include="xTile">
+      <HintPath>$(GamePath)\xTile.dll</HintPath>
+      <Private>False</Private>
+    </Reference>
+  </ItemGroup>
+
   <ItemGroup>
     <ProjectReference Include="..\SMAPI.Toolkit.CoreInterfaces\SMAPI.Toolkit.CoreInterfaces.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\SMAPI.Toolkit\SMAPI.Toolkit.csproj" />