diff --git a/hix.cabal b/hix.cabal
--- a/hix.cabal
+++ b/hix.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           hix
-version:        0.5.0
+version:        0.5.2
 synopsis:       Haskell/Nix development build tools
 description:    See https://hackage.haskell.org/package/hix/docs/Hix.html
 category:       Build
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Component.hs b/lib/Hix/Component.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Component.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Component.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 module Hix.Component where
 
-import Control.Monad.Trans.Class (lift)
-import Control.Monad.Trans.Except (throwE)
 import Data.List.Extra (firstJust)
 import qualified Data.Map.Strict as Map
 import Data.Map.Strict ((!?))
@@ -17,9 +15,10 @@
   PackagesConfig,
   SourceDir (SourceDir),
   Target (Target),
+  TargetOrDefault (DefaultTarget, ExplicitTarget, NoDefaultTarget),
   )
 import Hix.Data.Error (Error (EnvError), pathText)
-import Hix.Monad (M, noteEnv)
+import Hix.Monad (M, noteEnv, throwM)
 import qualified Hix.Options as Options
 import Hix.Options (
   ComponentCoords,
@@ -29,6 +28,12 @@
   )
 import Hix.Path (rootDir)
 
+data ResolvedPackage =
+  ResolvedPackage Bool PackageConfig
+  |
+  NoPackage Text
+  deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
+
 tryPackageByDir ::
   PackagesConfig ->
   Path Rel Dir ->
@@ -45,10 +50,10 @@
 packageByDir config dir =
   noteEnv [exon|No package at this directory: #{pathText dir}|] (tryPackageByDir config dir)
 
-packageDefault :: PackagesConfig -> M PackageConfig
+packageDefault :: PackagesConfig -> ResolvedPackage
 packageDefault = \case
-  [(_, pkg)] -> pure pkg
-  _ -> lift (throwE (EnvError "Project has more than one package, specify -p or -f."))
+  [(_, pkg)] -> ResolvedPackage False pkg
+  _ -> NoPackage "Project has more than one package, specify -p or -f."
 
 packageForSpec ::
   Path Abs Dir ->
@@ -72,10 +77,10 @@
   Path Abs Dir ->
   PackagesConfig ->
   Maybe PackageSpec ->
-  M PackageConfig
+  M ResolvedPackage
 packageForSpecOrDefault root config = \case
-  Just pkg -> packageForSpec root config pkg
-  Nothing -> packageDefault config
+  Just pkg -> ResolvedPackage True <$> packageForSpec root config pkg
+  Nothing -> pure (packageDefault config)
 
 matchComponent :: ComponentConfig -> ComponentSpec -> Bool
 matchComponent candidate (ComponentSpec name dir) =
@@ -95,29 +100,35 @@
 testComponent =
   ComponentSpec "test" (Just (SourceDir [reldir|test|]))
 
+defaultComponent :: PackageConfig -> Either Text Target
+defaultComponent package = do
+  component <- maybeToRight (undecidableComponentError package.name) (selectComponent package.components)
+  pure Target {sourceDir = Nothing, ..}
+  where
+    selectComponent [(_, comp)] = Just comp
+    selectComponent (Map.elems -> comps) = find (match testComponent) comps
+    match = flip matchComponent
+
 targetInPackage ::
-  PackageConfig ->
+  ResolvedPackage ->
   Maybe ComponentSpec ->
-  M Target
-targetInPackage package = \case
-  Just comp -> do
-    component <- noteEnv (componentError package.name comp) (find match (Map.elems package.components))
-    pure Target {sourceDir = Nothing, ..}
-    where
-      match cand = matchComponent cand comp
-  Nothing -> do
-    component <- noteEnv (undecidableComponentError package.name) (selectComponent package.components)
-    pure Target {sourceDir = Nothing, ..}
-    where
-      selectComponent [(_, comp)] = Just comp
-      selectComponent (Map.elems -> comps) = find (match testComponent) comps
-      match = flip matchComponent
+  M TargetOrDefault
+targetInPackage (ResolvedPackage _ package) (Just comp) = do
+  component <- noteEnv (componentError package.name comp) (find match (Map.elems package.components))
+  pure (ExplicitTarget (Target {sourceDir = Nothing, ..}))
+  where
+    match cand = matchComponent cand comp
+targetInPackage (ResolvedPackage True package) Nothing =
+  either (throwM . EnvError) pure (ExplicitTarget <$> defaultComponent package)
+targetInPackage (ResolvedPackage False package) Nothing = do
+  either (pure . NoDefaultTarget) pure (DefaultTarget <$> defaultComponent package)
+targetInPackage (NoPackage err) _ = pure (NoDefaultTarget err)
 
 targetForComponent ::
   Path Abs Dir ->
   PackagesConfig ->
   ComponentCoords ->
-  M Target
+  M TargetOrDefault
 targetForComponent root config spec = do
   package <- packageForSpecOrDefault root config spec.package
   targetInPackage package spec.component
@@ -147,18 +158,29 @@
   Path Abs Dir ->
   PackagesConfig ->
   TargetSpec ->
-  M Target
+  M TargetOrDefault
 targetComponentIn root config = \case
   TargetForComponent spec ->
     targetForComponent root config spec
   TargetForFile spec ->
-    targetForFile root config spec
+    ExplicitTarget <$> targetForFile root config spec
 
 targetComponent ::
   Maybe (Path Abs Dir) ->
   PackagesConfig ->
   TargetSpec ->
-  M Target
+  M TargetOrDefault
 targetComponent cliRoot config spec = do
   root <- rootDir cliRoot
   targetComponentIn root config spec
+
+targetComponentOrError ::
+  Maybe (Path Abs Dir) ->
+  PackagesConfig ->
+  TargetSpec ->
+  M Target
+targetComponentOrError cliRoot config spec =
+  targetComponent cliRoot config spec >>= \case
+    ExplicitTarget t -> pure t
+    DefaultTarget t -> pure t
+    NoDefaultTarget err -> throwM (EnvError err)
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Data/ComponentConfig.hs b/lib/Hix/Data/ComponentConfig.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Data/ComponentConfig.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Data/ComponentConfig.hs
@@ -106,3 +106,11 @@
     sourceDir :: Maybe SourceDir
   }
   deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
+
+data TargetOrDefault =
+  ExplicitTarget Target
+  |
+  DefaultTarget Target
+  |
+  NoDefaultTarget Text
+  deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Env.hs b/lib/Hix/Env.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Env.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Env.hs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import Hix.Component (targetComponent)
 import qualified Hix.Data.ComponentConfig
-import Hix.Data.ComponentConfig (EnvRunner (EnvRunner), PackagesConfig, Target (Target))
+import Hix.Data.ComponentConfig (EnvRunner (EnvRunner), PackagesConfig, TargetOrDefault (DefaultTarget, ExplicitTarget))
 import Hix.Data.Error (pathText)
 import qualified Hix.Data.GhciConfig
 import Hix.Json (jsonConfig)
@@ -13,14 +13,18 @@
 import qualified Hix.Options as Options
 import Hix.Options (EnvRunnerOptions, TargetSpec)
 
+-- TODO when there is a solution for default command env fallback configuration, the DefaultTarget case must return
+-- Nothing when the config requests it
 componentRunner ::
   Maybe (Path Abs Dir) ->
   PackagesConfig ->
   TargetSpec ->
   M (Maybe EnvRunner)
-componentRunner cliRoot config spec = do
-  Target {component} <- targetComponent cliRoot config spec
-  pure component.runner
+componentRunner cliRoot config spec =
+  targetComponent cliRoot config spec <&> \case
+    ExplicitTarget t -> t.component.runner
+    DefaultTarget t -> t.component.runner
+    _ -> Nothing
 
 envRunner :: EnvRunnerOptions -> M EnvRunner
 envRunner opts = do
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs b/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Ghci.hs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 import System.IO (hClose)
 import System.Posix.User (getLoginName)
 
-import Hix.Component (targetComponent)
+import Hix.Component (targetComponentOrError)
 import qualified Hix.Data.ComponentConfig
 import Hix.Data.ComponentConfig (
   ComponentConfig,
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 assemble opt = do
   config <- either pure jsonConfig opt.config
   root <- rootDir opt.root
-  Target {..} <- targetComponent opt.root config.packages opt.component
+  Target {..} <- targetComponentOrError opt.root config.packages opt.component
   script <- ghciScript config package sourceDir opt
   pure GhciTest {
     script,
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Monad.hs b/lib/Hix/Monad.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Monad.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Monad.hs
@@ -15,21 +15,25 @@
 
 type M a = ReaderT Env (ExceptT Error IO) a
 
+throwM :: Error -> M a
+throwM =
+  lift . throwE
+
 noteEnv :: Text -> Maybe a -> M a
 noteEnv err =
-  maybe (lift (throwE (EnvError err))) pure
+  maybe (throwM (EnvError err)) pure
 
 noteGhci :: Text -> Maybe a -> M a
 noteGhci err =
-  maybe (lift (throwE (GhciError err))) pure
+  maybe (throwM (GhciError err)) pure
 
 noteNew :: Text -> Maybe a -> M a
 noteNew err =
-  maybe (lift (throwE (NewError err))) pure
+  maybe (throwM (NewError err)) pure
 
 noteBootstrap :: Text -> Maybe a -> M a
 noteBootstrap err =
-  maybe (lift (throwE (BootstrapError err))) pure
+  maybe (throwM (BootstrapError err)) pure
 
 runM :: Path Abs Dir -> M a -> IO (Either Error a)
 runM root ma =
diff --git a/lib/Hix/Preproc.hs b/lib/Hix/Preproc.hs
--- a/lib/Hix/Preproc.hs
+++ b/lib/Hix/Preproc.hs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 import System.Random (randomRIO)
 
 import Hix.Cabal (buildInfoForFile)
-import Hix.Component (targetComponent)
+import Hix.Component (targetComponentOrError)
 import qualified Hix.Data.ComponentConfig
 import Hix.Data.ComponentConfig (PreludeConfig, PreludePackage (PreludePackageName, PreludePackageSpec))
 import Hix.Data.Error (Error (..), sourceError, tryIO)
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
 
 preludeRegex :: Regex
 preludeRegex =
-  [regex|^import\s+(?:qualified\s+)?((?:"[^"]+"\s+)?)(Prelude)|]
+  [regex|^import\s+(?:qualified\s+)?((?:"[^"]+"\s+)?)(Prelude\b)(?:$|[^.])|]
 
 replacePrelude :: ByteString -> Prelude -> Maybe ByteString
 replacePrelude l Prelude {..}
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@
   M CabalConfig
 fromConfig cliRoot source pconf = do
   conf <- either pure jsonConfig pconf
-  target <- targetComponent cliRoot conf.packages (TargetForFile source)
+  target <- targetComponentOrError cliRoot conf.packages (TargetForFile source)
   pure CabalConfig {
     extensions = stringUtf8 <$> target.component.language : target.component.extensions,
     ghcOptions = stringUtf8 <$> target.component.ghcOptions,
diff --git a/test/Hix/Test/PreprocTest.hs b/test/Hix/Test/PreprocTest.hs
--- a/test/Hix/Test/PreprocTest.hs
+++ b/test/Hix/Test/PreprocTest.hs
@@ -9,16 +9,21 @@
   )
 import Exon (exon)
 import Hedgehog (TestT, evalMaybe, (===))
-import Path (absfile)
-
 import Hix.Preproc (fromCabal, preprocessModule)
 import Hix.Test.CabalFile (testPackage, testPackageNoPrelude)
+import Path (absfile)
 
 pragmas :: Text
 pragmas =
   [exon|{-# options_ghc -Wall -Wunused-imports #-}
 {-# language Haskell2010, AllowAmbiguousTypes, NoApplicativeDo #-}|]
 
+header :: Text
+header =
+  [exon|#{pragmas}
+{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
+{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}|]
+
 preprocTestNoPrelude ::
   HasCallStack =>
   ByteString ->
@@ -61,9 +66,7 @@
 
 targetInsert :: Text
 targetInsert =
-  [exon|#{pragmas}
-{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
-{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+  [exon|#{header}
 {-# language OverloadedLabels #-}
 
 module Foo (Hix_Dummy,
@@ -109,9 +112,7 @@
 
 targetReplace :: Text
 targetReplace =
-  [exon|#{pragmas}
-{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
-{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+  [exon|#{header}
 {-# language OverloadedLabels #-}
 
 module Foo (Hix_Dummy,
@@ -147,9 +148,7 @@
 
 targetSingleLineModule :: Text
 targetSingleLineModule =
-  [exon|#{pragmas}
-{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
-{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+  [exon|#{header}
 module Foo where
 import "incipit-base" IncipitBase as Prelude
 {-# line 2 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
@@ -174,9 +173,7 @@
 
 targetSelfExport :: Text
 targetSelfExport =
-  [exon|#{pragmas}
-{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
-{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+  [exon|#{header}
 module Foo (module Foo) where
 import "incipit-base" IncipitBase as Prelude
 {-# line 2 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
@@ -205,9 +202,7 @@
 
 targetSelfExport2 :: Text
 targetSelfExport2 =
-  [exon|#{pragmas}
-{-# language PackageImports, NoImplicitPrelude #-}
-{-# line 1 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+  [exon|#{header}
 module Foo (
   module Bar,
   module Foo,
@@ -243,3 +238,26 @@
 test_preprocNoPrelude :: TestT IO ()
 test_preprocNoPrelude =
   preprocTestNoPrelude moduleNoPrelude targetNoPrelude
+
+modulePreludePrefix :: ByteString
+modulePreludePrefix =
+  [exon|module Main where
+import Preludes
+import Prelude.Foo
+|]
+
+targetPreludePrefix :: Text
+targetPreludePrefix =
+  [exon|#{header}
+module Main where
+import "incipit-base" IncipitBase as Prelude
+{-# line 2 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+import Preludes
+import Prelude.Foo
+type Hix_Dummy = Int
+{-# line 4 "/foo/bar/Foo.hs" #-}
+|]
+
+test_preprocPreludePrefix :: TestT IO ()
+test_preprocPreludePrefix =
+  preprocTest modulePreludePrefix targetPreludePrefix
diff --git a/test/Main.hs b/test/Main.hs
--- a/test/Main.hs
+++ b/test/Main.hs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import Hix.Test.PreprocTest (
   test_preprocInsertPrelude,
   test_preprocNoPrelude,
+  test_preprocPreludePrefix,
   test_preprocReplacePrelude,
   test_preprocSelfExport,
   test_preprocSelfExport2,
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
       unitTest "self exporting module, inline" test_preprocSelfExport,
       unitTest "self exporting module, separate line" test_preprocSelfExport2,
       unitTest "self exporting module, separate line" test_preprocNoPrelude,
+      unitTest "modules starting with 'Prelude'" test_preprocPreludePrefix,
       unitTest "run ghcid" test_ghcid,
       unitTest "component env" test_componentEnv,
       unitTest "extract module name from path" test_moduleName,