diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 9e1dc93a..390eb935 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ jobs:
           tool: ${{ steps.tool-list.outputs.tool }}
       # https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#jobsjob_idstepsshell
       - name: Test bash
-        run: just --version; shfmt --version; protoc --version
+        run: just --version && shfmt --version && protoc --version
         shell: bash
       - name: Test sh
-        run: just --version; shfmt --version; protoc --version
+        run: just --version && shfmt --version && protoc --version
         shell: sh
         if: startsWith(matrix.os, 'ubuntu') || startsWith(matrix.os, 'macos')
       - name: Test pwsh
@@ -118,29 +118,8 @@ jobs:
     timeout-minutes: 60
     container: ${{ matrix.container }}
     steps:
-      - name: Install requirements (ubuntu/debian)
-        run: |
-          set -eEuxo pipefail
-          apt-get -o Acquire::Retries=10 -qq update
-          apt-get -o Acquire::Retries=10 -o Dpkg::Use-Pty=0 install -y --no-install-recommends cargo
-        if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'ubuntu') || startsWith(matrix.container, 'debian')
-      - name: Install requirements (fedora/almalinux/centos)
-        run: |
-          set -eEuxo pipefail
-          curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -fsSL --retry 10 https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y --profile minimal --default-toolchain stable --no-modify-path
-          echo "$HOME/.cargo/bin" >>"${GITHUB_PATH}"
-        if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'fedora') || startsWith(matrix.container, 'almalinux') ||  startsWith(matrix.container, 'centos')
-      - name: Install requirements (opensuse)
-        run: |
-          set -eEuxo pipefail
-          zypper install -y rustup
-          rustup toolchain add stable --profile minimal
-        if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'opensuse')
-      - name: Install requirements (archlinux)
-        run: pacman -Sy --noconfirm rust
-        if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'archlinux')
       - name: Install requirements (alpine)
-        run: apk --no-cache add bash cargo
+        run: apk --no-cache add bash
         shell: sh
         if: startsWith(matrix.container, 'alpine')
       - uses: taiki-e/checkout-action@v1
@@ -153,19 +132,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           tool: ${{ steps.tool-list.outputs.tool }}
 
-  test-no-cargo:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    timeout-minutes: 60
-    container: ubuntu
-    steps:
-      - uses: taiki-e/checkout-action@v1
-      - name: Generate tool list
-        id: tool-list
-        run: tools/ci/tool-list.sh >>"${GITHUB_OUTPUT}"
-      - uses: ./
-        with:
-          tool: ${{ steps.tool-list.outputs.tool }}
-
   manifest:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 60
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 28096a6b..c0827d49 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ Note: In this file, do not use the hard wrap in the middle of a sentence for com
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+- Support cargo-binstall fallback without cargo.
+
 ## [2.33.36] - 2024-06-01
 
 - Update `cargo-llvm-cov@latest` to 0.6.10.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f7d7ae6c..99c5b7a6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ This action has been tested for GitHub-hosted runners (Ubuntu, macOS, Windows) a
 To use this action in self-hosted runners or in containers, at least the following tools are required:
 
 - bash
-- cargo (if you use cargo-binstall fallback)
 
 ## Related Projects
 
diff --git a/main.sh b/main.sh
index fa2faa01..9beb4834 100755
--- a/main.sh
+++ b/main.sh
@@ -748,5 +748,11 @@ if [[ ${#unsupported_tools[@]} -gt 0 ]]; then
     # By default, cargo-binstall enforce downloads over secure transports only.
     # As a result, http will be disabled, and it will also set
     # min tls version to be 1.2
-    cargo binstall --force --no-confirm --locked "${unsupported_tools[@]}"
+    cargo-binstall binstall --force --no-confirm --locked "${unsupported_tools[@]}"
+    if ! type -P cargo >/dev/null; then
+        _bin_dir=$(canonicalize_windows_path "${HOME}/.cargo/bin")
+        # TODO: avoid this when already added
+        info "adding '${_bin_dir}' to PATH"
+        echo "${_bin_dir}" >>"${GITHUB_PATH}"
+    fi
 fi
diff --git a/tools/ci/tool-list.sh b/tools/ci/tool-list.sh
index c14b719c..70f55c71 100755
--- a/tools/ci/tool-list.sh
+++ b/tools/ci/tool-list.sh
@@ -128,17 +128,14 @@ case "${host_os}" in
         fi
         ;;
 esac
-# cargo-binstall requires cargo
-if type -P cargo &>/dev/null; then
-    # cargo-watch/watchexec-cli is supported by cargo-binstall (through quickinstall)
-    case "${version}" in
-        latest) tools+=(cargo-watch watchexec-cli nextest) ;;
-        major.minor.patch) tools+=(cargo-watch@8.1.1 watchexec-cli@1.20.5 nextest@0.9.57) ;;
-        major.minor) tools+=(cargo-watch@8.1 watchexec-cli@1.20 nextest@0.9) ;;
-        major) tools+=(cargo-watch@8 watchexec-cli@1) ;;
-        *) exit 1 ;;
-    esac
-fi
+# cargo-watch/watchexec-cli is supported by cargo-binstall (through quickinstall)
+case "${version}" in
+    latest) tools+=(cargo-watch watchexec-cli nextest) ;;
+    major.minor.patch) tools+=(cargo-watch@8.1.1 watchexec-cli@1.20.5 nextest@0.9.57) ;;
+    major.minor) tools+=(cargo-watch@8.1 watchexec-cli@1.20 nextest@0.9) ;;
+    major) tools+=(cargo-watch@8 watchexec-cli@1) ;;
+    *) exit 1 ;;
+esac
 
 # sort and dedup
 IFS=$'\n'