diff --git a/cli/api/commands/install.ts b/cli/api/commands/install.ts
index 09ead2c89..243eddd77 100644
--- a/cli/api/commands/install.ts
+++ b/cli/api/commands/install.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ export async function install(projectPath: string) {
   const dataformCoreVersion = readDataformCoreVersionFromWorkflowSettings(resolvedProjectPath);
   if (dataformCoreVersion) {
     throw new Error(
-      "Package installation is only supported when specifying @dataform/core version in " +
-        "'package.json'"
+      "No installation is needed when using workflow_settings.yaml, as packages are installed at " +
+        "runtime."
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/cli/index_test.ts b/cli/index_test.ts
index a005db511..3d066db62 100644
--- a/cli/index_test.ts
+++ b/cli/index_test.ts
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ defaultAssertionDataset: dataform_assertions
       (await getProcessResult(execFile(nodePath, [cliEntryPointPath, "install", projectDir])))
         .stderr
     ).contains(
-      "Package installation is only supported when specifying @dataform/core version in " +
-        "'package.json'"
+      "No installation is needed when using workflow_settings.yaml, as packages are installed at " +
+        "runtime."
     );
   });