diff --git a/src/MSBuild.Conversion.SDK/TargetFrameworkHelper.cs b/src/MSBuild.Conversion.SDK/TargetFrameworkHelper.cs
index cba9ba597..701b29171 100644
--- a/src/MSBuild.Conversion.SDK/TargetFrameworkHelper.cs
+++ b/src/MSBuild.Conversion.SDK/TargetFrameworkHelper.cs
@@ -26,43 +26,51 @@ public static string FindHighestInstalledTargetFramework(bool usePreviewSDK)
                 throw;
             }
 
-            // Find templates path
-            var templatesPath = Path.Combine(sdkPath, "templates");
-
-            // Find highest SDK path (should include previews?)
-            var largestVersion = NuGetVersion.Parse("0.0.0.0");
-            var templatePath = string.Empty;
-            foreach (var templateDirectory in Directory.EnumerateDirectories(templatesPath))
+            try
             {
-                if (NuGetVersion.TryParse(Path.GetFileName(templateDirectory), out var templatesVersion) &&
-                    templatesVersion > largestVersion)
+                // Find templates path
+                var templatesPath = Path.Combine(sdkPath, "templates");
+
+                // Find highest SDK path (should include previews?)
+                var largestVersion = NuGetVersion.Parse("0.0.0.0");
+                var templatePath = string.Empty;
+                foreach (var templateDirectory in Directory.EnumerateDirectories(templatesPath))
                 {
-                    if (usePreviewSDK)
+                    if (NuGetVersion.TryParse(Path.GetFileName(templateDirectory), out var templatesVersion) &&
+                        templatesVersion > largestVersion)
                     {
-                        largestVersion = templatesVersion;
-                        templatePath = Path.GetFullPath(templateDirectory);
-                    }
-                    else if (!templatesVersion.IsPrerelease)
-                    {
-                        largestVersion = templatesVersion;
-                        templatePath = Path.GetFullPath(templateDirectory);
+                        if (usePreviewSDK)
+                        {
+                            largestVersion = templatesVersion;
+                            templatePath = Path.GetFullPath(templateDirectory);
+                        }
+                        else if (!templatesVersion.IsPrerelease)
+                        {
+                            largestVersion = templatesVersion;
+                            templatePath = Path.GetFullPath(templateDirectory);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
-            }
 
-            // upzip the common project templates into memory
-            var templateNugetPackagePath = Directory.EnumerateFiles(templatePath, "microsoft.dotnet.common.projecttemplates.*.nupkg", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly).Single();
-            using var templateNugetPackageFile = File.OpenRead(templateNugetPackagePath);
-            using var templateNugetPackage = new ZipArchive(templateNugetPackageFile, ZipArchiveMode.Read);
-            var templatesJsonFile = templateNugetPackage.Entries
-                .Where(x => x.Name.Equals("template.json", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) &&
-                            x.FullName.Contains("ClassLibrary-CSharp", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)).Single();
-            using var templatesJson = templatesJsonFile.Open();
+                // upzip the common project templates into memory
+                var templateNugetPackagePath = Directory.EnumerateFiles(templatePath, "microsoft.dotnet.common.projecttemplates.*.nupkg", SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly).Single();
+                using var templateNugetPackageFile = File.OpenRead(templateNugetPackagePath);
+                using var templateNugetPackage = new ZipArchive(templateNugetPackageFile, ZipArchiveMode.Read);
+                var templatesJsonFile = templateNugetPackage.Entries
+                    .Where(x => x.Name.Equals("template.json", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) &&
+                                x.FullName.Contains("ClassLibrary-CSharp", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase)).Single();
+                using var templatesJson = templatesJsonFile.Open();
 
-            // read the template.json file to see what the tfm is called
-            var doc = JsonDocument.ParseAsync(templatesJson).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+                // read the template.json file to see what the tfm is called
+                var doc = JsonDocument.ParseAsync(templatesJson).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+
+                return doc.RootElement.GetProperty("baselines").GetProperty("app").GetProperty("defaultOverrides").GetProperty("Framework").GetString();
+            }
+            catch (Exception)
+            {
+                return "netcoreapp3.1";
+            }
 
-            return doc.RootElement.GetProperty("baselines").GetProperty("app").GetProperty("defaultOverrides").GetProperty("Framework").GetString();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/try-convert/Program.cs b/src/try-convert/Program.cs
index dbfb429f0..def1b2397 100644
--- a/src/try-convert/Program.cs
+++ b/src/try-convert/Program.cs
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@ public static int Run(string project, string workspace, string msbuildPath, stri
                 if (tfm is null)
                 {
                     tfm = TargetFrameworkHelper.FindHighestInstalledTargetFramework(allowPreviews);
-                    if (tfm is null)
-                    {
-                        tfm = "netcoreapp3.1";
-                    }
                 }
 
                 var currentDirectory = Environment.CurrentDirectory;