diff --git a/Build/build-functions.psm1 b/Build/build-functions.psm1
index bf777a7b73..c3f9a68f14 100644
--- a/Build/build-functions.psm1
+++ b/Build/build-functions.psm1
@@ -8,10 +8,17 @@ $toolsDir = "$root\.tools"
 
 $nuget = "$toolsDir\NuGet.exe"
 $vswhere = "${env:ProgramFiles(x86)}\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe"
-$msbuildPath = & $vswhere -latest -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath
 
-if ($msbuildPath) {
-  $msbuildx64 = join-path $msbuildPath 'MSBuild\Current\Bin\amd64\MSBuild.exe'
+# Check if Visual Studio is installed before trying to find MSBuild
+if (Test-Path $vswhere) {
+  $msbuildPath = & $vswhere -latest -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath 2>$null
+
+  if ($msbuildPath) {
+    $msbuildx64 = join-path $msbuildPath 'MSBuild\Current\Bin\amd64\MSBuild.exe'
+  }
+} else {
+  $msbuildPath = $null
+  $msbuildx64 = $null
 }
 
 import-module $PSScriptRoot\build-pack-nano-nugets.psm1
@@ -45,15 +52,22 @@ function Start-Build([boolean] $IncludeNanoFramework = $false) {
   }
   else
   {
-    write-host -foreground green "Build .NET nanoFramework."
-    $fileLoggerArg = "/logger:FileLogger,Microsoft.Build;logfile=$logsDir\UnitsNet.NanoFramework.msbuild.log"
-
-    # msbuild does not auto-restore nugets for this project type
-    & "$nuget" restore "$root\UnitsNet.NanoFramework\GeneratedCode\UnitsNet.nanoFramework.sln"
-
-    # now build
-    & "$msbuildx64" "$root\UnitsNet.NanoFramework\GeneratedCode\UnitsNet.nanoFramework.sln" /verbosity:minimal /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform="Any CPU" /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true $fileLoggerArg
-    if ($lastexitcode -ne 0) { exit 1 }
+    # Check if MSBuild is available before attempting NanoFramework build
+    if (-not $msbuildx64 -or -not (Test-Path $msbuildx64)) {
+      write-host -foreground yellow "Cannot build .NET nanoFramework - MSBuild not found. Install Visual Studio to build NanoFramework projects."
+      write-host -foreground yellow "Continuing with main build only..."
+    }
+    else {
+      write-host -foreground green "Build .NET nanoFramework."
+      $fileLoggerArg = "/logger:FileLogger,Microsoft.Build;logfile=$logsDir\UnitsNet.NanoFramework.msbuild.log"
+
+      # msbuild does not auto-restore nugets for this project type
+      & "$nuget" restore "$root\UnitsNet.NanoFramework\GeneratedCode\UnitsNet.nanoFramework.sln"
+
+      # now build
+      & "$msbuildx64" "$root\UnitsNet.NanoFramework\GeneratedCode\UnitsNet.nanoFramework.sln" /verbosity:minimal /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform="Any CPU" /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true $fileLoggerArg
+      if ($lastexitcode -ne 0) { exit 1 }
+    }
   }
 
   write-host -foreground blue "Start-Build...END`n"
diff --git a/Build/init.ps1 b/Build/init.ps1
index bed427b0dd..bb3478bf63 100644
--- a/Build/init.ps1
+++ b/Build/init.ps1
@@ -27,8 +27,23 @@ if (-not (Test-Path "$nugetPath")) {
 ###################################################
 ## TODO: OK to remove after moving to AZDO pipeline
 $VsWherePath = "${env:PROGRAMFILES(X86)}\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe"
-$VsPath = $(&$VsWherePath -latest -property installationPath)
-$msbuildPath = Join-Path -Path $VsPath -ChildPath "\MSBuild"
+
+# Check if Visual Studio is installed
+if (Test-Path $VsWherePath) {
+  $VsPath = $(&$VsWherePath -latest -property installationPath 2>$null)
+  if ($VsPath) {
+    $msbuildPath = Join-Path -Path $VsPath -ChildPath "\MSBuild"
+    Write-Host -Foreground Green "Visual Studio found at: $VsPath"
+  } else {
+    Write-Host -Foreground Yellow "Visual Studio not found via vswhere, NanoFramework builds will be skipped"
+    $VsPath = $null
+    $msbuildPath = $null
+  }
+} else {
+  Write-Host -Foreground Yellow "Visual Studio not installed - NanoFramework builds will be skipped"
+  $VsPath = $null
+  $msbuildPath = $null
+}
 
 # Install dotnet CLI tools declared in /.config/dotnet-tools.json
 pushd $root
@@ -36,7 +51,7 @@ dotnet tool restore
 popd
 
 # Install .NET nanoFramework build components
-if (!(Test-Path "$msbuildPath/nanoFramework")) {
+if ($msbuildPath -and !(Test-Path "$msbuildPath/nanoFramework")) {
   Write-Host "Installing .NET nanoFramework VS extension..."
 
   [System.Net.WebClient]$webClient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
@@ -60,7 +75,7 @@ if (!(Test-Path "$msbuildPath/nanoFramework")) {
 
   Write-Output "VsWherePath is: $VsWherePath"
 
-  $VsInstance = $(&$VSWherePath -latest -property displayName)
+  $VsInstance = $(&$VSWherePath -latest -property displayName 2>$null)
 
   Write-Output "Latest VS is: $VsInstance"