diff --git a/ci/pipelines/builder.yml b/ci/pipelines/builder.yml
index 49e624410f..9e4e6e69de 100644
--- a/ci/pipelines/builder.yml
+++ b/ci/pipelines/builder.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
+anchors:
+  ci_bot:
+    email: &ci_bot_email bots@cloudfoundry.org
+    name: &ci_bot_name CI Bot
+
 #@ load("@ytt:data", "data")
+
 #@yaml/text-templated-strings
 
 groups:
@@ -256,9 +262,9 @@ jobs:
       - usn-log/usn-log.json
       rename: (@= data.values.stemcell_details.branch @)/(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @).meta4
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
-        message: '[ci skip] bump OS image'
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
+        message: 'Bump os-image tgz'
       version: version/version
   - put: os-image-version
     params:
@@ -493,8 +499,8 @@ jobs:
         - stemcell/*.tgz
         rename: "{{.Version}}/(@= IAAS @)-(@= HYPERVISOR @)(@= FIPS @).meta4"
         options:
-          author_email: ci@localhost
-          author_name: CI Bot
+          author_email: *ci_bot_email
+          author_name: *ci_bot_name
           message: 'dev: (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)'
         version: candidate-build-number/number
 #@ end
@@ -627,7 +633,10 @@ jobs:
   - task: commit-build-time
     file: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.yml
     image: os-image-stemcell-builder-registry-image
-  #@ if len(data.values.stemcell_details.include_fips_iaas) > 0:
+    params:
+      GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+      GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
+    #@ if len(data.values.stemcell_details.include_fips_iaas) > 0:
   - task: copy-fips-artifacts
     file: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/publish.yml
     image: bosh-integration-image
@@ -647,7 +656,9 @@ jobs:
       TO_INDEX: candidate
       AWS_ENDPOINT: "https://storage.googleapis.com"
       S3_API_ENDPOINT: storage.googleapis.com
-  #@ end
+      GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+      GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
+    #@ end
   - task: copy-artifacts
     file: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/publish.yml
     image: bosh-integration-image
@@ -667,6 +678,8 @@ jobs:
       TO_INDEX: candidate
       AWS_ENDPOINT: "https://storage.googleapis.com"
       S3_API_ENDPOINT: storage.googleapis.com
+      GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+      GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
   - in_parallel:
     - put: bosh-linux-stemcell-builder-push-tags
       no_get: true
@@ -753,8 +766,8 @@ jobs:
       output_mapping:
         output-repo: bosh-linux-stemcell-builder
       params:
-        GIT_USER_NAME: CI Bot
-        GIT_USER_EMAIL: bots@cloudfoundry.org
+        GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+        GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
         PACKAGE: ruby-((.:ruby_version))
         VENDOR: true
     - task: test-unit
@@ -817,6 +830,9 @@ jobs:
   - task: bump
     file: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.yml
     image: bosh-integration-image
+    params:
+      GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+      GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
   - put: bosh-linux-stemcell-builder-push
     params:
       rebase: true
@@ -837,6 +853,8 @@ jobs:
     image: bosh-integration-image
     params:
       BLOBSTORE_TYPE: (@= blobstore_type @)
+      GIT_USER_EMAIL: *ci_bot_email
+      GIT_USER_NAME: *ci_bot_name
   - put: bosh-linux-stemcell-builder-push
     params:
       rebase: true
diff --git a/ci/pipelines/publisher.yml b/ci/pipelines/publisher.yml
index e51f554a1d..b285d63335 100644
--- a/ci/pipelines/publisher.yml
+++ b/ci/pipelines/publisher.yml
@@ -230,6 +230,11 @@ ensure:
 
 #@yaml/text-templated-strings
 ---
+anchors:
+  ci_bot:
+    email: &ci_bot_email bots@cloudfoundry.org
+    name: &ci_bot_name CI Bot
+
 groups:
 - name: all
   jobs:
@@ -379,8 +384,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - light-stemcell/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'candidate (light aws): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       version: us-input-stemcell/.resource/version
     put: candidate-aws-light-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)
@@ -416,8 +421,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - light-stemcell/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'candidate (light google): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       version: stemcell/.resource/version
     put: candidate-google-light-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)
@@ -487,8 +492,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - candidate-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'publish (heavy): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       rename: '{{.Version}}/stemcells.meta4'
       version: candidate-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/.resource/version
@@ -498,8 +503,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - candidate-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-fips-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'publish (heavy): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-fips/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       rename: '{{.Version}}/stemcells.meta4'
       version: candidate-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-fips-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/.resource/version
@@ -508,8 +513,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - candidate-aws-light-stemcell/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'publish (light aws): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       rename: '{{.Version}}/stemcells.aws.meta4'
       version: candidate-aws-light-stemcell/.resource/version
@@ -542,8 +547,8 @@ jobs:
       files:
       - candidate-google-light-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/*.tgz
       options:
-        author_email: ci@localhost
-        author_name: CI Bot
+        author_email: *ci_bot_email
+        author_name: *ci_bot_name
         message: 'publish (light google): (@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)/(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @).x'
       rename: '{{.Version}}/stemcells.gcp.meta4'
       version: candidate-google-light-(@= data.values.stemcell_details.os_name @)-stemcell-(@= str(data.values.stemcell_details.major_version) @)/.resource/version
diff --git a/ci/tasks/build.sh b/ci/tasks/build.sh
index a068d6a8f6..e14dc284e0 100755
--- a/ci/tasks/build.sh
+++ b/ci/tasks/build.sh
@@ -135,6 +135,6 @@ cat "$meta4_path"
 cd "${REPO_PARENT}/stemcells-index-output"
 
 git add -A
-git config --global user.email "ci@localhost"
-git config --global user.name "CI Bot"
+git config --global user.email "${GIT_USER_EMAIL}"
+git config --global user.name "${GIT_USER_NAME}"
 git commit -m "dev: ${OS_NAME}-${OS_VERSION}/${CANDIDATE_BUILD_NUMBER} ($IAAS-$HYPERVISOR)"
diff --git a/ci/tasks/build.yml b/ci/tasks/build.yml
index fa1b8e1fa0..a2b41690c4 100644
--- a/ci/tasks/build.yml
+++ b/ci/tasks/build.yml
@@ -28,3 +28,5 @@ params:
   S3_API_ENDPOINT: s3.amazonaws.com
   ESM_TOKEN:
   AGENT_SUFFIX: -go_agent
+  GIT_USER_EMAIL:
+  GIT_USER_NAME:
diff --git a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.sh b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.sh
index 222828b5b7..ecc728b39a 100755
--- a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.sh
+++ b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.sh
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ cp "${REPO_PARENT}/bosh-agent/.resource/version" \
 pushd "${REPO_PARENT}/bosh-linux-stemcell-builder-out"
 	if [ "$(git status --porcelain)" != "" ]; then
 		git add -A
-		git config --global user.email "ci@localhost"
-		git config --global user.name "CI Bot"
+		git config --global user.email "${GIT_USER_EMAIL}"
+		git config --global user.name "${GIT_USER_NAME}"
 		git commit -m "bump bosh-agent/$version"
 	fi
 popd
diff --git a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.yml b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.yml
index 2506ee1174..cf020c55a7 100644
--- a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.yml
+++ b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.yml
@@ -13,3 +13,7 @@ outputs:
 
 run:
   path: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-agent.sh
+
+params:
+  GIT_USER_EMAIL:
+  GIT_USER_NAME:
diff --git a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.sh b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.sh
index f82d23ca1a..6105e9876a 100755
--- a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.sh
+++ b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.sh
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ echo "${sha256sum}" > \
 pushd "${REPO_PARENT}/bosh-linux-stemcell-builder-out"
   if [ "$(git status --porcelain)" != "" ]; then
     git add -A
-    git config --global user.email "ci@localhost"
-    git config --global user.name "CI Bot"
+    git config --global user.email "${GIT_USER_EMAIL}"
+    git config --global user.name "${GIT_USER_NAME}"
     git commit -m "bump bosh-blobstore-${BLOBSTORE_TYPE}/${version}"
   fi
 popd
diff --git a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.yml b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.yml
index b7f252fffd..39b1e92d3e 100644
--- a/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.yml
+++ b/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.yml
@@ -13,3 +13,7 @@ outputs:
 
 run:
   path: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/bump-bosh-blobstore-cli.sh
+
+params:
+  GIT_USER_EMAIL:
+  GIT_USER_NAME:
diff --git a/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.sh b/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.sh
index 3d8688a1b9..7a89d6d699 100755
--- a/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.sh
+++ b/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ formatted_build_time="$(date --date "${build_time%.*}" +%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ)"
 pushd "${REPO_PARENT}/bosh-linux-stemcell-builder"
   echo "${formatted_build_time}" > build_time.txt
   git add -A
-  git config --global user.email "ci@localhost"
-  git config --global user.name "CI Bot"
+  git config --global user.email "${GIT_USER_EMAIL}"
+  git config --global user.name "${GIT_USER_NAME}"
   git commit -m "Commit Build Time"
 popd
diff --git a/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.yml b/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.yml
index b0c42dc158..0662900ac8 100644
--- a/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.yml
+++ b/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.yml
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ outputs:
 
 run:
   path: bosh-stemcells-ci/ci/tasks/commit-build-time.sh
+
+params:
+  GIT_USER_EMAIL:
+  GIT_USER_NAME:
diff --git a/ci/tasks/publish.sh b/ci/tasks/publish.sh
index 83fa273405..6b4fb067b6 100755
--- a/ci/tasks/publish.sh
+++ b/ci/tasks/publish.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ if [[ -n "${DEBUG:-}" ]]; then
   export BOSH_LOG_PATH="${BOSH_LOG_PATH:-${REPO_PARENT}/bosh-debug.log}"
 fi
 
-export VERSION=$( cat "${REPO_PARENT}/version/number" | sed 's/\.0$//;s/\.0$//' )
+VERSION=$( cat "${REPO_PARENT}/version/number" | sed 's/\.0$//;s/\.0$//' )
+export VERSION
 
 #
 # merge all stemcell files into a single metalink for publishing
@@ -23,14 +24,14 @@ meta4_path="${REPO_PARENT}/stemcells-index-output/$TO_INDEX/$OS_NAME-$OS_VERSION
 mkdir -p "$( dirname "$meta4_path" )"
 meta4 create --metalink="$meta4_path"
 
-find "${REPO_PARENT}/stemcells-index-output/$FROM_INDEX/$OS_NAME-$OS_VERSION/$VERSION" -name "*.meta4" \
-  | xargs -n1 -- meta4 import-metalink --metalink="$meta4_path"
+find "${REPO_PARENT}/stemcells-index-output/$FROM_INDEX/$OS_NAME-$OS_VERSION/$VERSION" -name "*.meta4" -print0 \
+  | xargs --null -n1 -- meta4 import-metalink --metalink="$meta4_path"
 
 cd "${REPO_PARENT}/stemcells-index-output"
 
 git add -A
-git config --global user.email "ci@localhost"
-git config --global user.name "CI Bot"
+git config --global user.email "${GIT_USER_EMAIL}"
+git config --global user.name "${GIT_USER_NAME}"
 git commit -m "$COMMIT_PREFIX: $OS_NAME-$OS_VERSION/$VERSION"
 
 cd "${REPO_PARENT}"
@@ -71,7 +72,8 @@ else
 
     # occasionally this fails for unexpected reasons; retry a few times
     for i in {1..4}; do
-      aws --endpoint-url=${AWS_ENDPOINT} s3 cp "s3://$FROM_BUCKET_NAME/$file" "s3://$TO_BUCKET_NAME/$file" \
+      echo "'s3 cp' attempt: ${i}" >&2
+      aws --endpoint-url="${AWS_ENDPOINT}" s3 cp "s3://$FROM_BUCKET_NAME/$file" "s3://$TO_BUCKET_NAME/$file" \
         && break \
         || sleep 5
     done
diff --git a/ci/tasks/publish.yml b/ci/tasks/publish.yml
index d183b437a3..d80cdb2684 100644
--- a/ci/tasks/publish.yml
+++ b/ci/tasks/publish.yml
@@ -31,3 +31,5 @@ params:
   COPY_KEYS:             required
   OS_NAME:               required
   OS_VERSION:            required
+  GIT_USER_EMAIL:
+  GIT_USER_NAME: