diff --git a/src/LanguageServer.Common/Utilities/TextPositions.cs b/src/LanguageServer.Common/Utilities/TextPositions.cs
index 08278c9..2027253 100644
--- a/src/LanguageServer.Common/Utilities/TextPositions.cs
+++ b/src/LanguageServer.Common/Utilities/TextPositions.cs
@@ -167,6 +167,47 @@ public int GetDistance(Position position1, Position position2)
             return GetAbsolutePosition(position2) - GetAbsolutePosition(position1);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        ///     Move the specified position closer to the start of the document by the specified number of characters.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="position">
+        ///     The position.
+        /// </param>
+        /// <param name="byCharCount">
+        ///     The number of characters.
+        /// </param>
+        /// <returns>
+        ///     The updated position. If <paramref name="byCharCount"/> would take the position past the start of the document, this becomes (1,1).
+        /// </returns>
+        public Position MoveLeft(Position position, int byCharCount)
+        {
+            int absolutePosition = GetAbsolutePosition(position);
+            absolutePosition -= byCharCount;
+            if (absolutePosition < 0)
+                absolutePosition = 0;
+
+            return GetPosition(absolutePosition);
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        ///     Extend the specified range closer to the start of the document by the specified number of characters.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="range">
+        ///     The range.
+        /// </param>
+        /// <param name="byCharCount">
+        ///     The number of characters.
+        /// </param>
+        /// <returns>
+        ///     The updated range. If <paramref name="byCharCount"/> would take the range start past the start of the document, this becomes (1,1).
+        /// </returns>
+        public Range ExtendLeft(Range range, int byCharCount)
+        {
+            return range.WithStart(
+                MoveLeft(range.Start, byCharCount)
+            );
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         ///     Calculate the start position for each line in the text.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/ItemElementCompletion.cs b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/ItemElementCompletion.cs
index fba888c..538c284 100644
--- a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/ItemElementCompletion.cs
+++ b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/ItemElementCompletion.cs
@@ -92,6 +92,13 @@ public ItemElementCompletion(ILogger logger)
                 {
                     replaceRange = location.Position.ToEmptyRange();
 
+                    // Handle replacement of existing "<" if one was typed.
+                    if (projectDocument.IsMSBuildProjectCached)
+                    {
+                        // Project XML is currently invalid; assume it's because they've typed a "<" character and attempt to compensate.
+                        replaceRange = projectDocument.XmlPositions.ExtendLeft(replaceRange, byCharCount: 1);
+                    }
+
                     Log.Verbose("Offering completions to create element @ {ReplaceRange:l}",
                         replaceRange
                     );
diff --git a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PackageReferenceCompletion.cs b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PackageReferenceCompletion.cs
index ea3a3fb..7eb71ca 100644
--- a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PackageReferenceCompletion.cs
+++ b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PackageReferenceCompletion.cs
@@ -98,8 +98,19 @@ public PackageReferenceCompletion(ILogger logger)
                 }
                 else if (location.CanCompleteElement(out XSElement replaceElement, parentPath: WellKnownElementPaths.ItemGroup))
                 {
+                    Range replaceRange;
+
                     if (replaceElement != null)
                     {
+                        replaceRange = replaceElement.Range;
+
+                        // Handle replacement of existing "<" if one was typed.
+                        if (projectDocument.IsMSBuildProjectCached)
+                        {
+                            // Project XML is currently invalid; assume it's because they've typed a "<" character and attempt to compensate.
+                            replaceRange = projectDocument.XmlPositions.ExtendLeft(replaceRange, byCharCount: 1);
+                        }
+
                         Log.Verbose("Offering completions to replace child element @ {ReplaceRange} of {ElementName} @ {Position:l}",
                             replaceElement.Range,
                             "ItemGroup",
@@ -108,13 +119,15 @@ public PackageReferenceCompletion(ILogger logger)
                     }
                     else
                     {
+                        replaceRange = location.Position.ToEmptyRange();
+                        
                         Log.Verbose("Offering completions for new child element of {ElementName} @ {Position:l}",
                             "ItemGroup",
-                            location.Position
+                            replaceRange
                         );
                     }
 
-                    List<CompletionItem> elementCompletions = HandlePackageReferenceElementCompletion(location, projectDocument, replaceElement);
+                    List<CompletionItem> elementCompletions = HandlePackageReferenceElementCompletion(location, projectDocument, replaceRange);
                     if (elementCompletions != null)
                         completions.AddRange(elementCompletions);
                 }
@@ -216,13 +229,13 @@ async Task<List<CompletionItem>> HandlePackageReferenceAttributeCompletion(Proje
         /// <param name="projectDocument">
         ///     The current project document.
         /// </param>
-        /// <param name="replaceElement">
-        ///     The element (if any) that will be replaced by the completion.
+        /// <param name="replaceRange">
+        ///     The range of text that will be replaced by the completion.
         /// </param>
         /// <returns>
         ///     The completion list or <c>null</c> if no completions are provided.
         /// </returns>
-        List<CompletionItem> HandlePackageReferenceElementCompletion(XmlLocation location, ProjectDocument projectDocument, XSElement replaceElement)
+        List<CompletionItem> HandlePackageReferenceElementCompletion(XmlLocation location, ProjectDocument projectDocument, Range replaceRange)
         {
             if (projectDocument == null)
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(projectDocument));
@@ -230,8 +243,6 @@ List<CompletionItem> HandlePackageReferenceElementCompletion(XmlLocation locatio
             if (location == null)
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(location));
 
-            Range replaceRange = replaceElement?.Range ?? location.Position.ToEmptyRange();
-
             return new List<CompletionItem>
             {
                 new CompletionItem
diff --git a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PropertyElementCompletion.cs b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PropertyElementCompletion.cs
index 8f27cac..7508304 100644
--- a/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PropertyElementCompletion.cs
+++ b/src/LanguageServer.Engine/CompletionProviders/PropertyElementCompletion.cs
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ public PropertyElementCompletion(ILogger logger)
                 {
                     replaceRange = location.Position.ToEmptyRange();
 
+                    // Handle replacement of existing "<" if one was typed.
+                    if (projectDocument.IsMSBuildProjectCached)
+                    {
+                        // Project XML is currently invalid; assume it's because they've typed a "<" character and attempt to compensate.
+                        replaceRange = projectDocument.XmlPositions.ExtendLeft(replaceRange, byCharCount: 1);
+                    }
+
                     Log.Verbose("Offering completions to create element @ {ReplaceRange:l}",
                         replaceRange
                     );