diff --git a/tools/devops/automation/scripts/bash/export-mono-filenames.sh b/tools/devops/automation/scripts/bash/export-mono-filenames.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..7108e503a966
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/devops/automation/scripts/bash/export-mono-filenames.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash -eu
+
+env | sort
+
+set -o pipefail
+IFS=$'\n\t '
+
+FILE=$(pwd)/tmp.txt
+
+make -C "$BUILD_SOURCESDIRECTORY/xamarin-macios/tools/devops" print-variable-value-to-file FILE="$FILE" VARIABLE=MONO_IOS_FILENAME
+MONO_IOS_FILENAME=$(cat "$FILE")
+MONO_IOS_FILENAME=$(basename "$MONO_IOS_FILENAME" ".7z")
+
+make -C "$BUILD_SOURCESDIRECTORY/xamarin-macios/tools/devops" print-variable-value-to-file FILE="$FILE" VARIABLE=MONO_MAC_FILENAME
+MONO_MAC_FILENAME=$(cat "$FILE")
+MONO_MAC_FILENAME=$(basename "$MONO_MAC_FILENAME" ".7z")
+
+make -C "$BUILD_SOURCESDIRECTORY/xamarin-macios/tools/devops" print-variable-value-to-file FILE="$FILE" VARIABLE=MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME
+MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME=$(cat "$FILE")
+MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME=$(basename "$MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME" ".7z")
+
+# allow the rest of the build use the values
+echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=MONO_IOS_FILENAME;]$MONO_IOS_FILENAME"
+echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=MONO_MAC_FILENAME;]$MONO_MAC_FILENAME"
+echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME;]$MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME"
diff --git a/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/api-diff-process-results.yml b/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/api-diff-process-results.yml
index babd857db696..4f65536d2b3a 100644
--- a/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/api-diff-process-results.yml
+++ b/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/api-diff-process-results.yml
@@ -1,97 +1,97 @@
 # Job that downloads the change detection artifact and:
 # * Uploads the results to VSDrops
 # * Publishes results (as a comment) to GitHub
-
+# yamllint disable rule:line-length
 parameters:
 
-- name: isPR
-  type: boolean
+  - name: isPR
+    type: boolean
 
-- name: repositoryAlias
-  type: string
-  default: self
+  - name: repositoryAlias
+    type: string
+    default: self
 
-- name: commit
-  type: string
-  default: HEAD
+  - name: commit
+    type: string
+    default: HEAD
 
-- name: uploadPrefix
-  type: string
-  default: '$(MaciosUploadPrefix)'
+  - name: uploadPrefix
+    type: string
+    default: '$(MaciosUploadPrefix)'
 
 steps:
 
-- template: ../common/checkout.yml
-  parameters:
-    isPR: ${{ parameters.isPR }}
-    repositoryAlias: ${{ parameters.repositoryAlias }}
-    commit: ${{ parameters.commit }}
-
-- pwsh: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/xamarin-macios/tools/devops/automation/scripts/show_env.ps1
-  displayName: 'Show Environment'
-
-- pwsh: |
-    if (Test-Path "$Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY/Artifacts" -PathType Container) {
-      Remove-Item -Path "$Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY/Artifacts" -Force -Recurse
-    }
-  displayName: "Remove artifacts"
-  condition: always()
-
-# Download the change detection artifact
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: 'Download change detection artifacts'
-  inputs:
-    patterns: '${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}change-detection/change-detection.zip'
-    allowFailedBuilds: true
-    path: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/Artifacts
-
-# Unzip the change detection artifact
-- task: ExtractFiles@1
-  displayName: 'Decompress change detection artifacts'
-  inputs:
-    archiveFilePatterns: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/Artifacts/${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}change-detection/change-detection.zip'
-    destinationFolder: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/change-detection'
-
-# Upload the change detection results to vsdrops
-- task: ms-vscs-artifact.build-tasks.artifactDropTask-1.artifactDropTask@0
-  displayName: 'Publish change detection results to Artifact Services Drop'
-  continueOnError: true # don't let any failures here stop us
-  inputs:
-    dropServiceURI: 'https://devdiv.artifacts.visualstudio.com/DefaultCollection'
-    dropMetadataContainerName: '${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}DropMetadata-ChangeDetection-$(System.JobAttempt)'
-    buildNumber: 'xamarin-macios/detected-changes/$(Build.BuildNumber)/$(Build.BuildId)-$(System.JobAttempt)'
-    sourcePath: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/change-detection/results/'
-    detailedLog: true
-    usePat: true
-
-# Process the github comment and publish it
-- pwsh: |
-    Import-Module $Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY\xamarin-macios\tools\devops\automation\scripts\MaciosCI.psd1
-    $vsdropsChangeDetectionPrefix = "https://vsdrop.corp.microsoft.com/file/v1/xamarin-macios/detected-changes/$Env:BUILD_BUILDNUMBER/$Env:BUILD_BUILDID-$Env:SYSTEM_JOBATTEMPT/;/"
-
-    $rootDirectory = Join-Path "$Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY" "change-detection" "results"
-
-    $inputContentsPath = Join-Path -Path $rootDirectory -ChildPath "gh-comment.md"
-    if (Test-Path $inputContentsPath -PathType leaf) {
-      $inputContents = Get-Content -Path $inputContentsPath -Raw
-    } else {
-      $inputContents = ":fire: Unable to find the contents for the comment: $inputContentsPath does not exist :fire"
-    }
-
-    try {
-      $converted = Convert-Markdown -RootDirectory $rootDirectory -InputContents $inputContents -VSDropsPrefix $vsdropsChangeDetectionPrefix
-    } catch {
-      $converted = $inputContents + "`n`nUnable to convert markdown: $_`n`n"
-    }
-    $githubComments = New-GitHubCommentsObjectFromUrl -Url "$(Build.Repository.Uri)" -Token $Env:GITHUB_TOKEN -Hash $Env:COMMENT_HASH
-    $result = $githubComments.NewCommentFromMessage("", "", $converted)
-  displayName: 'Publish GitHub comment for change detection'
-  timeoutInMinutes: 10
-  continueOnError: true # don't let any failures here stop us
-  condition: always() # We always want to post something on github
-  env:
-    GITHUB_TOKEN: $(GitHub.Token)
-    ${{ if eq(parameters.repositoryAlias, 'self') }}:
-      COMMENT_HASH: $(GIT_HASH)
-    ${{ else }}:
-      COMMENT_HASH: $(Build.SourceVersion)
+  - template: ../common/checkout.yml
+    parameters:
+      isPR: ${{ parameters.isPR }}
+      repositoryAlias: ${{ parameters.repositoryAlias }}
+      commit: ${{ parameters.commit }}
+
+  - pwsh: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/xamarin-macios/tools/devops/automation/scripts/show_env.ps1
+    displayName: 'Show Environment'
+
+  - pwsh: |
+      if (Test-Path "$Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY/Artifacts" -PathType Container) {
+        Remove-Item -Path "$Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY/Artifacts" -Force -Recurse
+      }
+    displayName: "Remove artifacts"
+    condition: always()
+
+  # Download the change detection artifact
+  - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+    displayName: 'Download change detection artifacts'
+    inputs:
+      patterns: '${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}change-detection/change-detection.zip'
+      allowFailedBuilds: true
+      path: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/Artifacts
+
+  # Unzip the change detection artifact
+  - task: ExtractFiles@1
+    displayName: 'Decompress change detection artifacts'
+    inputs:
+      archiveFilePatterns: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/Artifacts/${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}change-detection/change-detection.zip'
+      destinationFolder: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/change-detection'
+
+  # Upload the change detection results to vsdrops
+  - task: ms-vscs-artifact.build-tasks.artifactDropTask-1.artifactDropTask@0
+    displayName: 'Publish change detection results to Artifact Services Drop'
+    continueOnError: true  # don't let any failures here stop us
+    inputs:
+      dropServiceURI: 'https://devdiv.artifacts.visualstudio.com/DefaultCollection'
+      dropMetadataContainerName: '${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}DropMetadata-ChangeDetection-$(System.JobAttempt)'
+      buildNumber: 'xamarin-macios/detected-changes/$(Build.BuildNumber)/$(Build.BuildId)-$(System.JobAttempt)'
+      sourcePath: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/change-detection/results/'
+      detailedLog: true
+      usePat: true
+
+  # Process the github comment and publish it
+  - pwsh: |
+      Import-Module $Env:SYSTEM_DEFAULTWORKINGDIRECTORY\xamarin-macios\tools\devops\automation\scripts\MaciosCI.psd1
+      $vsdropsChangeDetectionPrefix = "https://vsdrop.corp.microsoft.com/file/v1/xamarin-macios/detected-changes/$Env:BUILD_BUILDNUMBER/$Env:BUILD_BUILDID-$Env:SYSTEM_JOBATTEMPT/;/"
+
+      $rootDirectory = Join-Path "$Env:BUILD_ARTIFACTSTAGINGDIRECTORY" "change-detection" "results"
+
+      $inputContentsPath = Join-Path -Path $rootDirectory -ChildPath "gh-comment.md"
+      if (Test-Path $inputContentsPath -PathType leaf) {
+        $inputContents = Get-Content -Path $inputContentsPath -Raw
+      } else {
+        $inputContents = ":fire: Unable to find the contents for the comment: $inputContentsPath does not exist :fire"
+      }
+
+      try {
+        $converted = Convert-Markdown -RootDirectory $rootDirectory -InputContents $inputContents -VSDropsPrefix $vsdropsChangeDetectionPrefix
+      } catch {
+        $converted = $inputContents + "`n`nUnable to convert markdown: $_`n`n"
+      }
+      $githubComments = New-GitHubCommentsObjectFromUrl -Url "$(Build.Repository.Uri)" -Token $Env:GITHUB_TOKEN -Hash $Env:COMMENT_HASH
+      $result = $githubComments.NewCommentFromMessage("", "", $converted)
+    displayName: 'Publish GitHub comment for change detection'
+    timeoutInMinutes: 10
+    continueOnError: true  # don't let any failures here stop us
+    condition: always()  # We always want to post something on github
+    env:
+      GITHUB_TOKEN: $(GitHub.Token)
+      ${{ if eq(parameters.repositoryAlias, 'self') }}:
+        COMMENT_HASH: $(GIT_HASH)
+      ${{ else }}:
+        COMMENT_HASH: $(Build.SourceVersion)
diff --git a/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/build.yml b/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/build.yml
index 235a79ae8fca..beda9b0e7c8b 100644
--- a/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/build.yml
+++ b/tools/devops/automation/templates/build/build.yml
@@ -168,6 +168,32 @@ steps:
       xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOS
     displayName: 'Provision simulators'
 
+# downloding mono takes time and has been shown to be problematic when we have network issues. This is why we 
+# are using the cache. Mono does not get bump a lot of times if any (after dotnet)
+
+- bash: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/xamarin-macios/tools/devops/automation/scripts/bash/export-mono-filenames.sh
+  displayName: "Export mono download filenames"
+  workingDirectory: "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/xamarin-macios"
+  timeoutInMinutes: 5
+
+- task: Cache@2
+  displayName: 'Cache iOS Mono download'
+  inputs:
+    key: "$(MONO_IOS_FILENAME)"
+    path: "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/xamarin-macios/builds/downloads/$(MONO_IOS_FILENAME)"
+
+- task: Cache@2
+  displayName: 'Cache macOS Mono download'
+  inputs:
+    key: "$(MONO_MAC_FILENAME)"
+    path: "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/xamarin-macios/builds/downloads/$(MONO_MAC_FILENAME)"
+
+- task: Cache@2
+  displayName: 'Cache MacCatalsyt Mono download'
+  inputs:
+    key: "$(MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME)"
+    path: "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/xamarin-macios/builds/downloads/$(MONO_MACCATALYST_FILENAME)"
+
 # Actual build of the project
 - bash: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/xamarin-macios/tools/devops/automation/scripts/bash/build-macios.sh
   name: build
diff --git a/tools/devops/automation/templates/tests/build.yml b/tools/devops/automation/templates/tests/build.yml
index c8f8ea80772a..87480545725f 100644
--- a/tools/devops/automation/templates/tests/build.yml
+++ b/tools/devops/automation/templates/tests/build.yml
@@ -145,45 +145,81 @@ steps:
     AUTH_TOKEN_VSENG_XAMARIN_MAC_DEVICES_P12: ${{ parameters.xqaCertPass }}
     AUTH_TOKEN_VSENG_XAMARIN_MAC_DEVICES_2_P12: ${{ parameters.xqaCertPass }}
 
+# this could be a template, which would make everything a lot simpler BUT alas we found a bug in Azure Devops (bugs++). 
+# if we use a template here azure devops will throw an exception due to a foreign key constraint error in their PK_Task_tbl_PlanContext.
+# The simplest way to workaround their bad code is to remove the template and that way there wont be a task issue. I suspect that
+# the problem resides in the fact that this is a template within a template within a matrix. 
 - bash: |
     sudo rm -Rf $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts
   displayName: "Remove artifacts"
   condition: always()
 
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: Download PkgsVersions.json
-  inputs:
-    allowFailedBuilds: true
-    patterns: '**/PkgsVersions.json'
-    path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts
-
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: Download WorkloadRollback.json
-  inputs:
-    allowFailedBuilds: true
-    patterns: '**/WorkloadRollback.json'
-    path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts
-
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: Download packages 
-  inputs:
-    allowFailedBuilds: true
-    artifactName: not-signed-package
-    path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts/not-signed-package
-
-- task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
-  displayName: Download test libraries
-  inputs:
-    allowFailedBuilds: true
-    artifactName: package-test-libraries
-    path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts/package-test-libraries
-
+# use a diff step depending if we have been trigger by a pipeline of by a PR/Commit
+- ${{ if or(contains(variables['Build.Reason'], 'ResourceTrigger'), contains(variables['Build.Reason'], 'BuildCompletion')) }}:
+  - download: macios
+    displayName: Download PkgsVersions.json
+    artifact: PkgsVersions
+
+  - download: macios
+    displayName: Download WorkloadRollback.json
+    artifact: WorkloadRollback
+
+  - download: macios
+    displayName: Download packages
+    artifact: not-signed-package
+
+  - download: macios
+    displayName: Download test libraries
+    artifact: package-test-libraries
+
+  - pwsh: |
+      Get-ChildItem -Path "$(Pipeline.Workspace)/macios" -Recurse -Force
+    displayName: 'Display downloads'
+    timeoutInMinutes: 5
+
+  # the default location when downloading is $(Pipeline.Workspace)/<pipeline resource identifier>/<artifact name>
+  - bash: |
+      source="$PIPELINE_WORKSPACE/macios"
+      destination="$BUILD_SOURCESDIRECTORY/artifacts"
+      # move all the files from the source to the destination
+      mv -fv "$source" "$destination"
+    displayName: Move artifacts to the expected location
+
+- ${{ else }}:
+  - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+    displayName: Download PkgsVersions.json
+    inputs:
+      allowFailedBuilds: true
+      patterns: '**/PkgsVersions.json'
+      path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts
+
+  - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+    displayName: Download WorkloadRollback.json
+    inputs:
+      allowFailedBuilds: true
+      patterns: '**/WorkloadRollback.json'
+      path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts
+
+  - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+    displayName: Download packages
+    inputs:
+      allowFailedBuilds: true
+      artifactName: not-signed-package
+      path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts/not-signed-package
+
+  - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
+    displayName: Download test libraries
+    inputs:
+      allowFailedBuilds: true
+      artifactName: package-test-libraries
+      path: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts/package-test-libraries
+
+# print the downloads to make our life easier on debug
 - pwsh: |
     Get-ChildItem -Path $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts -Recurse -Force
   displayName: 'Display downloads'
   timeoutInMinutes: 5
 
-
 - pwsh: |
     $dir = "$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/artifacts"
     $versionsPath = "$dir/${{ parameters.uploadPrefix }}PkgsVersions/PkgsVersions.json"