diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
index 13b56bd0733..0a98ed73174 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
@@ -31,16 +31,14 @@ stages:
     jobs:
       - job: Compile
         pool:
-          vmImage: "Ubuntu-18.04"
-        container: vscode-x64
+          vmImage: "Ubuntu-20.04"
         variables:
           VSCODE_ARCH: x64
         steps:
           - template: product-compile.yml
       - job: Hygiene
         pool:
-          vmImage: "Ubuntu-18.04"
-        container: vscode-x64
+          vmImage: "Ubuntu-20.04"
         variables:
           VSCODE_ARCH: x64
         steps:
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
index 749d9b67215..d5b1e556238 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 steps:
   - task: NodeTool@0
     inputs:
-      versionSpec: "12.18.3"
-
-  - task: geeklearningio.gl-vsts-tasks-yarn.yarn-installer-task.YarnInstaller@2
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: "1.x"
+      versionSpec: "12.x"
 
   - task: AzureKeyVault@1
     displayName: "Azure Key Vault: Get Secrets"
@@ -41,9 +37,10 @@ steps:
       node build/azure-pipelines/common/computeNodeModulesCacheKey.js $VSCODE_ARCH $ENABLE_TERRAPIN > .build/yarnlockhash
     displayName: Prepare yarn cache flags
 
+  # using `genericNodeModules` instead of `nodeModules` here to avoid sharing the cache with builds running inside containers
   - task: Cache@2
     inputs:
-      key: 'nodeModules | $(Agent.OS) | .build/yarnlockhash'
+      key: 'genericNodeModules | $(Agent.OS) | .build/yarnlockhash'
       path: .build/node_modules_cache
       cacheHitVar: NODE_MODULES_RESTORED
     displayName: Cache node_modules archive
@@ -56,19 +53,6 @@ steps:
 
   - script: |
       set -e
-      export npm_config_arch=$(NPM_ARCH)
-
-      if [ -z "$CC" ] || [ -z "$CXX" ]; then
-        export CC=$(which gcc-5)
-        export CXX=$(which g++-5)
-      fi
-
-      if [ "$VSCODE_ARCH" == "x64" ]; then
-        export VSCODE_REMOTE_CC=$(which gcc-4.8)
-        export VSCODE_REMOTE_CXX=$(which g++-4.8)
-        export VSCODE_REMOTE_NODE_GYP=$(which node-gyp)
-      fi
-
       for i in {1..3}; do # try 3 times, for Terrapin
         yarn --frozen-lockfile && break
         if [ $i -eq 3 ]; then
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-hygiene.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-hygiene.yml
index 40a6b1eeb94..08314c4ae4c 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-hygiene.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-hygiene.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 steps:
   - task: NodeTool@0
     inputs:
-      versionSpec: "12.18.3"
-
-  - task: geeklearningio.gl-vsts-tasks-yarn.yarn-installer-task.YarnInstaller@2
-    inputs:
-      versionSpec: "1.x"
+      versionSpec: "12.x"
 
   - task: AzureKeyVault@1
     displayName: "Azure Key Vault: Get Secrets"
@@ -41,9 +37,10 @@ steps:
       node build/azure-pipelines/common/computeNodeModulesCacheKey.js $VSCODE_ARCH $ENABLE_TERRAPIN > .build/yarnlockhash
     displayName: Prepare yarn cache flags
 
+  # using `genericNodeModules` instead of `nodeModules` here to avoid sharing the cache with builds running inside containers
   - task: Cache@2
     inputs:
-      key: 'nodeModules | $(Agent.OS) | .build/yarnlockhash'
+      key: 'genericNodeModules | $(Agent.OS) | .build/yarnlockhash'
       path: .build/node_modules_cache
       cacheHitVar: NODE_MODULES_RESTORED
     displayName: Cache node_modules archive