diff --git a/.expeditor/release_habitat.pipeline.yml b/.expeditor/release_habitat.pipeline.yml
index bbc7de11bd..afec85def4 100644
--- a/.expeditor/release_habitat.pipeline.yml
+++ b/.expeditor/release_habitat.pipeline.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ expeditor:
         HAB_ORIGIN: "core"
         PIPELINE_HAB_BLDR_URL: "https://bldr.habitat.sh"
         # Necessary to prevent old studios from poisoning builds after core plans refreshes
-        HAB_STUDIO_SECRET_HAB_PREFER_LOCAL_CHEF_DEPS: "true"
-        HAB_STUDIO_SECRET_HAB_REFRESH_CHANNEL: "LTS-2024"
         HAB_STUDIO_SECRET_HAB_FALLBACK_CHANNEL: "LTS-2024"
+        HAB_STUDIO_SECRET_HAB_FEAT_IGNORE_LOCAL: "true"
 
 steps:
 #######################################################################
diff --git a/.expeditor/scripts/release_habitat/build_component.ps1 b/.expeditor/scripts/release_habitat/build_component.ps1
index 83f941037b..c59a3bc77e 100755
--- a/.expeditor/scripts/release_habitat/build_component.ps1
+++ b/.expeditor/scripts/release_habitat/build_component.ps1
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ $Env:HAB_ORIGIN = "core"
 
 # Run a build!
 Write-Host "--- Running hab pkg build for $Component"
-
+git config --global --add safe.directory C:/workdir
 # Note: HAB_BLDR_CHANNEL *must* be set for the following `hab pkg
 # build` command! There isn't currently a CLI option to set that, and
 # we must ensure that we're pulling dependencies from our build
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ Invoke-Expression "$baseHabExe pkg build components\$Component --keys core"
 
 Write-Host "--- Running hab pkg upload for $Component to channel $Channel"
 Invoke-Expression "$baseHabExe pkg upload results\$pkg_artifact --channel=$Channel --no-build"
+if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {exit $LASTEXITCODE}
+
 Set-TargetMetadata $pkg_ident
 
 Invoke-Expression "buildkite-agent annotate --append --context 'release-manifest' '<br>* ${pkg_ident} (x86_64-windows)'"
diff --git a/components/launcher/habitat/plan.ps1 b/components/launcher/habitat/plan.ps1
index ec6f694b1a..f212b90e9c 100644
--- a/components/launcher/habitat/plan.ps1
+++ b/components/launcher/habitat/plan.ps1
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ function Invoke-Prepare {
 
 function pkg_version {
     git rev-list (git rev-parse HEAD) --count
+    if($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        Write-Error "Unable to deterine version from git!"
+    }
 }
 
 function Invoke-Before {