diff --git a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
index 3a35568f8f..af027da2fc 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
+++ b/osu.Desktop/osu.Desktop.csproj
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
     <StartupObject>osu.Desktop.Program</StartupObject>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup Label="Project References">
+    <!-- This can be removed after .NET Core SDK version 2.1.300; see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/ef/core/miscellaneous/cli/dotnet -->
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design" Version="2.0.3" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\osu-framework\osu.Framework\osu.Framework.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\osu.Game\osu.Game.csproj" />
     <ProjectReference Include="..\osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu\osu.Game.Rulesets.Osu.csproj" />
@@ -36,4 +38,8 @@
   <ItemGroup Label="Resources">
     <EmbeddedResource Include="lazer.ico" />
   </ItemGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <!-- This can be removed after .NET Core SDK version 2.1.300; see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/ef/core/miscellaneous/cli/dotnet -->
+    <DotNetCliToolReference Include="Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools.DotNet" Version="2.0.0" />
+  </ItemGroup>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file