diff --git a/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines-nightly.yaml b/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines-nightly.yaml
index 0f7baf8987b..029a3992395 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines-nightly.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines-nightly.yaml
@@ -110,12 +110,10 @@ stages:
     steps:
     - template: yaml-templates/setup-test-environment.yaml
       parameters:
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-
-    - template: yaml-templates/run-xaprepare.yaml
-      parameters:
-        displayName: install emulator
-        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies
+        installLegacyDotNet: false
+        restoreNUnitConsole: false
+        updateMono: false
+        xaprepareScenario: EmulatorTestDependencies
 
     - template: yaml-templates/run-dotnet-preview.yaml
       parameters:
@@ -127,12 +125,12 @@ stages:
     - script: echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=Java8SdkDirectory]$JAVA_HOME_8_X64"
       displayName: set Java8SdkDirectory
 
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: install and launch emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: /t:InstallAvdImage;AcquireAndroidTarget /p:TestAvdApiLevel=$(avdApiLevel) /p:TestAvdAbi=$(avdAbi) /p:TestAvdType=$(avdType) /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/install-emulator-$(avdApiLevel).binlog
+    - template: yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
+      parameters:
+        specificImage: true
+        avdApiLevel: $(avdApiLevel)
+        avdAbi: $(avdAbi)
+        avdType: $(avdType)
 
     - template: yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml
       parameters:
@@ -144,14 +142,6 @@ stages:
         artifactSource: bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/$(DotNetTargetFramework)-android/Mono.Android.NET_Tests-Signed.aab
         artifactFolder: Mono.Android-$(XA.Build.Configuration)-$(avdApiLevel)
 
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: shut down emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: /t:AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget /p:TestAvdApiLevel=$(avdApiLevel) /p:TestAvdAbi=$(avdAbi) /p:TestAvdType=$(avdType) /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
-      condition: always()
-
     - template: yaml-templates/upload-results.yaml
       parameters:
         configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-emulator-tests.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-emulator-tests.yaml
index 8d1b4f7fd11..81b115b8c06 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-emulator-tests.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-emulator-tests.yaml
@@ -16,36 +16,23 @@ jobs:
       clean: all
     steps:
     - template: setup-test-environment.yaml
-
-    - template: run-xaprepare.yaml
       parameters:
-        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies
+        installLegacyDotNet: false
+        restoreNUnitConsole: false
+        updateMono: false
+        xaprepareScenario: EmulatorTestDependencies
 
     - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
       inputs:
         artifactName: $(TestAssembliesArtifactName)
         downloadPath: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)
 
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: start emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: >-
-          /t:AcquireAndroidTarget ${{ parameters.emulatorMSBuildArgs }} /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
+    - template: start-stop-emulator.yaml
+      parameters:
+        emulatorMSBuildArgs: ${{ parameters.emulatorMSBuildArgs }}
 
     - ${{ parameters.testSteps }}
 
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: shut down emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: >-
-          /t:AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget
-          /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
-      condition: always()
-
     - template: upload-results.yaml
       parameters:
         artifactName: Test Results - ${{ parameters.jobName }} With Emulator - macOS
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-localization-tests.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-localization-tests.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 2376c0e3dfb..00000000000
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/run-localization-tests.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-# Runs Localization tests against an emulator running on macOS
-
-parameters:
-  node_id: 0
-
-jobs:
-  - job: mac_localization_tests_${{ parameters.node_id }}
-    displayName: Localization Emulator Tests ${{ parameters.node_id }}
-    pool:
-      vmImage: $(HostedMacImage)
-    timeoutInMinutes: 180
-    cancelTimeoutInMinutes: 5
-    workspace:
-      clean: all
-    steps:
-    - template: setup-test-environment.yaml
-
-    - template: run-xaprepare.yaml
-      parameters:
-        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies
-
-    - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-      inputs:
-        artifactName: $(TestAssembliesArtifactName)
-        downloadPath: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)
-
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: start emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: >-
-          /t:AcquireAndroidTarget /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
-
-    - template: run-nunit-tests.yaml
-      parameters:
-        testRunTitle: LocalizationTests On Device - macOS
-        testAssembly: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/MSBuildDeviceIntegration/$(DotNetStableTargetFramework)/MSBuildDeviceIntegration.dll
-        dotNetTestExtraArgs:  --filter "Name~CheckLocalizationIsCorrectNode${{ parameters.node_id }}"
-        testResultsFile: TestResult-LocalizationTests-Node${{ parameters.node_id }}-$(XA.Build.Configuration).xml
-
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: shut down emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: >-
-          /t:AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget
-          /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
-      condition: always()
-
-    - template: upload-results.yaml
-      parameters:
-        artifactName: Test Results - TimeZoneInfo With Emulator - macOS - ${{ parameters.node_id }}
-
-    - template: fail-on-issue.yaml
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
index 31c9e876c2d..afaa89cc660 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ parameters:
   avdApiLevel:            # Device API level, like '30', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
   avdAbi:                 # Device ABI, like 'x86', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
   avdType:                # Device AVD, like 'android-wear', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
+  emulatorMSBuildArgs:    # Extra args to pass to the emulator configuration like '-p:TestAvdExtraBootArgs=-writable-system', optional
   launchTimeoutMin: 20    # Minutes to wait for the emulator to start
   xaSourcePath: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory) # working directory
 
@@ -16,9 +17,21 @@ steps:
     inputs:
       projects: ${{ parameters.xaSourcePath }}/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/Emulator.csproj
       ${{ if eq(parameters.specificImage, true) }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"InstallAvdImage;AcquireAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/install-emulator-${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}.binlog
+        arguments: >-
+          -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"InstallAvdImage;AcquireAndroidTarget"
+          -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }}
+          -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}
+          -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }}
+          -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }}
+          ${{ parameters.emulatorMSBuildArgs }}
+          -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }}
+          -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/install-emulator-${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}.binlog
       ${{ else }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:AcquireAndroidTarget -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: >-
+          -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:AcquireAndroidTarget
+          ${{ parameters.emulatorMSBuildArgs }}
+          -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }}
+          -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
 
 - ${{ if eq(parameters.command, 'stop') }}:
   - task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
@@ -28,6 +41,16 @@ steps:
     inputs:
       projects: ${{ parameters.xaSourcePath }}/src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/Emulator.csproj
       ${{ if eq(parameters.specificImage, true) }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: >-
+          -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget"
+          -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }}
+          -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}
+          -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }}
+          -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }}
+          -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }}
+          -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
       ${{ else }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: >-
+          -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget"
+          -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=${{ parameters.launchTimeoutMin }}
+          -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog