diff --git a/src/repoma/check_dev_files/pyright.py b/src/repoma/check_dev_files/pyright.py
index cbe0f077..6262d99b 100644
--- a/src/repoma/check_dev_files/pyright.py
+++ b/src/repoma/check_dev_files/pyright.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Check and update :code:`mypy` settings."""
 import json
 import os
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
 
 from repoma.errors import PrecommitError
 from repoma.utilities import CONFIG_PATH
@@ -13,6 +14,9 @@
     write_pyproject,
 )
 
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from tomlkit.items import Table
+
 
 def main() -> None:
     executor = Executor()
@@ -41,12 +45,14 @@ def _merge_config_into_pyproject() -> None:
 
 def _update_settings() -> None:
     pyproject = load_pyproject()
-    settings = get_sub_table(pyproject, "tool.pyright", create=True)
+    pyright_settings: Optional[Table] = pyproject.get("tool", {}).get("pyright")
+    if pyright_settings is None:
+        return
     minimal_settings = {
         "typeCheckingMode": "strict",
     }
-    if not complies_with_subset(settings, minimal_settings):
-        settings.update(minimal_settings)
+    if not complies_with_subset(pyright_settings, minimal_settings):
+        pyright_settings.update(minimal_settings)
         write_pyproject(pyproject)
         msg = f"Updated pyright configuration in {CONFIG_PATH.pyproject}"
         raise PrecommitError(msg)