diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
index 96c52858518..6c60f687f7a 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ parseProjectSkeleton cacheDir httpTransport verbosity projectDir source (Project
         (elseClauses, rest) <- parseElseClauses xs
         let condNode =
               (\c pcs e -> CondNode mempty mempty [CondBranch c pcs e])
-                <$> ( let s = "elif(" <> p <> ")"
+                <$> ( let s = "else(" <> p <> ")"
                        in projectParse (Just s) normSource (adaptParseError l (parseConditionConfVarFromClause $ BS.pack s))
                     )
                 <*> subpcs