diff --git a/crates/turborepo-lib/src/lib.rs b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/lib.rs
index ca9d8ba0b4250..dfe3068a3beca 100644
--- a/crates/turborepo-lib/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ mod config;
 mod package_manager;
 mod retry;
 mod shim;
+mod turbo_json;
 mod ui;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
diff --git a/crates/turborepo-lib/src/shim.rs b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/shim.rs
index d27cba83cede6..ebb0695b5670d 100644
--- a/crates/turborepo-lib/src/shim.rs
+++ b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/shim.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tiny_gradient::{GradientStr, RGB};
 use turbo_updater::check_for_updates;
 
-use crate::{cli, get_version, PackageManager, Payload};
+use crate::{cli, get_version, turbo_json::TurboJson, PackageManager, Payload};
 
 static TURBO_JSON: &str = "turbo.json";
 // all arguments that result in a stdout that much be directly parsable and
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ impl RepoState {
         // that contains a `turbo.json` file.
         let root_path = current_dir
             .ancestors()
-            .find(|p| fs::metadata(p.join(TURBO_JSON)).is_ok());
+            .find(|p| TurboJson::open(p.join(TURBO_JSON)).map_or(false, |t| t.no_extends()));
 
         // If that directory exists, then we figure out if there are workspaces defined
         // in it NOTE: This may change with multiple `turbo.json` files
diff --git a/crates/turborepo-lib/src/turbo_json.rs b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/turbo_json.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..f803a11ae19fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/turborepo-lib/src/turbo_json.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+use std::{fs::File, path::Path};
+
+use anyhow::Result;
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
+pub struct TurboJson {
+    extends: Option<Vec<String>>,
+}
+
+impl TurboJson {
+    pub fn open(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<Self> {
+        Ok(serde_json::from_reader(File::open(path)?)?)
+    }
+    pub fn no_extends(&self) -> bool {
+        self.extends.is_none()
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_turbo_json() {
+    let turbo_json: TurboJson = serde_json::from_str("{}").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(turbo_json.extends, None);
+
+    let turbo_json: TurboJson = serde_json::from_str(r#"{ "extends": ["//"] }"#).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(turbo_json.extends, Some(vec!["//".to_string()]));
+
+    let turbo_json: TurboJson = serde_json::from_str(r#"{ "extends": ["//", "~"] }"#).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(
+        turbo_json.extends,
+        Some(vec!["//".to_string(), "~".to_string()])
+    );
+}