diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/buildAndPackage.yml b/.azure-pipelines/buildAndPackage.yml
index 0092324b9..7b0f89d28 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/buildAndPackage.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/buildAndPackage.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ pr:
 pool:
   vmImage: windows-latest
 
+variables: 
+  DROP_PATH: '$(Agent.BuildDirectory)/Drop'
+
 stages:
 - stage: Build
   jobs:
@@ -57,14 +60,17 @@ stages:
       deploy:
         steps:
         - template: templates/download-artifacts.yml
+          parameters:
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
         - template: templates/install-java.yml
         - template: templates/secure-files.yml
         - template: templates/copy-and-build.yml
           parameters:
             task: 'publishSnapshotPublicationToSonatypeSnapshotRepository'
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
 
 - stage: Maven_Release_And_Github_Release
-  dependsOn: []
+  dependsOn: Build
   condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables['Build.SourceBranch'], 'refs/heads/master'))
   jobs:
   - deployment: Maven_Release
@@ -76,6 +82,8 @@ stages:
       deploy:
         steps:
         - template: templates/download-artifacts.yml
+          parameters:
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
         - template: templates/install-java.yml
         - template: templates/secure-files.yml
           parameters:
@@ -83,6 +91,7 @@ stages:
         - template: templates/copy-and-build.yml
           parameters:
             task: 'publishMavenCentralReleasePublicationToSonatypeRepository'
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
 
   - deployment: Github_Release
     dependsOn: Maven_Release
@@ -94,6 +103,9 @@ stages:
       deploy:
         steps: 
         - template: templates/download-artifacts.yml
+          parameters:
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
         - template: templates/version-and-release.yml
           parameters:
             gitConnection: 'microsoftgraphrelease'
+            directoryPath: $(DROP_PATH)
diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/templates/build/publish-artefacts.yml b/.azure-pipelines/templates/build/publish-artefacts.yml
index fc7f7a4c3..5c67587a8 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/templates/build/publish-artefacts.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/templates/build/publish-artefacts.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 steps:
 - task: CopyFiles@2
+  condition: ne(variables['Build.Reason'], 'PullRequest')
   inputs:
     SourceFolder: '$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)'
     Contents: |
@@ -16,5 +17,6 @@ steps:
     TargetFolder: '$(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)/'
 
 - publish: $(Build.ArtifactStagingDirectory)
+  condition: ne(variables['Build.Reason'], 'PullRequest')
   artifact: Drop
   displayName: Publish Build Artifact  
diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/templates/copy-and-build.yml b/.azure-pipelines/templates/copy-and-build.yml
index 0ae9f5d55..787fe1a6f 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/templates/copy-and-build.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/templates/copy-and-build.yml
@@ -2,18 +2,20 @@ parameters:
 - name: task
   type: string
   default: ''
+- name: directoryPath
+  type: string
 
 steps: 
 - task: CopyFiles@2
   inputs:
     SourceFolder: '$(Agent.TempDirectory)'
     Contents: '**'
-    TargetFolder: '$(Agent.BuildDirectory)/Drop/'
+    TargetFolder: '${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/'
 
 - task: Gradle@2
   inputs:
-    gradleWrapperFile: $(Agent.BuildDirectory)/Drop/gradlew
-    workingDirectory: '$(Agent.BuildDirectory)/Drop/'
+    gradleWrapperFile: ${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/gradlew
+    workingDirectory: '${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/'
     options: '-x jar -x javadoc -x javadocJar -x compileJava -x processResources -x classes -x sourceJar'
     tasks: ${{ parameters.task }}
     publishJUnitResults: true
diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/templates/download-artifacts.yml b/.azure-pipelines/templates/download-artifacts.yml
index dfc62df72..ecd6d7d9e 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/templates/download-artifacts.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/templates/download-artifacts.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
+parameters:
+- name: directoryPath
+  type: string
+
 steps:
   - download: none
   - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
     inputs:
       source: current
       artifact: Drop
-      path: '$(Agent.BuildDirectory)/Drop/'
+      path: '${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/'
       patterns: |
         **
-        *
\ No newline at end of file
+        *
diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/templates/version-and-release.yml b/.azure-pipelines/templates/version-and-release.yml
index 78597aeb9..92eb32359 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/templates/version-and-release.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/templates/version-and-release.yml
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@ parameters:
 - name: gitConnection
   type: string
   default: ''
+- name: directoryPath
+  type: string
 
 steps: 
 - task: PowerShell@2
   inputs:
-    filePath: '$(DROP_PATH)/Scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1'
-    arguments: '-propertiesPath "$(DROP_PATH)/gradle.properties"'
+    filePath: '${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/Scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1'
+    arguments: '-propertiesPath "${{ parameters.directoryPath }}/gradle.properties"'
     pwsh: true
 
 - task: GitHubRelease@1
diff --git a/gradle/dependencies.gradle b/gradle/dependencies.gradle
index 87a956450..1beef4a0f 100644
--- a/gradle/dependencies.gradle
+++ b/gradle/dependencies.gradle
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ dependencies {
     // Use JUnit test framework
     testImplementation 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-api:5.7.2'
     testRuntimeOnly 'org.junit.jupiter:junit-jupiter-engine:5.7.2'
-    testImplementation 'org.mockito:mockito-inline:3.11.2'
+    testImplementation 'org.mockito:mockito-inline:3.12.3'
     
     api 'com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:4.9.1'
 
     implementation 'com.google.guava:guava:30.1.1-jre'
 
-    implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.7'
+    implementation 'com.google.code.gson:gson:2.8.8'
     api 'com.azure:azure-core:1.19.0'
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 3823f7259..e1b3b7f3c 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.google.code.gson</groupId>
             <artifactId>gson</artifactId>
-            <version>2.8.7</version>
+            <version>2.8.8</version>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.google.guava</groupId>
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.mockito</groupId>
             <artifactId>mockito-inline</artifactId>
-            <version>3.11.2</version>
+            <version>3.12.3</version>
             <scope>test</scope>
         </dependency>
     </dependencies>
diff --git a/scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1 b/scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1
index d269bcaa8..088034789 100644
--- a/scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1
+++ b/scripts/getLatestVersion.ps1
@@ -23,11 +23,12 @@ $file = get-item $propertiesPath
 $findVersions = $file | Select-String -Pattern "mavenMajorVersion" -Context 0,2
 $findVersions = $findVersions -split "`r`n"
 
-$majorVersion = $findVersions[0].Substring($findVersions[0].Length-1)
-$minorVersion = $findVersions[1].Substring($findVersions[1].Length-1)
-$patchVersion = $findVersions[2].Substring($findVersions[2].Length-1)
+$versionIndex = $findVersions[0].IndexOf("=")
+$majorVersion = $findVersions[0].Substring($versionIndex+2)
+$minorVersion = $findVersions[1].Substring($versionIndex+2)
+$patchVersion = $findVersions[2].Substring($versionIndex+2)
 $version = "$majorVersion.$minorVersion.$patchVersion"
 
 #Update the VERSION_STRING env variable and inform the user
 Write-Host "##vso[task.setVariable variable=VERSION_STRING]$($version)";
-Write-Host "Updated the VERSION_STRING enviornment variable with the current Gradle.Properties, $version"
\ No newline at end of file
+Write-Host "Updated the VERSION_STRING enviornment variable with the current Gradle.Properties, $version"