diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
index 6519393aae2f..067464c56da9 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/command.ts
@@ -169,9 +169,7 @@ export abstract class Command<T extends BaseCommandOptions = BaseCommandOptions>
   abstract async run(options: T & Arguments): Promise<number | void>;
 
   async validateAndRun(options: T & Arguments): Promise<number | void> {
-    if (!(options.help === true || options.help === 'json' || options.help === 'JSON')) {
-      await this.validateScope();
-    }
+    await this.validateScope();
     await this.initialize(options);
 
     if (options.help === true) {
diff --git a/scripts/validate-user-analytics.ts b/scripts/validate-user-analytics.ts
index 725e2447ec81..b0d6600e4289 100644
--- a/scripts/validate-user-analytics.ts
+++ b/scripts/validate-user-analytics.ts
@@ -95,13 +95,26 @@ async function _checkDimensions(dimensionsTable: string, logger: logging.Logger)
 
   const commands = require('../packages/angular/cli/commands.json');
   const ngPath = path.join(newProjectRoot, 'node_modules/.bin/ng');
-  for (const commandName of Object.keys(commands)) {
-    const options = { cwd: newProjectRoot };
-    const childLogger = logger.createChild(commandName);
-    const stdout = _exec(ngPath, [commandName, '--help=json'], options, childLogger);
-    commandDescription[commandName] = JSON.parse(stdout.trim());
+  const options = { cwd: newProjectRoot };
+
+  function execCommands(commands: string[]) {
+    for (const commandName of commands) {
+      const childLogger = logger.createChild(commandName);
+      const stdout = _exec(ngPath, [commandName, '--help=json'], options, childLogger);
+      commandDescription[commandName] = JSON.parse(stdout.trim());
+    }
   }
 
+  const commandsToRunInAProject = Object.keys(commands).filter(commandName => commandName !== 'new');
+  // `ng new` is the only command that's required to run outside of an Angular project
+  const commandsToRunOutsideOfAProject = ['new'];
+
+  execCommands(commandsToRunInAProject);
+  const angularJsonPath = path.join(newProjectRoot, 'angular.json');
+  // Remove `angular.json` to ensure `ng new` is runnable in the same directory
+  fs.unlinkSync(angularJsonPath);
+  execCommands(commandsToRunOutsideOfAProject);
+
   function _checkOptionsForAnalytics(options: Option[]) {
     for (const option of options) {
       if (option.subcommands) {
diff --git a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-hidden.ts b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-hidden.ts
index 5f88a787257c..a67a4748a792 100644
--- a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-hidden.ts
+++ b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-hidden.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export default function() {
         `);
       }
     })
-    .then(() => silentNg('--help', 'new'))
+    .then(() => silentNg('--help', 'generate'))
     .then(({ stdout }) => {
       if (stdout.match(/--link-cli/)) {
         throw new Error(oneLine`
diff --git a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-json.ts b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-json.ts
index af4f18872990..e9d60bfc3df3 100644
--- a/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-json.ts
+++ b/tests/legacy-cli/e2e/tests/commands/help/help-json.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 import { silentNg } from '../../../utils/process';
-
+import { deleteFile } from '../../../utils/fs';
 
 export default async function() {
   const commands = require('@angular/cli/commands.json');
-  for (const commandName of Object.keys(commands)) {
-    const { stdout } = await silentNg(commandName, '--help=json');
 
-    if (stdout.trim()) {
-      JSON.parse(stdout);
-    } else {
-      console.warn(`No JSON output for command [${commandName}].`);
+  async function execCommands(commands: string[]) {
+    for (const commandName of commands) {
+      const { stdout } = await silentNg(commandName, '--help=json');
+
+      if (stdout.trim()) {
+        JSON.parse(stdout);
+      } else {
+        console.warn(`No JSON output for command [${commandName}].`);
+      }
     }
   }
+
+  const commandsToRunInAProject = Object.keys(commands).filter(commandName => commandName !== 'new');
+  // `ng new` is the only command that's required to run outside of an Angular project
+  const commandsToRunOutsideOfAProject = ['new'];
+
+  await execCommands(commandsToRunInAProject);
+  // Remove `angular.json` to ensure `ng new` is runnable in the same directory
+  await deleteFile('angular.json');
+  await execCommands(commandsToRunOutsideOfAProject);
 }