diff --git a/script/vsts/get-release-version.js b/script/vsts/get-release-version.js
index 1195da4c456..5ddf3659bd6 100644
--- a/script/vsts/get-release-version.js
+++ b/script/vsts/get-release-version.js
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ const request = require('request-promise-native');
 const repositoryRootPath = path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..');
 const appMetadata = require(path.join(repositoryRootPath, 'package.json'));
 
-const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER;
-const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO = process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO;
+const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER || 'atom';
+const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO =
+  process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO || 'atom-nightly-releases';
 
 const yargs = require('yargs');
 const argv = yargs
diff --git a/script/vsts/lib/release-notes.js b/script/vsts/lib/release-notes.js
index 5cf139fe905..1901e9a16d1 100644
--- a/script/vsts/lib/release-notes.js
+++ b/script/vsts/lib/release-notes.js
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ const octokit = require('@octokit/rest')();
 const changelog = require('pr-changelog');
 const childProcess = require('child_process');
 
-const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER;
-const MAIN_REPO = process.env.MAIN_REPO;
-const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO = process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO;
+const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER || 'atom';
+const MAIN_REPO = process.env.MAIN_REPO || 'atom';
+const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO =
+  process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO || 'atom-nightly-releases';
 
 module.exports.getRelease = async function(releaseVersion, githubToken) {
   if (githubToken) {
diff --git a/script/vsts/nightly-release.yml b/script/vsts/nightly-release.yml
index 3d8a70efb30..4e19f593cea 100644
--- a/script/vsts/nightly-release.yml
+++ b/script/vsts/nightly-release.yml
@@ -3,17 +3,11 @@ jobs:
     pool:
       vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'
     steps:
-      # This has to be done separately because VSTS inexplicably
-      # exits the script block after `npm ci` completes.
       - script: |
           cd script/vsts
           npm ci
-        displayName: npm ci
-      - script: node script/vsts/get-release-version.js --nightly
+          node get-release-version.js --nightly
         name: Version
-        env:
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
 
   # Import OS-specific build definitions
   - template: platforms/windows.yml
@@ -27,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
 
     dependsOn:
       - GetReleaseVersion
-      - Windows
+      - Windows_RendererTests
       - Linux
       - macOS_tests
 
@@ -37,8 +31,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - template: platforms/templates/preparation.yml
 
-       #This has to be done separately because VSTS inexplicably
-       #exits the script block after `npm ci` completes.
       - script: |
           cd script/vsts
           npm ci
@@ -59,9 +51,6 @@ jobs:
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET)
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET)
           PACKAGE_CLOUD_API_KEY: $(PACKAGE_CLOUD_API_KEY)
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          MAIN_REPO: $(MAIN_REPO)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
         displayName: Create Nightly Release
   - job: bump_dependencies
     displayName: Bump Dependencies
diff --git a/script/vsts/platforms/linux.yml b/script/vsts/platforms/linux.yml
index 975af51a757..c6995819a8f 100644
--- a/script/vsts/platforms/linux.yml
+++ b/script/vsts/platforms/linux.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ jobs:
     variables:
       ReleaseVersion: $[ dependencies.GetReleaseVersion.outputs['Version.ReleaseVersion'] ]
     pool:
-      # This image is used to host the Docker container that runs the build
       vmImage: ubuntu-16.04
 
     steps:
diff --git a/script/vsts/platforms/windows.yml b/script/vsts/platforms/windows.yml
index 98af05ad7e3..4613b934d7b 100644
--- a/script/vsts/platforms/windows.yml
+++ b/script/vsts/platforms/windows.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 jobs:
-  - job: Windows
+  - job: Windows_build
+    displayName: Windows build
     dependsOn: GetReleaseVersion
     timeoutInMinutes: 180
     strategy:
@@ -71,7 +72,8 @@ jobs:
               condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['IsReleaseBranch'], 'true'))
 
   - job: Windows_RendererTests
-    dependsOn: Windows
+    displayName: Windows
+    dependsOn: Windows_build
     timeoutInMinutes: 180
     strategy:
       maxParallel: 2
diff --git a/script/vsts/pull-requests.yml b/script/vsts/pull-requests.yml
index de26a721d59..b92de1622de 100644
--- a/script/vsts/pull-requests.yml
+++ b/script/vsts/pull-requests.yml
@@ -5,17 +5,11 @@ jobs:
     pool:
       vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'
     steps:
-      # This has to be done separately because VSTS inexplicably
-      # exits the script block after `npm ci` completes.
       - script: |
           cd script/vsts
           npm ci
-        displayName: npm ci
-      - script: node script/vsts/get-release-version.js
+          node get-release-version.js
         name: Version
-        env:
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
 
   # Import OS-specific build definitions
   - template: platforms/windows.yml
diff --git a/script/vsts/release-branch-build.yml b/script/vsts/release-branch-build.yml
index ccaf5d55ebb..24b1e44b99d 100644
--- a/script/vsts/release-branch-build.yml
+++ b/script/vsts/release-branch-build.yml
@@ -9,17 +9,11 @@ jobs:
     pool:
       vmImage: 'ubuntu-latest'
     steps:
-      # This has to be done separately because VSTS inexplicably
-      # exits the script block after `npm ci` completes.
       - script: |
           cd script/vsts
           npm ci
-        displayName: npm ci
-      - script: node script/vsts/get-release-version.js
+          node get-release-version.js
         name: Version
-        env:
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
 
   # Import OS-specific build definitions.
   - template: platforms/windows.yml
@@ -32,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
 
     dependsOn:
       - GetReleaseVersion
-      - Windows
+      - Windows_RendererTests
       - Linux
       - macOS_tests
 
@@ -42,8 +36,6 @@ jobs:
       IsSignedZipBranch: $[ dependencies.GetReleaseVersion.outputs['Version.IsSignedZipBranch'] ]
 
     steps:
-      # This has to be done separately because VSTS inexplicably
-      # exits the script block after `npm ci` completes.
       - script: |
           cd script/vsts
           npm ci
@@ -66,9 +58,6 @@ jobs:
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET)
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET)
           PACKAGE_CLOUD_API_KEY: $(PACKAGE_CLOUD_API_KEY)
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          MAIN_REPO: $(MAIN_REPO)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
         displayName: Create Draft Release
         condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['Atom.AutoDraftRelease'], 'true'), eq(variables['IsReleaseBranch'], 'true'))
 
@@ -79,8 +68,5 @@ jobs:
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_KEY: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_KEY)
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_SECRET)
           ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET: $(ATOM_RELEASES_S3_BUCKET)
-          REPO_OWNER: $(REPO_OWNER)
-          MAIN_REPO: $(MAIN_REPO)
-          NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO: $(NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO)
         displayName: Upload CI Artifacts to S3
         condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['IsSignedZipBranch'], 'true'))
diff --git a/script/vsts/upload-artifacts.js b/script/vsts/upload-artifacts.js
index 08a3e2d13ec..ed7530921e6 100644
--- a/script/vsts/upload-artifacts.js
+++ b/script/vsts/upload-artifacts.js
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ const uploadLinuxPackages = require('./lib/upload-linux-packages');
 
 const CONFIG = require('../config');
 
-const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER;
-const MAIN_REPO = process.env.MAIN_REPO;
-const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO = process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO;
+const REPO_OWNER = process.env.REPO_OWNER || 'atom';
+const MAIN_REPO = process.env.MAIN_REPO || 'atom';
+const NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO =
+  process.env.NIGHTLY_RELEASE_REPO || 'atom-nightly-releases';
 
 const yargs = require('yargs');
 const argv = yargs