diff --git a/lib/Serverless.js b/lib/Serverless.js
index 6cf2093d1..8311afbae 100644
--- a/lib/Serverless.js
+++ b/lib/Serverless.js
@@ -88,6 +88,10 @@ class Serverless {
   }
 
   setProject( project ) {
+    if( _.isString( project ) ){
+      project = this.classes.Project.findProject( project );
+    }
+
     this._project = project;
 
     if( project != undefined ){