diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 886f4c304fc3..6a37cbcdf6d0 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -551,11 +551,11 @@ steps-lint: &steps-lint
           chromium_revision="$(grep -A1 chromium_version src/electron/DEPS | tr -d '\n' | cut -d\' -f4)"
           gn_version="$(curl -sL "https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/${chromium_revision}/DEPS?format=TEXT" | base64 -d | grep gn_version | head -n1 | cut -d\' -f4)"
 
-          cipd ensure -ensure-file - -root . <<-CIPD
-          \$ServiceURL https://chrome-infra-packages.appspot.com/
-          @Subdir src/buildtools/linux64
-          gn/gn/linux-amd64 $gn_version
-          CIPD
+          echo \$ServiceURL https://chrome-infra-packages.appspot.com/ > c
+          echo @Subdir src/buildtools/linux64 >> c
+          echo gn/gn/linux-amd64 $gn_version >> c
+          cipd ensure -ensure-file - -root . < c
+          rm -f c
 
           echo 'export CHROMIUM_BUILDTOOLS_PATH="'"$PWD"'/src/buildtools"' >> $BASH_ENV
     - run:
@@ -735,6 +735,13 @@ steps-electron-build-for-tests: &steps-electron-build-for-tests
     - *step-ffmpeg-build
     - *step-ffmpeg-store
 
+    # chromedriver
+    - *step-electron-chromedriver-build
+    - *step-electron-chromedriver-store
+
+    # typescript defs
+    - *step-maybe-generate-typescript-defs
+
     # Save all data needed for a further tests run.
     - *step-persist-data-for-tests
 
@@ -920,7 +927,14 @@ chromium-upgrade-branches: &chromium-upgrade-branches
   /chromium\-upgrade\/[0-9]+/
 
 # List of all jobs.
-version: 2
+version: 2.1
+parameters:
+  run_release_builds:
+    type: boolean
+    default: false
+  run_ci:
+    type: boolean
+    default: true
 jobs:
   # Layer 0: Lint. Standalone.
   lint:
@@ -1536,10 +1550,37 @@ jobs:
 workflows:
   version: 2
   lint:
+    when: << pipeline.parameters.run_ci >>
     jobs:
       - lint
 
+  # Runs builds in release mode, does not actually release anything
+  release-builds:
+    when: << pipeline.parameters.run_release_builds >>
+    jobs:
+      - linux-checkout
+      - mac-checkout
+      - linux-ia32-release:
+          requires:
+            - linux-checkout
+      - linux-x64-release:
+          requires:
+            - linux-checkout
+      - linux-arm-release:
+          requires:
+            - linux-checkout
+      - linux-arm64-release:
+          requires:
+            - linux-checkout
+      - osx-release:
+          requires:
+            - mac-checkout
+      - mas-release:
+          requires:
+            - mac-checkout
+
   build-linux:
+    when: << pipeline.parameters.run_ci >>
     jobs:
       - linux-checkout
 
@@ -1599,6 +1640,7 @@ workflows:
             - linux-checkout
 
   build-mac:
+    when: << pipeline.parameters.run_ci >>
     jobs:
       - mac-checkout
       - osx-testing: