diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/pwsh/Start-Build-Deploy-Solution.ps1 b/.github/workflows/scripts/pwsh/Start-Build-Deploy-Solution.ps1
index eb5c8078..c39505d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/scripts/pwsh/Start-Build-Deploy-Solution.ps1
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/pwsh/Start-Build-Deploy-Solution.ps1
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
-function Start-Build-Deploy-Solution ($files, $githubRef, $prHeadRef, $githubSha, $prHeadSha, $environment) {
+function Start-Build-Deploy-Solution ($files, $githubRef, $prHeadRef, $githubSha, $prHeadSha, $environment) { 
+    if ($files.Contains("for-test-automation.txt")){
+        echo "contains changes to a for-test-automation.txt file"
+        echo "skipping build-deploy-solution"
+        return
+    }
+
     $filesArray = $files -split ','
 
     $solutionDirectoriesArray = [System.Collections.ArrayList]::new()
 
-    foreach ($file in $filesArray) {         
+    foreach ($file in $filesArray) {
         if ($file.StartsWith("src/") -And $file.Contains("SolutionPackage")) {
             $solutionDirectory = "{0}/{1}/{2}" -f $file.Split('/')
             $solutionDirectoriesArray.Add($solutionDirectory)
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests/e2e.ps1 b/.github/workflows/tests/e2e.ps1
index 65be809e..0b35c229 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests/e2e.ps1
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests/e2e.ps1
@@ -1,22 +1,19 @@
 function e2e ($branchToTest, $solutionName, $environmentUrl, $sourceBranch, $branchToCreate, $commitMessage) {
-    $jsonTemplate = '
-    {
-        "solution_name":"$solutionName", 
-        "environment_url":"$environmentUrl",
-        "source_branch":"$sourceBranch",
-        "branch_to_create":"$branchToCreate",
-        "commit_message":"$commitMessage",
-        "force_file_change":"true"
-    }'
-    $json = $ExecutionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($jsonTemplate)
     $workflowFile = "export-unpack-commit-solution.yml"
 
     # run export-unpack-commit-solution.yml worklow 
-    echo $json | gh workflow run $workflowFile --ref $branchToTest --json
-    WaitForWorkflowToComplete $workflowFile $branchToTest 5
+    gh workflow run $workflowFile --ref $branchToTest `
+    -f solution_name=$solutionName `
+    -f environment_url=$environmentUrl `
+    -f source_branch=$sourceBranch `
+    -f branch_to_create=$branchToCreate `
+    -f commit_message=$commitMessage `
+    -f force_file_change=true 
+    
+     WaitForWorkflowToComplete $workflowFile $branchToTest 5
 
     # create a pr from branch with unpacked solution
-    $title = "[automated-test] testing workflow changes in $branchToTest branch"
+    $title = "[wf-e2e-test] testing workflow changes in $branchToTest branch"
     gh pr create --base $sourceBranch --head $branchToCreate --title $title --body $title
 
     # wait for the pr workflow to run
@@ -32,7 +29,7 @@ function e2e ($branchToTest, $solutionName, $environmentUrl, $sourceBranch, $bra
     # deploy tagged solution    
     $dateFormat = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd"
     $tagFilter = "*$dateFormat*"
-    git fetch
+    git fetch --all --tags
     $tags = git tag --list $tagFilter
     $latestTag = $tags[-1]
     $workflowFile = "deploy-tagged-solution-to-environment.yml"
@@ -60,7 +57,7 @@ function WaitForWorkflowToComplete ($workflowFile, $headBranch, $sleepSeconds) {
     $workflowRunsJson = gh run list --workflow $workflowFile --json databaseId,headBranch,status
     $workflowRunsArray = ConvertFrom-Json $workflowRunsJson
     $testRun = $workflowRunsArray.Where({$_.headBranch -eq $headBranch -and $_.status -in "in_progress","queued"})[0]
-    gh run watch $testRun.databaseId
+    gh run watch $testRun.databaseId --interval 30
     $status = gh run view $testRun.databaseId --exit-status
     $hasExitCode1 = ($status -join '').Contains('exit code 1') 
     if ($hasExitCode1) {
diff --git a/.github/workflows/workflows-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/workflows-pr.yml
index c29f9d8f..4397f7a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/workflows-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/workflows-pr.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ env:
 
 jobs: 
   workflows-pr:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: windows-latest
     environment: marcsc-alm-demo-dev
 
     steps:
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@ jobs:
           # Workflows cannot be dispatched with the standard GITHUB_TOKEN, so we use a token that can
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.WORKFLOW_DISPATCH_TOKEN }}
         run: |
+          # runner doesn't have 2.4.0 yet, so forcing
+          choco upgrade gh
+          
           . ${{ env.workflow_tests_script_path }}/e2e.ps1
 
           $prHeadRef = '${{ github.event.pull_request.head.ref }}'.Replace('refs/heads/','')
-          $branchToCreate = 'automated-test-' + $prHeadRef
+          $branchToCreate = 'wf-e2e-test-' + $prHeadRef
 
           $params = @{
               branchToTest = $prHeadRef