diff --git a/librarymanagement/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/librarymanagement/formats/NodeSeqFormat.scala b/librarymanagement/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/librarymanagement/formats/NodeSeqFormat.scala
index ad527c35d..fbc99e9b9 100644
--- a/librarymanagement/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/librarymanagement/formats/NodeSeqFormat.scala
+++ b/librarymanagement/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/librarymanagement/formats/NodeSeqFormat.scala
@@ -4,5 +4,8 @@ import sjsonnew._
 import scala.xml._
 
 trait NodeSeqFormat { self: BasicJsonProtocol =>
-  implicit lazy val NodeSeqFormat: JsonFormat[NodeSeq] = ???
+  implicit lazy val NodeSeqFormat: JsonFormat[NodeSeq] = project[NodeSeq, String](
+    xml => <binary>{ xml }</binary>.toString,
+    str => XML.loadString(str).child
+  )
 }