diff --git a/packages/storybook/src/migrations/update-12-5-0/install-addon-essentials.ts b/packages/storybook/src/migrations/update-12-5-0/install-addon-essentials.ts
index bd23866c6ef99c..c75c2879cec742 100644
--- a/packages/storybook/src/migrations/update-12-5-0/install-addon-essentials.ts
+++ b/packages/storybook/src/migrations/update-12-5-0/install-addon-essentials.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { formatFiles, Tree, logger, updateJson } from '@nrwl/devkit';
+import { writeFileSync } from 'fs';
 
 let needsInstall = false;
 const targetStorybookVersion = '6.3.0';
@@ -21,7 +22,37 @@ function installAddonEssentials(tree: Tree) {
   });
 }
 
+function editRootMainJs(tree: Tree) {
+  let newContent: string;
+  const rootMainJsExists = tree.exists(`.storybook/main.js`);
+  if (rootMainJsExists) {
+    const rootMainJs = require('./.storybook/main.js');
+    const moduleContent = JSON.parse(rootMainJs);
+    const addonsArray: string[] = moduleContent?.addons;
+    if (addonsArray) {
+      if (!addonsArray.includes('@storybook/addon-essentials')) {
+        addonsArray.push('@storybook/addon-essentials');
+        moduleContent.addonsArray = addonsArray;
+      }
+    } else {
+      moduleContent.addonsArray = ['@storybook/addon-essentials'];
+    }
+    newContent = `
+    module.exports = ${JSON.stringify(moduleContent)}
+    `;
+  } else {
+    newContent = `
+    module.exports = {
+      stories: [],
+      addons: ['@storybook/addon-essentials'],
+    };
+    `;
+  }
+  tree.write(`.storybook/main.js`, JSON.stringify(newContent, null, 2));
+}
+
 export default async function (tree: Tree) {
+  editRootMainJs(tree);
   installAddonEssentials(tree);
   await formatFiles(tree);