diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli/lib/Creator.js b/packages/@vue/cli/lib/Creator.js
index 7930d1185c..ae07e79e0c 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli/lib/Creator.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli/lib/Creator.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+const fs = require('fs-extra')
 const chalk = require('chalk')
 const debug = require('debug')
 const execa = require('execa')
@@ -238,6 +239,8 @@ module.exports = class Creator {
         error(`Failed fetching remote preset ${chalk.cyan(name)}:`)
         throw e
       }
+    } else if (name.endsWith('.json')) {
+      preset = await fs.readJson(name)
     } else {
       preset = savedPresets[name]
     }
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli/package.json b/packages/@vue/cli/package.json
index f8cddc6e49..c5fc423bc6 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli/package.json
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     "download-git-repo": "^1.0.2",
     "ejs": "^2.5.7",
     "execa": "^0.8.0",
+    "fs-extra": "^6.0.0",
     "globby": "^8.0.1",
     "import-global": "^0.1.0",
     "inquirer": "^4.0.1",