diff --git a/grunt/optimize-build.js b/grunt/optimize-build.js
index 2f3492298..c09f13ed1 100644
--- a/grunt/optimize-build.js
+++ b/grunt/optimize-build.js
@@ -1,170 +1,101 @@
-module.exports = function(grunt) {
-  var PATHS = {
-    'backbone-validation': 'empty:',
-    'backbone.stickit': 'empty:',
-    'backbone.wreqr': 'empty:',
-    backbone: 'empty:',
-    bootstrap: 'empty:',
-    bowser: 'empty:',
-    classnames: 'empty:',
-    clipboard: 'empty:',
-    'create-react-class': 'empty:',
-    'd3-cloud': 'empty:',
-    d3: 'empty:',
-    filesaver: 'empty:',
-    'google-recaptcha': 'empty:',
-    'google-analytics': 'empty:',
-    jquery: 'empty:',
-    'jquery-ui': 'empty:',
-    'jquery-querybuilder': 'empty:',
-    jsonpath: 'empty:',
-    marionette: 'empty:',
-    mathjax: 'empty:',
-    moment: 'empty:',
-    'persist-js': 'empty:',
-    'react-bootstrap': 'empty:',
-    'react-dom': 'empty:',
-    'prop-types': 'empty:',
-    'react-redux': 'empty:',
-    react: 'empty:',
-    'redux-thunk': 'empty:',
-    redux: 'empty:',
-    requirejs: 'empty:',
-    reselect: 'empty:',
-    select2: 'empty:',
-    sprintf: 'empty:',
-    underscore: 'empty:',
-    'discovery.vars': 'empty:',
-    yup: 'empty:',
-    'react-hook-form': 'empty:',
-    'react-flexview': 'empty:',
-    'styled-components': 'empty:',
-    'react-is': 'empty:',
-    'react-data-table-component': 'empty:',
-    'react-window': 'empty:',
-    'react-async': 'empty:',
-    diff: 'empty:',
-    hotkeys: 'empty:',
-    'react-transition-group': 'empty:',
-    'regenerator-runtime': 'empty:',
-    '@hookform/resolvers': 'empty:',
-    'react-aria-menubutton': 'empty:',
-  };
-
-  var baseConfig = {
-    waitSeconds: 7,
-    logLevel: 1,
-    baseUrl: 'dist',
-    optimize: 'none',
-    mainConfigFile: 'dist/config/discovery.config.js',
-    deps: [],
-    findNestedDependencies: false,
-    create: true,
-    paths: PATHS,
-    stubModules: ['es6', 'babel'],
-  };
-
-  grunt.registerMultiTask(
-    'optimize-build',
-    'Generate config and optimize build',
-    function() {
-      var _ = require('lodash');
-      var path = require('path');
-      var fullConfig = {};
-
-      // callback called with URL and name pulled from folder
-      var getByGlob = function(globs, cb) {
-        var urls = [];
-        grunt.file.expand({ filter: 'isFile' }, globs).forEach(function(url) {
-          var parts = url.split(path.sep);
-          if (/jsx\.js$/.test(url)) {
-            url = url.replace(/^/, 'es6!');
-          }
-          url = url.replace('src/', '').replace(/\.js$/, '');
-          urls.push(url);
-          cb && cb(url, parts[3]);
-        });
-        return urls;
-      };
-
-      var writeOutConfig = function(config, done) {
-        var output = `
-        // GENERATED FILE (edits will be overwritten)
-        module.exports = ${JSON.stringify(config, null, 2)};
-      `;
-        fullConfig = config;
-        grunt.file.write(path.resolve(__dirname, 'requirejs.js'), output);
-        (function check(i) {
-          if (
-            i >= 30 ||
-            grunt.file.exists(path.resolve(__dirname, 'requirejs.js'))
-          ) {
-            grunt.log.writeln('Configuration Generated...');
-            return done();
-          }
-          setTimeout(check, 500, ++i);
-        })(0);
-      };
-
-      grunt.registerTask('generateConfig', function() {
-        var config = {};
-        var done = this.async();
-        var addConfig = function(name, cfg) {
-          config[name] = {};
-          config[name].options = _.extend(
-            {},
-            baseConfig,
-            {
-              name: `${name}.bundle`,
-              out: `dist/config/${name}.bundle.js`,
-            },
-            cfg
-          );
-        };
-
-        const globFiles = (arrOfPaths) => {
-          const filter = (path) => {
-            // filter out all es6 modules, for now
-            return !/\.jsx\.js$/.test(path);
-          };
+/* eslint-disable global-require */
 
-          return grunt.file
-            .expand({ cwd: 'dist', filter }, arrOfPaths)
-            .map((path) => {
-              return path.replace(/\.js$/, '');
-            });
-        };
-
-        addConfig('landing-page', {
-          include: [
-            ...globFiles([
-              'js/react/Recommender/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/paper_search_form/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
-            ]),
+module.exports = function(grunt) {
+  const buildConfig = {
+    options: {
+      paths: {
+        'backbone-validation': 'empty:',
+        'backbone.stickit': 'empty:',
+        'backbone.wreqr': 'empty:',
+        backbone: 'empty:',
+        bootstrap: 'empty:',
+        bowser: 'empty:',
+        classnames: 'empty:',
+        clipboard: 'empty:',
+        'create-react-class': 'empty:',
+        'd3-cloud': 'empty:',
+        d3: 'empty:',
+        filesaver: 'empty:',
+        'google-recaptcha': 'empty:',
+        'google-analytics': 'empty:',
+        jquery: 'empty:',
+        'jquery-ui': 'empty:',
+        'jquery-querybuilder': 'empty:',
+        jsonpath: 'empty:',
+        marionette: 'empty:',
+        mathjax: 'empty:',
+        moment: 'empty:',
+        'persist-js': 'empty:',
+        'react-bootstrap': 'empty:',
+        'react-dom': 'empty:',
+        'prop-types': 'empty:',
+        'react-redux': 'empty:',
+        react: 'empty:',
+        'redux-thunk': 'empty:',
+        redux: 'empty:',
+        requirejs: 'empty:',
+        reselect: 'empty:',
+        select2: 'empty:',
+        sprintf: 'empty:',
+        underscore: 'empty:',
+        'discovery.vars': 'empty:',
+        yup: 'empty:',
+        'react-hook-form': 'empty:',
+        'react-flexview': 'empty:',
+        'styled-components': 'empty:',
+        'react-is': 'empty:',
+        'react-data-table-component': 'empty:',
+        'react-window': 'empty:',
+        'react-async': 'empty:',
+        diff: 'empty:',
+        hotkeys: 'empty:',
+        'react-transition-group': 'empty:',
+        'regenerator-runtime': 'empty:',
+        '@hookform/resolvers': 'empty:',
+        'react-aria-menubutton': 'empty:',
+      },
+      stubModules: ['es6', 'babel'],
+    },
+    release: {
+      options: {
+        bundles: {
+          'landing-page': [
+            'js/wraps/*_facet.js',
+            'js/widgets/metrics/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/list_of_things/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/abstract/widget',
+            'js/widgets/api_query/widget',
             'js/widgets/base/base_widget',
-            'js/widgets/classic_form/widget',
+            'js/widgets/bubble_chart/widget',
+            'js/widgets/citation_helper/widget',
+            'js/widgets/dropdown-menu/widget',
+            'js/widgets/filter_visualizer/widget',
             'js/widgets/footer/widget',
             'js/widgets/navbar/widget',
+            'js/widgets/network_vis/network_widget',
+            'js/widgets/query_info/query_info_widget',
+            'js/widgets/results/widget',
+            'js/widgets/tabs/tabs_widget',
             'js/widgets/widget_states',
+            'js/widgets/wordcloud/widget',
             'js/wraps/alerts_mediator',
             'js/wraps/discovery_mediator',
-            'js/wraps/landing_page_manager/landing_page_manager',
+            'js/wraps/export_dropdown',
+            'js/wraps/graph_tabs',
+            'js/wraps/results_page_manager',
+            'js/wraps/visualization_dropdown',
+            'libs/select2/matcher',
           ],
-        });
-
-        addConfig('search-page', {
-          include: [
-            ...globFiles([
-              'js/wraps/*_facet.js',
-              'js/widgets/metrics/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/list_of_things/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
-            ]),
+          'search-page': [
+            'js/wraps/*_facet.js',
+            'js/widgets/metrics/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/list_of_things/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
             'js/widgets/abstract/widget',
             'js/widgets/api_query/widget',
             'js/widgets/base/base_widget',
@@ -188,18 +119,13 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
             'js/wraps/visualization_dropdown',
             'libs/select2/matcher',
           ],
-        });
-
-        addConfig('abstract-page', {
-          include: [
-            ...globFiles([
-              'js/wraps/*_facet.js',
-              'js/widgets/metrics/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/list_of_things/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
-              'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
-            ]),
+          'abstract-page': [
+            'js/wraps/*_facet.js',
+            'js/widgets/metrics/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/list_of_things/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/search_bar/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/facet/**/*.js',
+            'js/widgets/alerts/**/*.js',
             'js/widgets/abstract/widget',
             'js/widgets/base/base_widget',
             'js/widgets/footer/widget',
@@ -221,24 +147,19 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
             'js/wraps/table_of_contents',
             'libs/select2/matcher',
           ],
-        });
-
-        addConfig('main', {
-          include: [
-            ...globFiles([
-              'config/**/*.js',
-              '!config/discovery.vars.js',
-              '!config/shim.js',
-              'js/apps/discovery/**/*.js',
-              '!js/apps/discovery/router.js',
-              'js/components/**/*.js',
-              '!js/components/analytics.js',
-              '!js/components/query_builder/**/*.js',
-              'js/mixins/**/*.js',
-              'js/modules/**/*.js',
-              'js/page_managers/**/*.js',
-              'js/services/**/*.js',
-            ]),
+          main: [
+            'config/**/*.js',
+            '!config/discovery.vars.js',
+            '!config/shim.js',
+            'js/apps/discovery/**/*.js',
+            '!js/apps/discovery/router.js',
+            'js/components/**/*.js',
+            '!js/components/analytics.js',
+            '!js/components/query_builder/**/*.js',
+            'js/mixins/**/*.js',
+            'js/modules/**/*.js',
+            'js/page_managers/**/*.js',
+            'js/services/**/*.js',
             'analytics',
             'router',
             'utils',
@@ -260,43 +181,145 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
             'react-transition-group',
             '@hookform/resolvers',
           ],
+        },
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  grunt.registerMultiTask(
+    'optimize-build',
+    'Generate config and optimize build',
+    function() {
+      const _ = require('lodash');
+      const rjs = require('requirejs');
+      const fullConfig = {};
+      const options = this.options({
+        waitSeconds: 7,
+        logLevel: 4,
+        baseUrl: 'dist',
+        optimize: 'none',
+        mainConfigFile: 'dist/config/discovery.config.js',
+        deps: [],
+        findNestedDependencies: false,
+        create: true,
+        bundles: {},
+      });
+
+      const { bundles, ...baseConfig } = options;
+
+      // fail here if no bundles are passed
+      if (Object.keys(options.bundles).length === 0) {
+        return grunt.fail.fatal('No bundles configured');
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Generate the bundles based on the passed in config
+       */
+      grunt.registerTask('generateBundles', function() {
+        const done = this.async();
+
+        // log out a message on each successful completion
+        const onBundleComplete = ({ name }) => {
+          grunt.log.ok(`${name} generated!`);
+        };
+
+        // generate the config based on the base and bundle name
+        const getConfig = (name, cfg) => ({
+          ...baseConfig,
+          name: `${name}.bundle`,
+          out: `dist/config/${name}.bundle.js`,
+          onModuleBundleComplete: onBundleComplete,
+          ...cfg,
         });
 
-        writeOutConfig(config, done);
+        // expand file globs
+        const expand = (arrOfPaths) => {
+          const filter = (path) => {
+            // filter out all es6 modules, for now
+            return !/\.jsx\.js$/.test(path);
+          };
+
+          return grunt.file
+            .expand({ cwd: 'dist', filter }, arrOfPaths)
+            .map((path) => {
+              return path.replace(/\.js$/, '');
+            });
+        };
+
+        // wraps requirejs optimizer in promise
+        const optimize = (name, modules) =>
+          new Promise((res, rej) => {
+            const config = getConfig(name, { include: modules });
+
+            // update fullConfig variable (used in other task)
+            fullConfig[name] = config;
+
+            // call optimize on the configuration, passing in our promise handlers
+            rjs.optimize(
+              config,
+              () => res(),
+              (args) => rej(args)
+            );
+          });
+
+        const promises = [];
+        Object.keys(bundles).forEach((name) =>
+          promises.push(optimize(name, expand(bundles[name])))
+        );
+
+        // wait on all the promises to finish, otherwise fail here
+        Promise.all(promises)
+          .catch((err) => grunt.fail.fatal(err))
+          .finally(() => done());
       });
 
-      var getDiscoveryConfig = function() {
-        var content = grunt.file.read('dist/config/discovery.config.js');
-        var cfg = {};
+      const getDiscoveryConfig = function() {
+        const content = grunt.file.read('dist/config/discovery.config.js', {
+          encoding: 'utf-8',
+        });
+        let cfg = {};
         (function() {
-          var require = (requirejs = {
-            config: function(data) {
+          // mocks "require" in context for the eval call, this allows us to extract the config
+          // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
+          const require = {
+            config(data) {
               cfg = data;
             },
-          });
+          };
+
+          // eslint-disable-next-line no-eval
           eval(content.toString());
         })();
+
         return cfg;
       };
 
-      var generateConfigFileString = function(name, cnts) {
-        return `
+      const generateConfigFileString = (name, contents) =>
+        Buffer.from(
+          `
 /**
  * GENERATED FILE (edits will be overwritten):
  * This is the configuration for ${name}.
  */
-requirejs.config(${JSON.stringify(cnts, null, 2)});
-`;
-      };
+requirejs.config(${JSON.stringify(contents)});
+`,
+          'utf-8'
+        );
 
-      grunt.registerTask('applyIncludesToConfig', function() {
-        var cfg = getDiscoveryConfig();
+      /**
+       * Generates the requirejs configs based on a default one which we grab first
+       *
+       * Basically we generate bundles above, which now need to be the target of several paths.  In
+       * these generated configs, we point to our bundle (if necessary) otherwise leave it be.
+       */
+      grunt.registerTask('generateConfigs', function() {
+        const cfg = getDiscoveryConfig();
 
         // generate the rest of the bundles
-        _.forEach(fullConfig, function(bundle, name) {
-          var _cfg = _.extend({}, cfg, {
+        _.forEach(fullConfig, function({ name, include }, moduleName) {
+          const _cfg = _.extend({}, cfg, {
             // set the main dependency to the bundle name
-            deps: [`config/${bundle.options.name}`],
+            deps: [`config/${name}`],
 
             // update the paths config with new revved names
             paths: _.extend(
@@ -305,35 +328,30 @@ requirejs.config(${JSON.stringify(cnts, null, 2)});
 
               // add all additional revved filenames to the paths
               _.reduce(
-                bundle.options.include,
-                function(acc, p) {
-                  acc[p] = `config/${bundle.options.name}`;
-                  return acc;
-                },
+                include,
+                (acc, k) => ({ ...acc, [k]: `config/${name}` }),
                 {}
               ),
 
               // some explicit path changes
               {
-                'discovery.config': `config/${bundle.options.name}`,
+                'discovery.config': `config/${name}`,
               }
             ),
           });
 
-          var out = generateConfigFileString(`dist/${name}.config.js`, _cfg);
-          grunt.file.write(`dist/config/${name}.config.js`, out);
-          grunt.log.writeln(`${name}.config.js has been created`);
+          const out = generateConfigFileString(
+            `dist/${moduleName}.config.js`,
+            _cfg
+          );
+          grunt.file.write(`dist/config/${moduleName}.config.js`, out);
+          grunt.log.writeln(`${moduleName}.config.js has been created`);
         });
       });
 
-      grunt.task.run(['generateConfig', 'babel:release', 'requirejs']);
-      grunt.task.run(['applyIncludesToConfig']);
-      // grunt.task.run(['uglify']);
+      grunt.task.run(['babel:release', 'generateBundles', 'generateConfigs']);
     }
   );
 
-  return {
-    options: {},
-    release: {},
-  };
+  return buildConfig;
 };