diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 92e9ab675..79a4e4cc8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -5,11 +5,38 @@ on:
     branches: [ master, releases/shipped ]
   push:
     branches: [ master, releases/shipped ]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      git_version:
+        description: 'Microsoft Git version tag to include in the build (leave empty for default)'
+        required: false
+        type: string
+
+env:
+  GIT_VERSION: ${{ github.event.inputs.git_version || 'v2.50.1.vfs.0.1' }}
 
 jobs:
+  validate:
+    runs-on: windows-2025
+    name: Validation
+    steps:
+    - name: Checkout source
+      uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+    - name: Validate Microsoft Git version
+      shell: pwsh
+      env:
+        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      run: |
+        & "$env:GITHUB_WORKSPACE\.github\workflows\scripts\validate_release.ps1" `
+          -Repository microsoft/git `
+          -Tag $env:GIT_VERSION && `
+        Write-Host ::notice title=Validation::Using microsoft/git version $env:GIT_VERSION
+
   build:
     runs-on: windows-2025
     name: Build and Unit Test
+    needs: validate
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -41,6 +68,13 @@ jobs:
       shell: cmd
       run: src\scripts\CreateBuildArtifacts.bat ${{ matrix.configuration }} artifacts
 
+    - name: Download microsoft/git installers
+      shell: cmd
+      env:
+        GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      run: |
+        gh release download %GIT_VERSION% --repo microsoft/git --pattern "Git*.exe" --dir artifacts\GVFS.Installers
+
     - name: Upload functional tests drop
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
@@ -59,20 +93,15 @@ jobs:
         name: Installers_${{ matrix.configuration }}
         path: artifacts\GVFS.Installers
 
-    - name: Upload NuGet packages
-      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-      with:
-        name: NuGetPackages_${{ matrix.configuration }}
-        path: artifacts\NuGetPackages
-
   functional_test:
-    runs-on: windows-2025
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.architecture == 'arm64' && 'windows-11-arm' || 'windows-2025' }}
     name: Functional Tests
     needs: build
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
         configuration: [ Debug, Release ]
+        architecture: [ x86_64, arm64 ]
 
     steps:
     - name: Download installers
@@ -103,7 +132,7 @@ jobs:
       if: always()
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: InstallationLogs_${{ matrix.configuration }}
+        name: InstallationLogs_${{ matrix.configuration }}_${{ matrix.architecture }}
         path: install\logs
 
     - name: Run functional tests
@@ -117,14 +146,14 @@ jobs:
       if: always()
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: FunctionalTests_Results_${{ matrix.configuration }}
+        name: FunctionalTests_Results_${{ matrix.configuration }}_${{ matrix.architecture }}
         path: TestResult.xml
 
     - name: Upload Git trace2 output
       if: always()
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: GitTrace2_${{ matrix.configuration }}
+        name: GitTrace2_${{ matrix.configuration }}_${{ matrix.architecture }}
         path: C:\temp\git-trace2.log
 
     - name: ProjFS details (post-test)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/validate_release.ps1 b/.github/workflows/scripts/validate_release.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b9ee8c04d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/validate_release.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+param(
+	[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+	[string]$Tag,
+
+	[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+	[string]$Repository
+)
+
+function Write-GitHubActionsCommand {
+	param(
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+		[string]$Command,
+
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+		[string]$Message,
+
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+		[string]$Title
+	)
+
+	Write-Host "::$Command title=$Title::$Message"
+}
+
+
+function Write-GitHubActionsWarning {
+	param(
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+		[string]$Message,
+
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
+		[string]$Title = "Warning"
+	)
+
+	if ($env:GITHUB_ACTIONS -eq "true") {
+		Write-GitHubActionsCommand -Command "warning" -Message $Message -Title $Title
+	} else {
+		Write-Host "! Warning: $Message" -ForegroundColor Yellow
+	}
+}
+
+function Write-GitHubActionsError {
+	param(
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
+		[string]$Message,
+
+		[Parameter(Mandatory=$false)]
+		[string]$Title = "Error"
+	)
+
+	if ($env:GITHUB_ACTIONS -eq "true") {
+		Write-GitHubActionsCommand -Command "error" -Message $Message -Title $Title
+	} else {
+		Write-Host "x Error: $Message" -ForegroundColor Red
+	}
+}
+
+if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Tag)) {
+	Write-GitHubActionsError -Message "Tag parameter is required"
+	exit 1
+}
+
+if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Repository)) {
+	Write-GitHubActionsError -Message "Repository parameter is required"
+	exit 1
+}
+
+Write-Host "Validating $Repository release '$Tag'..."
+
+# Prepare headers for GitHub API
+$headers = @{
+	'Accept' = 'application/vnd.github.v3+json'
+	'User-Agent' = 'VFSForGit-Build'
+}
+
+if ($env:GITHUB_TOKEN) {
+	$headers['Authorization'] = "Bearer $env:GITHUB_TOKEN"
+}
+
+# Check if the tag exists in microsoft/git repository
+try {
+	$releaseResponse = Invoke-RestMethod `
+		-Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/$Repository/releases/tags/$Tag" `
+		-Headers $headers
+
+	Write-Host "✓ Tag '$Tag' found in $Repository" -ForegroundColor Green
+	Write-Host "  Release   : $($releaseResponse.name)"
+	Write-Host "  Published : $($releaseResponse.published_at.ToString('u'))"
+	
+	# Check if this a pre-release
+	if ($releaseResponse.prerelease -eq $true) {
+		Write-GitHubActionsWarning `
+			-Message "Using a pre-released version of $Repository" `
+			-Title "Pre-release $Repository version"
+	}
+
+	# Get the latest release for comparison
+	try {
+		$latestResponse = Invoke-RestMethod `
+			-Uri "https://api.github.com/repos/$Repository/releases/latest" `
+			-Headers $headers
+		$latestTag = $latestResponse.tag_name
+
+		# Check if this is the latest release
+		if ($Tag -eq $latestTag) {
+			Write-Host "✓ Using the latest release" -ForegroundColor Green
+			exit 0
+		}
+
+		# Not the latest!
+		$warningTitle = "Outdated $Repository release"
+		$warningMsg = "Not using latest release of $Repository (latest: $latestTag)"
+		Write-GitHubActionsWarning -Message $warningMsg -Title $warningTitle
+	} catch {
+		Write-GitHubActionsWarning -Message "Could not check latest release info for ${Repository}: $($_.Exception.Message)"
+	}
+} catch {
+	if ($_.Exception.Response.StatusCode -eq 404) {
+		Write-GitHubActionsError -Message "Tag '$Tag' does not exist in $Repository"
+		exit 1
+	} else {
+		Write-GitHubActionsError -Message "Error validating release '$Tag': $($_.Exception.Message)"
+		exit 1
+	}
+}
diff --git a/GVFS/GVFS.FunctionalTests/Tools/GitHelpers.cs b/GVFS/GVFS.FunctionalTests/Tools/GitHelpers.cs
index 8aacac84a..76a77eb64 100644
--- a/GVFS/GVFS.FunctionalTests/Tools/GitHelpers.cs
+++ b/GVFS/GVFS.FunctionalTests/Tools/GitHelpers.cs
@@ -63,19 +63,55 @@ public static ProcessResult InvokeGitAgainstGVFSRepo(
             string command,
             Dictionary<string, string> environmentVariables = null,
             bool removeWaitingMessages = true,
-            bool removeUpgradeMessages = true)
+            bool removeUpgradeMessages = true,
+            bool removePartialHydrationMessages = true,
+            bool removeFSMonitorMessages = true)
         {
             ProcessResult result = GitProcess.InvokeProcess(gvfsRepoRoot, command, environmentVariables);
-            string errors = result.Errors;
+            string output = FilterMessages(result.Output, false, false, false, removePartialHydrationMessages, removeFSMonitorMessages);
+            string errors = FilterMessages(result.Errors, true, removeWaitingMessages, removeUpgradeMessages, removePartialHydrationMessages, removeFSMonitorMessages);
 
-            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(errors) && (removeWaitingMessages || removeUpgradeMessages))
+            return new ProcessResult(
+                output,
+                errors,
+                result.ExitCode);
+        }
+
+        private static IEnumerable<string> SplitLinesKeepingNewlines(string input)
+        {
+            for (int start = 0;  start < input.Length; )
             {
-                IEnumerable<string> errorLines = errors.Split(new string[] { Environment.NewLine }, StringSplitOptions.None);
-                IEnumerable<string> filteredErrorLines = errorLines.Where(line =>
+                int nextLine = input.IndexOf('\n', start) + 1;
+
+                if (nextLine == 0)
                 {
-                    if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(line) ||
+                    // No more newlines, yield the rest
+                    nextLine = input.Length;
+                }
+
+                yield return input.Substring(start, nextLine - start);
+                start = nextLine;
+            }
+        }
+
+        private static string FilterMessages(
+            string input,
+            bool removeEmptyLines,
+            bool removeWaitingMessages,
+            bool removeUpgradeMessages,
+            bool removePartialHydrationMessages,
+            bool removeFSMonitorMessages)
+        {
+            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(input) && (removeWaitingMessages || removeUpgradeMessages || removePartialHydrationMessages || removeFSMonitorMessages))
+            {
+                IEnumerable<string> lines = SplitLinesKeepingNewlines(input);
+                IEnumerable<string> filteredLines = lines.Where(line =>
+                {
+                    if ((removeEmptyLines && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(line)) ||
                         (removeUpgradeMessages && line.StartsWith("A new version of VFS for Git is available.")) ||
-                        (removeWaitingMessages && line.StartsWith("Waiting for ")))
+                        (removeWaitingMessages && line.StartsWith("Waiting for ")) ||
+                        (removePartialHydrationMessages && line.StartsWith("You are in a partially-hydrated checkout with ")) ||
+                        (removeFSMonitorMessages && line.TrimEnd().EndsWith(" is incompatible with fsmonitor")))
                     {
                         return false;
                     }
@@ -85,13 +121,10 @@ public static ProcessResult InvokeGitAgainstGVFSRepo(
                     }
                 });
 
-                errors = filteredErrorLines.Any() ? string.Join(Environment.NewLine, filteredErrorLines) : string.Empty;
+                return filteredLines.Any() ? string.Join("", filteredLines) : string.Empty;
             }
 
-            return new ProcessResult(
-                result.Output,
-                errors,
-                result.ExitCode);
+            return input;
         }
 
         public static void ValidateGitCommand(
diff --git a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.csproj b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.csproj
index 13cf3e601..4470aeaba 100644
--- a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.csproj
+++ b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.csproj
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <PackageReference Include="Tools.InnoSetup" Version="6.3.1" />
-    <PackageReference Include="GitForWindows.GVFS.Installer" Version="$(GitPackageVersion)" />
-    <PackageReference Include="GitForWindows.GVFS.Portable" Version="$(GitPackageVersion)" />
     <PackageReference Include="MicroBuild.Core" Version="0.2.0" ExcludeAssets="none" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
@@ -24,13 +22,8 @@
 
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="Setup.iss" />
-    <Content Include="$(PkgGitForWindows_GVFS_Installer)\tools\*" />
-    <Content Include="$(PkgGitForWindows_GVFS_Portable)\tools\*" />
     <Content Include="install.bat" />
     <Content Include="info.bat" />
-    <NuspecTemplate Include="GVFS.Installers.template.nuspec"
-                    TargetPath="GVFS.Installers.nuspec"
-                    Properties="$version$=$(GVFSVersion)" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
@@ -44,10 +37,6 @@
     <Exec Command='"$(PkgTools_InnoSetup)\tools\ISCC.exe" /DLayoutDir="$(LayoutPath)" /DGVFSVersion=$(GVFSVersion) Setup.iss /O"$(OutputPath)"' />
   </Target>
 
-  <Target Name="CreateNuspecFile" AfterTargets="CreateInstaller">
-    <CompileTemplatedFile Template="@(NuspecTemplate)" OutputFile="$(OutputPath)\%(TargetPath)" />
-  </Target>
-
   <Target Name="CleanInstaller" BeforeTargets="AfterClean">
     <ItemGroup>
       <FilesToDelete Include="$(OutputPath)**\*"/>
diff --git a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.template.nuspec b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.template.nuspec
deleted file mode 100644
index 8991bd81e..000000000
--- a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/GVFS.Installers.template.nuspec
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0"?>
-<package xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/packaging/2010/07/nuspec.xsd">
-  <metadata>
-    <id>GVFS.Installers</id>
-    <version>$version$</version>
-    <authors>Microsoft</authors>
-    <requireLicenseAcceptance>false</requireLicenseAcceptance>
-    <description>GVFS and G4W installers</description>
-  </metadata>
-  <files>
-    <file src="SetupGVFS*.exe" target="GVFS" />
-    <file src="Git*.exe" target="G4W" />
-    <file src="PortableGit*.exe" target="G4W" />
-  </files>
-</package>
diff --git a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/info.bat b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/info.bat
index b068f9c69..ba61fbc7a 100644
--- a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/info.bat
+++ b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/info.bat
@@ -9,19 +9,31 @@ SET VFS_BUND_PROJFSLIB=C:\Program Files\VFS for Git\ProjFS\ProjectedFSLib.dll
 SET VFS_EXEC=C:\Program Files\VFS for Git\GVFS.exe
 SET GIT_EXEC=C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe
 
+REM Lookup the current Windows version
+FOR /F "tokens=*" %%i IN ('powershell -Command "(Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OperatingSystem).Version"') DO SET OS_VER=%%i
+
+ECHO Print system information...
+ECHO OS version: %OS_VER%
+ECHO CPU architecture: %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%
+
+ECHO.
 ECHO Checking ProjFS Windows feature...
 powershell -Command "Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Client-ProjFS"
 
+ECHO.
 ECHO Checking ProjFS and GVFS services...
 ECHO GVFS.Service:
 sc query GVFS.Service
 
+ECHO.
 ECHO Test.GVFS.Service:
 sc query Test.GVFS.Service
 
+ECHO.
 ECHO prjflt:
 sc query prjflt
 
+ECHO.
 ECHO Checking ProjFS files...
 IF EXIST "%SYS_PRJFLT%" (
     ECHO [ FOUND ] %SYS_PRJFLT%
diff --git a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/install.bat b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/install.bat
index c629c75bc..8375be193 100644
--- a/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/install.bat
+++ b/GVFS/GVFS.Installers/install.bat
@@ -1,8 +1,18 @@
 @ECHO OFF
 SETLOCAL
 
+REM Determine the correct architecture for the installer
+IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="AMD64" (
+    SET GIT_ARCH=64-bit
+) ELSE IF "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%"=="ARM64" (
+    SET GIT_ARCH=arm64
+) ELSE (
+    ECHO Unknown architecture: %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%
+    exit 1
+)
+
 REM Lookup full paths to Git and VFS for Git installers
-FOR /F "tokens=* USEBACKQ" %%F IN ( `where /R %~dp0 Git*.exe` ) DO SET GIT_INSTALLER=%%F
+FOR /F "tokens=* USEBACKQ" %%F IN ( `where /R %~dp0 Git*-%GIT_ARCH%.exe` ) DO SET GIT_INSTALLER=%%F
 FOR /F "tokens=* USEBACKQ" %%F IN ( `where /R %~dp0 SetupGVFS*.exe` ) DO SET GVFS_INSTALLER=%%F
 
 REM Create new empty directory for logs
@@ -12,7 +22,7 @@ IF EXIST %LOGDIR% (
 )
 mkdir %LOGDIR%
 
-ECHO Installing Git for Windows...
+ECHO Installing Git (%GIT_ARCH%)...
 %GIT_INSTALLER% /LOG="%LOGDIR%\git.log" /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /ALLOWDOWNGRADE=1
 
 ECHO Installing VFS for Git...
diff --git a/Version.props b/Version.props
index 1547245ce..d1f6f341b 100644
--- a/Version.props
+++ b/Version.props
@@ -5,10 +5,8 @@
     <GVFSVersion Condition="'$(GVFSVersion)' == ''" >0.2.173.2</GVFSVersion>
 
     <!--
-       Update the GitPackageVersion for the version that is shipped and tested with Scalar.
-       The MinimumGitVersion is intentionally lower to allow side-by-side installs of
-       VFS for Git (which is less flexible). Only update that version if we rely upon a
-       new command-line interface in Git or if there is a truly broken interaction.
+       Only update the minimum version if we rely upon a new command-line interface in
+       Git or if there is a truly broken interaction.
 
        Note that we require that the revision (Z) of the Git version string (2.X.Y.vfs.Z.W)
        is an exact match. We will use this to signal that a microsoft/git version introduces
@@ -18,7 +16,6 @@
        including taking version numbers 2.X.Y from upstream and updating .W if we have any
        hotfixes to microsoft/git.
     -->
-    <GitPackageVersion>2.20220414.4</GitPackageVersion>
     <MinimumGitVersion>v2.31.0.vfs.0.1</MinimumGitVersion>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
diff --git a/scripts/CreateBuildArtifacts.bat b/scripts/CreateBuildArtifacts.bat
index 5cca08d5a..797ed0bf9 100644
--- a/scripts/CreateBuildArtifacts.bat
+++ b/scripts/CreateBuildArtifacts.bat
@@ -14,13 +14,6 @@ IF "%~2"=="" (
     SET OUTROOT=%2
 )
 
-REM Check NuGet is on the PATH
-where /q nuget.exe
-IF ERRORLEVEL 1 (
-    ECHO ERROR: Could not find nuget.exe on the PATH
-    EXIT /B 1
-)
-
 IF EXIST %OUTROOT% (
   rmdir /s /q %OUTROOT%
 )
@@ -60,19 +53,6 @@ xcopy /S /Y ^
     %VFS_OUTDIR%\GVFS.FunctionalTests\bin\%CONFIGURATION%\net471\win-x64 ^
     %OUTROOT%\GVFS.FunctionalTests\ || GOTO ERROR
 
-ECHO ^*************************************
-ECHO ^* Creating Installers NuGet Package *
-ECHO ^*************************************
-mkdir %OUTROOT%\NuGetPackages
-nuget.exe pack ^
-    %VFS_OUTDIR%\GVFS.Installers\bin\%CONFIGURATION%\win-x64\GVFS.Installers.nuspec ^
-    -BasePath %VFS_OUTDIR%\GVFS.Installers\bin\%CONFIGURATION%\win-x64 ^
-    -OutputDirectory %OUTROOT%\NuGetPackages || GOTO ERROR
-
-REM Move the nuspec file to the NuGetPackages artifact directory
-move %OUTROOT%\GVFS.Installers\GVFS.Installers.nuspec ^
-    %OUTROOT%\NuGetPackages
-
 GOTO :EOF
 
 :USAGE