diff --git a/FSharp.Compiler.Service.sln b/FSharp.Compiler.Service.sln
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ed82699919d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/FSharp.Compiler.Service.sln
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+
+Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
+# Visual Studio Version 16
+VisualStudioVersion = 16.0.30503.244
+MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
+Project("{6EC3EE1D-3C4E-46DD-8F32-0CC8E7565705}") = "FSharp.Compiler.Service", "src\fsharp\FSharp.Compiler.Service\FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj", "{A59DB8AE-8044-41A5-848A-800A7FF31C93}"
+EndProject
+Global
+	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
+		Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
+		Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
+	EndGlobalSection
+	GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
+		{A59DB8AE-8044-41A5-848A-800A7FF31C93}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
+		{A59DB8AE-8044-41A5-848A-800A7FF31C93}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
+		{A59DB8AE-8044-41A5-848A-800A7FF31C93}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
+		{A59DB8AE-8044-41A5-848A-800A7FF31C93}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
+	EndGlobalSection
+	GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
+		HideSolutionNode = FALSE
+	EndGlobalSection
+	GlobalSection(ExtensibilityGlobals) = postSolution
+		SolutionGuid = {F9A60F3B-D894-4C8E-BA0F-C51115B25A5A}
+	EndGlobalSection
+EndGlobal
diff --git a/FSharp.Compiler.Service.slnf b/FSharp.Compiler.Service.slnf
deleted file mode 100644
index 22303032243..00000000000
--- a/FSharp.Compiler.Service.slnf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "solution": {
-    "path": "FSharp.sln",
-    "projects": [
-      "src\\fsharp\\FSharp.Compiler.Service\\FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj",
-      "tests\\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests\\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests.fsproj"
-    ]
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/fsharp/Directory.Build.props b/src/fsharp/Directory.Build.props
index 151415117e4..5b972c79383 100644
--- a/src/fsharp/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/src/fsharp/Directory.Build.props
@@ -2,6 +2,15 @@
 
   <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../'))" />
 
+  <!-- 
+    When developers load the FSharp.Compiler.Service solution we set FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE to true if it hasn't already been set to a value.
+    This option ensures that building and testing uses the specified FSharp.Core nuget package instead of the local
+    FSharp.Core project.
+  -->
+  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE)' == ''">
+    <FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE Condition="'$(SolutionName)' == 'FSharp.Compiler.Service'">true</FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
   <PropertyGroup>
     <DisableImplicitSystemValueTupleReference>true</DisableImplicitSystemValueTupleReference>
     <DisableImplicitFSharpCoreReference>true</DisableImplicitFSharpCoreReference>
diff --git a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj
index 8878d49a7a1..2ff2992d7b9 100644
--- a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj
+++ b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Compiler.Service/FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj
@@ -729,14 +729,6 @@
     </Compile>
   </ItemGroup>
 
-  <PropertyGroup>
-    <!--
-    Some users have found it easier to work on FSharp.CompilerService when referencing the nuget package rather than the fsharp.core project
-    set FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE to true to use package
-  -->
-    <FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE>false</FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE>
-  </PropertyGroup>
-
   <ItemGroup Condition="'$(FSHARPCORE_USE_PACKAGE)' != 'true'">
     <ProjectReference Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)..\FSharp.Core\FSharp.Core.fsproj" />
   </ItemGroup>