diff --git a/src/api/dotnet/core/README.txt b/src/api/dotnet/core/README.txt
index 72331d7f9..883b23056 100644
--- a/src/api/dotnet/core/README.txt
+++ b/src/api/dotnet/core/README.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,6 @@ functions, so that the API will compile, but not perform any contract
 checking. To build this using .NET core, run (in this directory):
 
 dotnet restore
-dotnet build project.json
+dotnet build core.json
+
+-- good luck!
diff --git a/src/api/dotnet/core/core.csproj b/src/api/dotnet/core/core.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5fa3275cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/dotnet/core/core.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp1.0</TargetFramework>
+    <DefineConstants>$(DefineConstants);DOTNET_CORE</DefineConstants>
+    <DebugType>portable</DebugType>
+    <AssemblyName>Microsoft.Z3</AssemblyName>
+    <OutputType>Library</OutputType>
+    <PackageId>core</PackageId>
+    <PackageTargetFallback>$(PackageTargetFallback);dnxcore50</PackageTargetFallback>
+    <RuntimeFrameworkVersion>1.0.4</RuntimeFrameworkVersion>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Compile Include="..\*.cs" Exclude="bin\**;obj\**;**\*.xproj;packages\**" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+</Project>