diff --git a/src/steps/generic.rs b/src/steps/generic.rs
index e2fcb8a4..c36ac85e 100644
--- a/src/steps/generic.rs
+++ b/src/steps/generic.rs
@@ -488,34 +488,43 @@ pub fn run_composer_update(ctx: &ExecutionContext) -> Result<()> {
 pub fn run_dotnet_upgrade(ctx: &ExecutionContext) -> Result<()> {
     let dotnet = utils::require("dotnet")?;
 
-    let dotnet_help_output = ctx.run_type().execute(&dotnet).arg("-h").output_checked_utf8().unwrap();
-
-    if dotnet_help_output.to_string().contains("tool") {
-        let output = Command::new(dotnet)
-            .args(["tool", "list", "--global"])
-            .output_checked_utf8()?;
-
-        if !output.stdout.starts_with("Package Id") {
-            return Err(SkipStep(String::from("dotnet did not output packages")).into());
+    //Skip when the `dotnet tool list` subcommand fails. (This is expected when a dotnet runtime is installed but no SDK.)
+    let output = match ctx
+        .run_type()
+        .execute(&dotnet)
+        .args(["tool", "list", "--global"])
+        .output_checked_utf8()
+    {
+        Ok(output) => output,
+        Err(_) => {
+            return Err(SkipStep(String::from(
+                "Error running `dotnet tool list`. This is expected when a dotnet runtime is installed but no SDK.",
+            ))
+            .into())
         }
+    };
 
-        let mut packages = output.stdout.lines().skip(2).filter(|line| !line.is_empty()).peekable();
-
-        if packages.peek().is_none() {
-            return Err(SkipStep(String::from("No dotnet global tools installed")).into());
-        }
-
-        print_separator(".NET");
-
-        for package in packages {
-            let package_name = package.split_whitespace().next().unwrap();
-            ctx.run_type()
-                .execute("dotnet")
-                .args(["tool", "update", package_name, "--global"])
-                .status_checked()
-                .with_context(|| format!("Failed to update .NET package {package_name}"))?;
-        }
+    if !output.stdout.starts_with("Package Id") {
+        return Err(SkipStep(String::from("dotnet did not output packages")).into());
     }
+
+    let mut packages = output.stdout.lines().skip(2).filter(|line| !line.is_empty()).peekable();
+
+    if packages.peek().is_none() {
+        return Err(SkipStep(String::from("No dotnet global tools installed")).into());
+    }
+
+    print_separator(".NET");
+
+    for package in packages {
+        let package_name = package.split_whitespace().next().unwrap();
+        ctx.run_type()
+            .execute(&dotnet)
+            .args(["tool", "update", package_name, "--global"])
+            .status_checked()
+            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to update .NET package {package_name}"))?;
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }