diff --git a/.pipelines/release.yml b/.pipelines/release.yml
index 917e28bc84..1ccb7e1e87 100644
--- a/.pipelines/release.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/release.yml
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ jobs:
     inputs:
       solution: '**/installer/PowerToysSetup.sln'
       vsVersion: 17.0
-      msbuildArgs: /p:CIBuild=true /bl:$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\msbuild.binlog /t:PowerToysBootstrapper
+      msbuildArgs: /p:CIBuild=true /bl:$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\msbuild.binlog /t:PowerToysBootstrapper /p:BuildProjectReferences=false
       platform: $(BuildPlatform)
       configuration: $(BuildConfiguration)
       clean: false # don't undo our hard work above by deleting the MSI