diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmProject.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmProject.kt
index 97136c26fb8..ee7aedfb814 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmProject.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmProject.kt
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ open class NpmProject(val compilation: KotlinJsCompilation) {
     val packageJsonFile: File
         get() = dir.resolve(PACKAGE_JSON)
 
-    val packageCandidateJsonFile: File
-        get() = dir.resolve(PACKAGE_CANDIDATE_JSON)
+    val prePackageJsonFile: File
+        get() = dir.resolve(PRE_PACKAGE_JSON)
 
     val packageJsonTaskName: String
         get() = compilation.disambiguateName("packageJson")
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ open class NpmProject(val compilation: KotlinJsCompilation) {
 
     companion object {
         const val PACKAGE_JSON = "package.json"
-        const val PACKAGE_CANDIDATE_JSON = "package-candidate.json"
+        const val PRE_PACKAGE_JSON = "pre-package.json"
         const val NODE_MODULES = "node_modules"
         const val DIST_FOLDER = "kotlin"
     }
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/PackageJsonUpToDateCheck.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/PackageJsonUpToDateCheck.kt
index 27828e5758d..5797199620d 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/PackageJsonUpToDateCheck.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/PackageJsonUpToDateCheck.kt
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class PackageJsonUpToDateCheck(val npmProject: NpmProject) {
         if (packageJsonHashFile.exists()) packageJsonHashFile.readText() else null
     }
 
-    private val packageJsonFile = npmProject.packageCandidateJsonFile
+    private val packageJsonFile = npmProject.prePackageJsonFile
 
     private val hash by lazy {
         val hasher = (project as ProjectInternal).services.get(FileHasher::class.java)
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/resolver/KotlinCompilationNpmResolver.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/resolver/KotlinCompilationNpmResolver.kt
index bd68c3d8f89..f60d963d22a 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/resolver/KotlinCompilationNpmResolver.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/resolver/KotlinCompilationNpmResolver.kt
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ internal class KotlinCompilationNpmResolver(
             }
 
             if (!skipWriting) {
-                packageJson.saveTo(npmProject.packageCandidateJsonFile)
+                packageJson.saveTo(npmProject.prePackageJsonFile)
             }
 
             return KotlinCompilationNpmResolution(
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/tasks/KotlinPackageJsonTask.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/tasks/KotlinPackageJsonTask.kt
index 9d9df292b69..906edacf1c0 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/tasks/KotlinPackageJsonTask.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/tasks/KotlinPackageJsonTask.kt
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ open class KotlinPackageJsonTask : DefaultTask() {
 
     @get:OutputFile
     val packageJson: File
-        get() = compilationResolver.npmProject.packageCandidateJsonFile
+        get() = compilationResolver.npmProject.prePackageJsonFile
 
     @TaskAction
     fun resolve() {