diff --git a/src/azure-cli-core/azure/cli/core/commands/template_create.py b/src/azure-cli-core/azure/cli/core/commands/template_create.py
index d9733d4f64e..6834b175e00 100644
--- a/src/azure-cli-core/azure/cli/core/commands/template_create.py
+++ b/src/azure-cli-core/azure/cli/core/commands/template_create.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 def get_folded_parameter_help_string(
         display_name, allow_none=False, allow_new=False, default_none=False,
-        other_required_option=None):
+        other_required_option=None, allow_cross_sub=True):
     """ Assembles a parameterized help string for folded parameters. """
     quotes = '""' if platform.system() == 'Windows' else "''"
 
@@ -43,9 +43,11 @@ def get_folded_parameter_help_string(
     # add parent name option string (if applicable)
     if other_required_option:
         help_text = '{} If name specified, also specify {}.'.format(help_text, other_required_option)
-        help_text = '{} If you want to use an existing {display_name} in other resource group or subscription, ' \
+        extra_sub_text = " or subscription" if allow_cross_sub else ""
+        help_text = '{} If you want to use an existing {display_name} in other resource group{append_sub}, ' \
                     'please provide the ID instead of the name of the {display_name}'.format(help_text,
-                                                                                             display_name=display_name)
+                                                                                             display_name=display_name,
+                                                                                             append_sub=extra_sub_text)
     return help_text
 
 
diff --git a/src/azure-cli/azure/cli/command_modules/network/_params.py b/src/azure-cli/azure/cli/command_modules/network/_params.py
index b55106852f2..13585e0434a 100644
--- a/src/azure-cli/azure/cli/command_modules/network/_params.py
+++ b/src/azure-cli/azure/cli/command_modules/network/_params.py
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ def load_arguments(self, _):
         nsg_help = get_folded_parameter_help_string('network security group', allow_none=True, default_none=True)
         c.argument('network_security_group', help=nsg_help, completer=get_resource_name_completion_list('Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups'))
 
-        subnet_help = get_folded_parameter_help_string('subnet', other_required_option='--vnet-name')
+        subnet_help = get_folded_parameter_help_string('subnet', other_required_option='--vnet-name', allow_cross_sub=False)
         c.argument('subnet', help=subnet_help, completer=subnet_completion_list)
 
     with self.argument_context('network nic update') as c: