diff --git a/FSharpBuild.Directory.Build.props b/FSharpBuild.Directory.Build.props
index c5e4108181c..732f311b791 100644
--- a/FSharpBuild.Directory.Build.props
+++ b/FSharpBuild.Directory.Build.props
@@ -25,13 +25,19 @@
 
   <!-- nuget -->
   <PropertyGroup>
+    <!-- Point to artifacts folder as an additional nuget package source  -->
+    <RestoreAdditionalProjectSources Condition = "Exists('$(ArtifactsPackagesDir)') and '$(RestoreAdditionalProjectSources)' != ''">$(RestoreAdditionalProjectSources);$(ArtifactsPackagesDir)</RestoreAdditionalProjectSources>
+    <RestoreAdditionalProjectSources Condition = "Exists('$(ArtifactsPackagesDir)') and '$(RestoreAdditionalProjectSources)' == ''">$(ArtifactsPackagesDir)</RestoreAdditionalProjectSources>
+
     <!-- default NuGet package restore location -->
     <NuGetPackageRoot Condition="'$(NuGetPackageRoot)' == ''">$(NUGET_PACKAGES)</NuGetPackageRoot>
     <NuGetPackageRoot Condition="'$(NuGetPackageRoot)' == '' AND '$(OS)' == 'Windows_NT'">$(UserProfile)\.nuget\packages\</NuGetPackageRoot>
     <NuGetPackageRoot Condition="'$(NuGetPackageRoot)' == '' AND '$(OS)' != 'Windows_NT'">$(HOME)/.nuget/packages/</NuGetPackageRoot>
+
     <!-- ensure there is a trailing slash -->
     <NuGetPackageRoot Condition="!HasTrailingSlash('$(NuGetPackageRoot)') AND '$(OS)' == 'Windows_NT'">$(NuGetPackageRoot)\</NuGetPackageRoot>
     <NuGetPackageRoot Condition="!HasTrailingSlash('$(NuGetPackageRoot)') AND '$(OS)' != 'Windows_NT'">$(NuGetPackageRoot)/</NuGetPackageRoot>
+
     <!-- ensure all NuGet packages come from the `$(NuGetPackageRoot)` variable -->
     <DisableImplicitNuGetFallbackFolder>true</DisableImplicitNuGetFallbackFolder>
   </PropertyGroup>
@@ -51,6 +57,7 @@
     <StrongNames>true</StrongNames>
     <DelaySign>true</DelaySign>
   </PropertyGroup>
+
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(MonoPackaging)' == 'true'">
     <AssemblyOriginatorKeyFile>$(FSharpSourcesRoot)\fsharp\test.snk</AssemblyOriginatorKeyFile>
     <DelaySign>false</DelaySign>
diff --git a/build-nuget-packages.proj b/build-nuget-packages.proj
deleted file mode 100644
index 8b279bd8a19..00000000000
--- a/build-nuget-packages.proj
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-<!-- Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.  See License.txt in the project root for license information. -->
-<Project xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003" ToolsVersion="4.0">
-
-  <ItemGroup>
-    <PackageProjects Include="src\fsharp\FSharp.Compiler.nuget\Microsoft.FSharp.Compiler.csproj" Condition="'$(BUILD_CORECLR)'=='1'" />
-    <PackageProjects Include="src\fsharp\FSharp.Compiler.nuget\Microsoft.FSharp.Compiler.Prerelease.csproj" Condition="'$(BUILD_CORECLR)'=='1'" />
-    <PackageProjects Include="src\fsharp\FSharp.Core\FSharp.Core.fsproj" Condition="'$(BUILD_NUGET)'=='1'" />
-  </ItemGroup>
-
-  <Target Name="Pack">
-    <MSBuild Projects="@(PackageProjects)" Targets="Pack" BuildInParallel="true" Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration)" />
-  </Target>
-
-</Project>
diff --git a/build.cmd b/build.cmd
index 7a7ce4fe0ff..a0f755aacaf 100644
--- a/build.cmd
+++ b/build.cmd
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 rem Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.  All Rights Reserved.  See License.txt in the project root for license information.
 @if "%_echo%"=="" echo off
-setlocal enableDelayedExpansion
+setlocal enableDelayedExpansion 
 
 :ARGUMENTS_VALIDATION
 if /I "%1" == "--help"  (goto :USAGE)
@@ -108,10 +108,12 @@ if /i "%_autoselect%" == "1" (
 
 if /i "%_autoselect_tests%" == "1" (
     if /i "%BUILD_NET40_FSHARP_CORE%" == "1" (
+        set BUILD_NUGET=1
         set TEST_NET40_COREUNIT_SUITE=1
     )
 
     if /i "%BUILD_NET40%" == "1" (
+        set BUILD_NUGET=1
         set TEST_NET40_COMPILERUNIT_SUITE=1
         set TEST_NET40_COREUNIT_SUITE=1
         set TEST_NET40_FSHARP_SUITE=1
@@ -264,6 +266,7 @@ if /i "%ARG%" == "ci_part2" (
     set BUILD_PROTO=1
     set BUILD_NET40=1
     set BUILD_NET40_FSHARP_CORE=1
+    set BUILD_NUGET=1
     set TEST_NET40_COMPILERUNIT_SUITE=1
     set TEST_NET40_COREUNIT_SUITE=1
     set TEST_NET40_FSHARPQA_SUITE=1
@@ -294,6 +297,7 @@ if /i "%ARG%" == "ci_part4" (
     set BUILD_CORECLR=1
     set BUILD_NET40_FSHARP_CORE=1
     set BUILD_NET40=1
+    set BUILD_NUGET=1
     set BUILD_FCS=1
     set TEST_FCS=1
     set CI=1
@@ -393,6 +397,7 @@ if /i "%ARG%" == "test-net40-ideunit" (
 if /i "%ARG%" == "test-net40-coreunit" (
     set _autoselect=0
     set BUILD_NET40_FSHARP_CORE=1
+    set BUILD_NUGET=1
     set TEST_NET40_COREUNIT_SUITE=1
 )
 
@@ -400,6 +405,7 @@ if /i "%ARG%" == "test-coreclr-coreunit" (
     set _autoselect=0
     set BUILD_PROTO_WITH_CORECLR_LKG=1
     set BUILD_CORECLR=1
+    set BUILD_NUGET=1
     set TEST_CORECLR_COREUNIT_SUITE=1
 )
 
@@ -699,12 +705,6 @@ if not "%SIGN_TYPE%" == "" (
     if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error running sign tool && goto :failure
 )
 
-echo ---------------- Done with assembly signing, start package creation ---------------
-
-echo %_msbuildexe% %msbuildflags% build-nuget-packages.proj /p:Configuration=%BUILD_CONFIG% /t:Pack /bl:!logdir!\msbuild.build-nuget-packages.build.%BUILD_CONFIG%.binlog
-     %_msbuildexe% %msbuildflags% build-nuget-packages.proj /p:Configuration=%BUILD_CONFIG% /t:Pack /bl:!logdir!\msbuild.build-nuget-packages.build.%BUILD_CONFIG%.binlog
-if ERRORLEVEL 1 echo Error building NuGet packages && goto :failure
-
 if not "%SIGN_TYPE%" == "" (
     echo %_msbuildexe% build\projects\Signing.proj /t:DoSigning /p:SignType=%SIGN_TYPE% /p:Configuration=%BUILD_CONFIG% /p:BinaryBasepath=%~dp0artifacts\packages\%BUILD_CONFIG% /p:ConfigFile=%~dp0build\config\PackageSignToolData.json
          %_msbuildexe% build\projects\Signing.proj /t:DoSigning /p:SignType=%SIGN_TYPE% /p:Configuration=%BUILD_CONFIG% /p:BinaryBasepath=%~dp0artifacts\packages\%BUILD_CONFIG% /p:ConfigFile=%~dp0build\config\PackageSignToolData.json
diff --git a/build/config/AssemblySignToolData.json b/build/config/AssemblySignToolData.json
index 55163cb5b14..55d61478581 100644
--- a/build/config/AssemblySignToolData.json
+++ b/build/config/AssemblySignToolData.json
@@ -44,11 +44,18 @@
         "VSSetup\\*\\Insertion\\Microsoft.FSharp.Dependencies.vsix",
         "VSSetup\\*\\Insertion\\Microsoft.FSharp.VSIX.Full.Resources.*.vsix"
       ]
+    },
+    {
+      "certificate": "NuGet",
+      "strongName": null,
+      "values": [
+        "artifacts\\*.nupkg",
+        "artifacts\\*\\*.nupkg"
+      ]
     }
   ],
   "exclude": [
     "e_sqlite3.dll",
-    "FSharp.Core.4.5.2.nupkg",
     "FSharp.Data.TypeProviders.dll",
     "Microsoft.Build.dll",
     "Microsoft.Build.Framework.dll",
diff --git a/build/targets/AssemblyVersions.props b/build/targets/AssemblyVersions.props
index b17f940a938..4ef9868ac18 100644
--- a/build/targets/AssemblyVersions.props
+++ b/build/targets/AssemblyVersions.props
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
     <_Build_Number>$(BUILD_BUILDNUMBER.Substring(9))</_Build_Number>
     <Build_FileVersion>$(_Build_Year).$(_Build_Month).$(_Build_Day).$(_Build_Number)</Build_FileVersion>
 
-    <FSCoreMajorVersion>4.5</FSCoreMajorVersion>
+    <FSLanguageVersion>4.5</FSLanguageVersion>
+    <FSCoreMajorVersion>$(FSLanguageVersion)</FSCoreMajorVersion>
     <FSCorePackageVersion>$(FSCoreMajorVersion).5</FSCorePackageVersion>
     <FSCoreVersion>$(FSCoreMajorVersion).0.0</FSCoreVersion>
 
diff --git a/fsharp.proj b/fsharp.proj
index 92b37d547ee..ddfa3747a9b 100644
--- a/fsharp.proj
+++ b/fsharp.proj
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     <BuildFCS Condition="'$(BUILD_FCS)' == '1'">true</BuildFCS>
     <BuildNuget Condition="'$(BUILD_NUGET)' == '1' or '$(BUILD_SETUP)' == '1'">true</BuildNuget>
     <BuildSetup Condition="'$(BUILD_SETUP)' == '1'">true</BuildSetup>
+    <BuildNuget Condition="'$(BUILD_NUGET)' == '1'">true</BuildNuget>
 
     <TestCompiler Condition="'$(TEST_NET40_COMPILERUNIT_SUITE)' == '1'">true</TestCompiler>
     <TestCompiler Condition="'$(TEST_CORECLR_COREUNIT_SUITE)' == '1'">true</TestCompiler>
@@ -93,6 +94,10 @@
       <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)vsintegration\fsharp-vsintegration-vsix-build.proj" />
     </ItemGroup>
 
+    <ItemGroup Condition="'$(BuildCompiler)' == 'true' OR '$(BuildNuget)' == 'true' OR '$(BuildVS)' == 'true' OR'$(_RunningRestore)' == 'true'">
+      <NugetProjects Include="src\fsharp\FSharp.Core\FSharp.Core.fsproj" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+
     <ItemGroup Condition="'$(BuildFCS)' == 'true' OR '$(_RunningRestore)' == 'true'">
       <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)fcs\FSharp.Compiler.Service\FSharp.Compiler.Service.fsproj" />
       <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)fcs\FSharp.Compiler.Service.MSBuild.v12\FSharp.Compiler.Service.MSBuild.v12.fsproj" />
@@ -135,7 +140,6 @@
     <ItemGroup Condition="'$(TestFCS)' == 'true' OR '$(_RunningRestore)' == 'true'">
       <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)fcs\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests.fsproj" />
       <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)tests\projects\Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0\Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0.fsproj" />
-      <Projects Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)fcs\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests\FSharp.Compiler.Service.Tests.fsproj" />
     </ItemGroup>
 
     <ItemGroup Condition="'$(TestIDE)' == 'true' OR '$(_RunningRestore)' == 'true'">
@@ -151,8 +155,9 @@
   </Target>
 
   <Target Name="Build" DependsOnTargets="CollectProjects">
-    <MSBuild Projects="@(Projects);@(NugetProjects)" Targets="Build" Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration);BUILD_PUBLICSIGN=$(BUILD_PUBLICSIGN);$(CustomProps)" />
+    <!-- Nuget projects need to be built before the vsix stuff, so that the vsix build -->
     <MSBuild Projects="@(NugetProjects)" Targets="Pack" Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration);BUILD_PUBLICSIGN=$(BUILD_PUBLICSIGN);$(CustomProps)" />
+    <MSBuild Projects="@(Projects);@(NugetProjects)" Targets="Build" Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration);BUILD_PUBLICSIGN=$(BUILD_PUBLICSIGN);$(CustomProps)" />
   </Target>
 
   <Target Name="Rebuild" DependsOnTargets="CollectProjects">
diff --git a/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.props b/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.props
deleted file mode 100644
index 12d9ad073ec..00000000000
--- a/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.props
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-<Project>
-  <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.props', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../'))" />
-</Project>
diff --git a/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.targets b/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.targets
deleted file mode 100644
index 14437118703..00000000000
--- a/src/buildtools/Directory.Build.targets
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-<Project>
-  <Import Project="$([MSBuild]::GetPathOfFileAbove('Directory.Build.targets', '$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)../'))" />
-</Project>
diff --git a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Core/FSharp.Core.nuspec b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Core/FSharp.Core.nuspec
index 443388a8278..c65dd8ffa3e 100644
--- a/src/fsharp/FSharp.Core/FSharp.Core.nuspec
+++ b/src/fsharp/FSharp.Core/FSharp.Core.nuspec
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
                     netstandard1.6      (netstandard1.6)
                     netstandard2.0      (netstandard2.0)
 
-                Commit hash: $githeadsha$.
+                Commit hash: $githeadsha$
         </description>
         <owners>$owners$</owners>
         <version>$version$</version>
diff --git a/tests/projects/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0.fsproj b/tests/projects/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0.fsproj
index 926080b65b5..c02a1e398db 100644
--- a/tests/projects/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0.fsproj
+++ b/tests/projects/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0/Sample_NETCoreSDK_FSharp_Library_netstandard2_0.fsproj
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
   <PropertyGroup>
     <TargetFramework>netstandard2.0</TargetFramework>
+    <FSharpCoreImplicitPackageVersion>4.5.*</FSharpCoreImplicitPackageVersion>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="Library1.fs" />
diff --git a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/ConsoleProject/Template/ConsoleApplication.vstemplate b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/ConsoleProject/Template/ConsoleApplication.vstemplate
index 31989064070..bfb2bc204e3 100644
--- a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/ConsoleProject/Template/ConsoleApplication.vstemplate
+++ b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/ConsoleProject/Template/ConsoleApplication.vstemplate
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   <WizardData>
     <packages repository="extension" repositoryId="VisualFSharpTemplates">
       <package id="System.ValueTuple" version="4.4.0" />
-      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.2" />
+      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.5" />
      </packages>
   </WizardData>
 </VSTemplate>
diff --git a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/LibraryProject/Template/Library.vstemplate b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/LibraryProject/Template/Library.vstemplate
index bd1ef57057b..ce92b5eafe9 100644
--- a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/LibraryProject/Template/Library.vstemplate
+++ b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/LibraryProject/Template/Library.vstemplate
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   <WizardData>
     <packages repository="extension" repositoryId="VisualFSharpTemplates">
       <package id="System.ValueTuple" version="4.4.0" />
-      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.2" />
+      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.5" />
     </packages>
   </WizardData>
 </VSTemplate>
diff --git a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/TutorialProject/Template/Tutorial.vstemplate b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/TutorialProject/Template/Tutorial.vstemplate
index a7c9f403d3a..5ed1f9e537f 100644
--- a/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/TutorialProject/Template/Tutorial.vstemplate
+++ b/vsintegration/ProjectTemplates/TutorialProject/Template/Tutorial.vstemplate
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
   <WizardData>
     <packages repository="extension" repositoryId="VisualFSharpTemplates">
       <package id="System.ValueTuple" version="4.4.0" />
-      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.2" />
+      <package id="FSharp.Core" version="4.5.5" />
      </packages>
   </WizardData>
 </VSTemplate>
diff --git a/vsintegration/Vsix/VisualFSharpTemplates/VisualFSharpTemplates.csproj b/vsintegration/Vsix/VisualFSharpTemplates/VisualFSharpTemplates.csproj
index 110fc964e1c..fefaecb6614 100644
--- a/vsintegration/Vsix/VisualFSharpTemplates/VisualFSharpTemplates.csproj
+++ b/vsintegration/Vsix/VisualFSharpTemplates/VisualFSharpTemplates.csproj
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
-    <Content Include="$(NuGetPackageRoot)\FSharp.Core\4.5.2\FSharp.Core.4.5.2.nupkg">
+    <Content Include="$(MSBuildThisFileDirectory)\..\..\..\artifacts\packages\$(Configuration)\FSharp.Core.$(FSCorePackageVersion).nupkg">
       <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
-      <Link>packages\FSharp.Core.4.5.2.nupkg</Link>
+      <Link>packages\FSharp.Core.$(FSCorePackageVersion).nupkg</Link>
       <IncludeInVSIX>true</IncludeInVSIX>
     </Content>
     <Content Include="$(NuGetPackageRoot)\System.ValueTuple\4.4.0\System.ValueTuple.4.4.0.nupkg">