diff --git a/.pipelines/v2/ci-using-the-latest-winappsdk.yml b/.pipelines/v2/ci-using-the-latest-winappsdk.yml
index 4a2155f12b..fbab606360 100644
--- a/.pipelines/v2/ci-using-the-latest-winappsdk.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/v2/ci-using-the-latest-winappsdk.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ parameters:
     default: false
   - name: useUnstableWinAppSDK
     type: boolean
-    displayName: "Use Unstable WinAppSDK Package (even if build failed)"
+    displayName: "Allow using unstable WinAppSDK package (even if build failed)"
     default: false
 
 extends:
diff --git a/.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-update-winappsdk-and-restore-nuget.yml b/.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-update-winappsdk-and-restore-nuget.yml
index 7c9778817d..6cd7273559 100644
--- a/.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-update-winappsdk-and-restore-nuget.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/v2/templates/steps-update-winappsdk-and-restore-nuget.yml
@@ -25,22 +25,52 @@ steps:
 - script: echo $(WinAppSDKVersion)
   displayName: 'Display WinAppSDK Version Found'
 
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: 'Download WindowsAppSDK'
+- task: PowerShell@2
+  displayName: 'Query Available WinAppSDK Packages'
   inputs:
-    buildType: 'specific'
-    project: '55e8140e-57ac-4e5f-8f9c-c7c15b51929d'
-    definition: '104083'
-    allowPartiallySucceededBuilds: ${{ parameters.useUnstableWinAppSDK }}
-    allowFailedBuilds: ${{ parameters.useUnstableWinAppSDK }}
-    buildVersionToDownload: 'latestFromBranch'
-    branchName: 'refs/heads/release/${{ parameters.versionNumber }}-stable'
-    artifactName: 'WindowsAppSDK_Nuget_And_MSIX'
-    targetPath: '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages'
+    targetType: 'inline'
+    script: |
+      Write-Host "Querying available Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK packages..."
+      $prereleaseFlag = if ('${{ parameters.useExperimentalVersion }}' -eq 'true') { '-Prerelease' } else { '' }
+      $command = "nuget list Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK -Source `"https://microsoft.pkgs.visualstudio.com/ProjectReunion/_packaging/Project.Reunion.nuget.internal/nuget/v3/index.json`" $prereleaseFlag"
+      Write-Host "Command: $command"
+      Invoke-Expression $command
 
-- script: dir $(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\NugetPackages
+- task: NuGetCommand@2
+  displayName: 'Download WindowsAppSDK directly from NuGet'
+  condition: eq('${{ parameters.useUnstableWinAppSDK }}', 'true')
+  inputs:
+    command: 'custom'
+    arguments: >
+      install "Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK"
+      -Source "https://microsoft.pkgs.visualstudio.com/ProjectReunion/_packaging/Project.Reunion.nuget.internal/nuget/v3/index.json"
+      -Version "$(WinAppSDKVersion)"
+      -OutputDirectory "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\direct"
+      ${{ eq(parameters.useExperimentalVersion, true) and '-Prerelease' or '' }}
+
+- script: |
+    echo "Listing packages from direct download:"
+    if exist "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\direct" dir "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\direct"
+    echo "Listing packages from pipeline download:"
+    if exist "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\NugetPackages" dir "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\NugetPackages"
   displayName: 'List downloaded packages'
 
+# - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+#   displayName: 'Download WindowsAppSDK'
+#   inputs:
+#     buildType: 'specific'
+#     project: '55e8140e-57ac-4e5f-8f9c-c7c15b51929d'
+#     definition: '104083'
+#     allowPartiallySucceededBuilds: ${{ parameters.useUnstableWinAppSDK }}
+#     allowFailedBuilds: ${{ parameters.useUnstableWinAppSDK }}
+#     buildVersionToDownload: 'latestFromBranch'
+#     branchName: 'refs/heads/release/${{ parameters.versionNumber }}-stable'
+#     artifactName: 'WindowsAppSDK_Nuget_And_MSIX'
+#     targetPath: '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages'
+
+# - script: dir $(Build.SourcesDirectory)\localpackages\NugetPackages
+#   displayName: 'List downloaded packages'
+
 - task: NuGetCommand@2
   displayName: 'Install WindowsAppSDK'
   inputs: