diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin-sign.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin-sign.yml
index eba61c52a89..8f6f0f42383 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin-sign.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin-sign.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin.yml
index 5031c05a881..6f4e8661cb2 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/darwin/product-build-darwin.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-alpine.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-alpine.yml
index 9fb5e27cb7f..74577b52a68 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-alpine.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-alpine.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-client.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-client.yml
index 68394ab2786..35aad220604 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-client.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-client.yml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-server.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-server.yml
index fabd6bf5cf6..94145131c37 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-server.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/linux/product-build-linux-server.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
index 39280dcbe98..551228f420b 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-build.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ parameters:
   - name: VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
     displayName: Distro Ref (Private build)
     type: string
-    default: ""
+    default: " "
   - name: VSCODE_QUALITY
     displayName: Quality
     type: string
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ stages:
             steps:
               - template: product-publish.yml
 
-      - ${{ if or(and(parameters.VSCODE_RELEASE, eq(parameters.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, '')), and(in(parameters.VSCODE_QUALITY, 'insider', 'exploration'), eq(variables['VSCODE_SCHEDULEDBUILD'], true))) }}:
+      - ${{ if or(and(parameters.VSCODE_RELEASE, eq(parameters.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' ')), and(in(parameters.VSCODE_QUALITY, 'insider', 'exploration'), eq(variables['VSCODE_SCHEDULEDBUILD'], true))) }}:
           - stage: Release
             dependsOn:
               - Publish
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
index eddcce3eebf..7722c3e069c 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-compile.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/product-publish.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/product-publish.yml
index 87ee73a3a27..4d711aba120 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/product-publish.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/product-publish.yml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/sdl-scan.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/sdl-scan.yml
index fb21f2ba863..e175779f850 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/sdl-scan.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/sdl-scan.yml
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ stages:
 
               exec { git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $(VSCODE_DISTRO_REF) }
               exec { git checkout FETCH_HEAD }
-            condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+            condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
             displayName: Checkout override commit
 
           - powershell: |
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ stages:
               git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
               echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
               git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-            condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+            condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
             displayName: Checkout override commit
 
           - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/web/product-build-web.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/web/product-build-web.yml
index be47dc73761..fa07a82305d 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/web/product-build-web.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/web/product-build-web.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ steps:
       git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $VSCODE_DISTRO_REF
       echo "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       git checkout FETCH_HEAD
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - script: |
diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines/win32/product-build-win32.yml b/build/azure-pipelines/win32/product-build-win32.yml
index 701aba4e1c6..001ce407218 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines/win32/product-build-win32.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines/win32/product-build-win32.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ steps:
       exec { git fetch https://github.com/$(VSCODE_MIXIN_REPO).git $(VSCODE_DISTRO_REF) }
       Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VSCODE_DISTRO_COMMIT;]$(git rev-parse FETCH_HEAD)"
       exec { git checkout FETCH_HEAD }
-    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ''))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), ne(variables.VSCODE_DISTRO_REF, ' '))
     displayName: Checkout override commit
 
   - powershell: |