diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index 420f58e44..7941d7f6d 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -1,18 +1,8 @@
 # yaml-language-server: $schema=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/buildkite/pipeline-schema/main/schema.json
 ---
-# Nodes with values to reuse in the pipeline.
-common_params:
-  env: &xcode_image
-    IMAGE_ID: xcode-16.1
-  plugins:
-    - &ci_toolkit
-      automattic/a8c-ci-toolkit#3.7.1: ~
-    - &docker_plugin
-      docker#v5.8.0:
-        image: &ruby_version "public.ecr.aws/docker/library/ruby:3.2.2"
-        propagate-environment: true
-        environment:
-          - "RUBYGEMS_API_KEY"
+
+env:
+  IMAGE_ID: $IMAGE_ID
 
 steps:
   #################
@@ -39,14 +29,13 @@ steps:
 
           echo "--- :rspec: Run Rspec"
           bundle exec rspec --profile 10 --format progress
-        env: *xcode_image
-        plugins: [*ci_toolkit]
+        plugins: [$CI_TOOLKIT]
         agents:
           queue: "mac"
         matrix:
           setup:
             ruby:
-              - 3.2.2
+              - "$RUBY_VERSION"
 
   #################
   # Push to RubyGems
@@ -60,7 +49,13 @@ steps:
     # commands written inline) to avoid leaking a key used in the process in clear in the
     # BUILDKITE_COMMAND environment variable.
     command: .buildkite/commands/gem-push.sh
-    plugins: [*docker_plugin]
+    plugins:
+      - $DOCKER_PLUGIN:
+          image: "$DOCKER_RUBY_IMAGE"
+          propagate-environment: true
+          environment:
+            - "RUBYGEMS_API_KEY"
+
     agents:
       queue: "default"
 
diff --git a/.buildkite/shared-pipeline-vars b/.buildkite/shared-pipeline-vars
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..262e8ef86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.buildkite/shared-pipeline-vars
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+export IMAGE_ID="xcode-26.1.1"
+export CI_TOOLKIT="automattic/a8c-ci-toolkit#5.7.0"
+export DOCKER_PLUGIN="docker#v5.13.0"
+export RUBY_VERSION="3.2.2"
+export DOCKER_RUBY_IMAGE="public.ecr.aws/docker/library/ruby:$RUBY_VERSION"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 341d2ca39..cc16debd4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ _None_
 
 ### New Features
 
-- `upload_build_to_apps_cdn`: Add additional Sparkle meta fields `critical_update` and `phased_rollout_interval` [#673]
+- `upload_build_to_apps_cdn`: Add additional Sparkle meta fields `critical_update` and `phased_rollout_interval`. [#673]
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ _None_
 
 ### Internal Changes
 
-_None_
+- Updated CI pipeline (Xcode VM used for builds, ci-toolkit plugin, docker plugin). [#677]
 
 ## 13.7.0