diff --git a/Directory.Build.targets b/Directory.Build.targets
index 6da66bc8a8..55f3dc706f 100644
--- a/Directory.Build.targets
+++ b/Directory.Build.targets
@@ -8,4 +8,28 @@
   <PropertyGroup Label="ManifestToolOverride">
     <ManifestTool Condition="Exists('$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\x64\mt.exe')">$(WindowsSdkDir)bin\x64\mt.exe</ManifestTool>
   </PropertyGroup>
+	<!-- Auto-restore NuGet for native vcxproj (PackageReference) when building inside VS -->
+	<Target Name="EnsureNuGetRestoreForVcxproj"
+			BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild"
+			Condition="
+            '$(BuildingInsideVisualStudio)' == 'true'
+            and '$(DesignTimeBuild)' != 'true'
+            and '$(RestoreInProgress)' != 'true'
+            and '$(MSBuildProjectExtension)' == '.vcxproj'
+            and '$(RestoreProjectStyle)' == 'PackageReference'
+            and '$(MSBuildProjectExtensionsPath)' != ''
+            and !Exists('$(MSBuildProjectExtensionsPath)project.assets.json')
+          ">
+
+		<Message Importance="high"
+				 Text="NuGet assets missing for $(MSBuildProjectName); running Restore..." />
+		<Message Importance="high" Text="IntDir=$(IntDir)" />
+		<Message Importance="high" Text="BaseIntermediateOutputPath=$(BaseIntermediateOutputPath)" />
+		<Message Importance="high" Text="MSBuildProjectExtensionsPath=$(MSBuildProjectExtensionsPath)" />
+
+		<MSBuild Projects="$(MSBuildProjectFullPath)"
+				 Targets="Restore"
+				 Properties="RestoreInProgress=true"
+				 BuildInParallel="false" />
+	</Target>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/runner/runner.vcxproj b/src/runner/runner.vcxproj
index 6b8fc5d800..57cb55b6bd 100644
--- a/src/runner/runner.vcxproj
+++ b/src/runner/runner.vcxproj
@@ -133,9 +133,6 @@
       <Project>{17da04df-e393-4397-9cf0-84dabe11032e}</Project>
     </ProjectReference>
   </ItemGroup>
-  <ItemGroup>
-    <None Include="packages.config" />
-  </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Manifest Include="PowerToys.exe.manifest" />
   </ItemGroup>
@@ -149,7 +146,6 @@
     <ItemGroup>
       <!-- Remove ALL injected versions of the file -->
       <ClCompile Remove="@(ClCompile)" Condition="'%(Filename)' == 'WindowsAppRuntimeAutoInitializer'" />
-
       <!-- Add ONE copy back manually -->
       <ClCompile Include="$(PkgMicrosoft_WindowsAppSDK_Foundation)\include\WindowsAppRuntimeAutoInitializer.cpp">
         <PrecompiledHeader>NotUsing</PrecompiledHeader>
diff --git a/src/runner/runner.vcxproj.filters b/src/runner/runner.vcxproj.filters
index d55e53048e..904e213405 100644
--- a/src/runner/runner.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/src/runner/runner.vcxproj.filters
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@
     <CopyFileToFolders Include="svgs\icon.ico" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <None Include="packages.config" />
     <None Include="runner.base.rc" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>