diff --git a/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.sln b/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.sln
index 6f974fa00..b75c5e5e7 100644
--- a/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.sln
+++ b/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.sln
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "build", "build", "{89905EC4
 EndProject
 Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "package", "package", "{FD7D515A-D10F-4F49-B8AE-21CF7ED071AE}"
 	ProjectSection(SolutionItems) = preProject
+		build\package\dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj = build\package\dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj
 		build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Archive.targets = build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Archive.targets
 		build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj = build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj
 		build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets = build\package\Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets
diff --git a/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj b/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj
index ede1fecff..6eb7a304f 100644
--- a/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj
+++ b/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.proj
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
         ReplacementStrings="@(DebianConfigTokenValues -> '%(ReplacementString)')" />
 
       <!-- Build SDK Deb package -->
-      <DotNetDebTool ToolPath="$(Stage0PjDirectory)"
+      <DotNetDebTool ToolPath="$(Stage0Directory)"
                      InputDirectory="$(LayoutDirectory)"
                      OutputDirectory="$(DotNetDebToolOutputDirectory)"
                      PackageName="$(SdkDebianPackageName)"
@@ -155,23 +155,19 @@
   </Target>
 
   <Target Name="PrepareDotnetDebTool"
-          DependsOnTargets="WriteDotnetDebToolProjectJson;">
+          DependsOnTargets="WriteDotnetDebToolProject">
 
-    <DotNetRestorePj  FallbackSource="$(DotnetDebToolPackageSource)"
-                      ToolPath="$(Stage0PjDirectory)"
-                      WorkingDirectory="$(DotnetDebToolDir)" />
+    <DotNetRestore ToolPath="$(Stage0Directory)"
+                   WorkingDirectory="$(DotnetDebToolDir)" />
   </Target>
 
-  <Target Name="WriteDotnetDebToolProjectJson"
-          Inputs="$(MSBuildThisFile);$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.props"
-          Outputs="$(DotnetDebToolDir)/project.json">
+  <Target Name="WriteDotnetDebToolProject"
+          Inputs="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)/$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)"
+          Outputs="$(DotnetDebToolDir)/$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)">
 
-    <MakeDir Condition=" !Exists($(DotnetDebToolDir)) " 
-             Directories="$(DotnetDebToolDir)" />
+    <Copy SourceFiles="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)/$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)"
+          DestinationFiles="$(DotnetDebToolDir)/$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)" />
 
-    <WriteLinesToFile File="$(DotnetDebToolDir)/project.json" 
-                      Lines="@(DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines)"
-                      Overwrite="True" />
   </Target>
 
   <Target Name="TestDebuild">
diff --git a/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets b/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets
index 3bf265a98..5102f1ad5 100644
--- a/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets
+++ b/build/package/Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Installer.DEB.targets
@@ -4,22 +4,10 @@
           DependsOnTargets="Init">
     <!-- dotnet deb-tool -->
     <PropertyGroup>
-      <DotnetDebToolPackageId>dotnet-deb-tool</DotnetDebToolPackageId>  
-      <DotnetDebToolVersion Condition=" '$(DotnetDebToolVersion)' == '' ">1.0.0-*</DotnetDebToolVersion>
-      <DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName>dotnet-deb-tool-consumer</DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName>
+      <DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName>dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj</DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName>
       <DotnetDebToolDir>$(IntermediateDirectory)/$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)</DotnetDebToolDir>
-      <DotnetDebToolPackageSource Condition=" '$(DotnetDebToolPackageSource)' == '' "></DotnetDebToolPackageSource>
     </PropertyGroup>  
 
-    <ItemGroup>
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="{" />
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="%20%20%20%20&quot;version&quot;: &quot;1.0.0-*&quot;," />
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="%20%20%20%20&quot;name&quot;: &quot;$(DotnetDebToolConsumerProjectName)&quot;," />
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="%20%20%20%20&quot;frameworks&quot;: { &quot;netcoreapp1.0&quot;: {}, &quot;netcoreapp1.1&quot;: {} }," />
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="%20%20%20%20&quot;tools&quot;: {&quot;$(DotnetDebToolPackageId)&quot;: &quot;$(DotnetDebToolVersion)&quot; }" />
-      <DotnetDebToolProjectJsonLines Include="}" />
-    </ItemGroup>
-
     <!-- constants -->
     <PropertyGroup>
       <DebianInstalledDirectory>/usr/share/dotnet</DebianInstalledDirectory>
diff --git a/build/package/dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj b/build/package/dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..26b7aa79d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/package/dotnet-deb-tool-consumer.csproj
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp1.1</TargetFramework>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <DotNetCliToolReference Include="dotnet-deb-tool" Version="2.0.0-*" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+</Project>