diff --git a/build.cmd b/build.cmd
index 3eadedcf45a..75dc52cafcc 100755
--- a/build.cmd
+++ b/build.cmd
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ set DOTNET_NOLOGO=true
 
 @REM Sets the output of GetMSBuildPath.ps1 to the MSBuildPath environment variable.
 @REM https://stackoverflow.com/a/3417728/294804
-FOR /F "usebackq delims=" %%v IN (`powershell -NonInteractive -NoLogo -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -File "%~dp0eng\scripts\GetMSBuildPath.ps1"`) DO set "MSBuildPath=%%~v"
+FOR /F "usebackq delims=" %%v IN (`powershell -NonInteractive -NoLogo -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -File "%~dp0eng\scripts\GetMSBuildPath.ps1" %VisualStudioMinimumVersion%`) DO set "MSBuildPath=%%~v"
 
 if not defined MSBuildPath (
     echo Visual Studio must be installed to allow building via MSBuild.
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/official.yml b/eng/pipelines/official.yml
index 37be3c3680a..e56b1dc1296 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/official.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/official.yml
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ parameters:
 - name: VisualStudioMinimumVersion
   displayName: Visual Studio Minimum Version
   type: string
-  default: '18'
+  default: '17'
 
 ###################################################################################################################################################################
 # STAGES
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/pull-request.yml b/eng/pipelines/pull-request.yml
index d6c01746a7e..72d22ddbb0f 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/pull-request.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/pull-request.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ variables:
   # Opt out of automatically injecting Codesign Validation into the pipeline.
   # See: https://aka.ms/gdn-injection
   runCodesignValidationInjection: false
+  # Set the minimum visual studio version. This overrides the version in version.json for the build toolset.
+  MinVisualStudioVersion: '17.0'
 
 ###################################################################################################################################################################
 # STAGES
@@ -49,7 +51,9 @@ stages:
     parameters:
       BuildConfiguration: Debug
       ArtifactName: '$(Build.BuildNumber)-Debug'
+      VisualStudioMinimumVersion: $(MinVisualStudioVersion)
   - template: templates/build-pull-request.yml
     parameters:
       BuildConfiguration: Release
       ArtifactName: '$(Build.BuildNumber)'
+      VisualStudioMinimumVersion: $(MinVisualStudioVersion)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/build-official-release.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/build-official-release.yml
index 5b533112bd5..e8d11927481 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/build-official-release.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/build-official-release.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ jobs:
   displayName: Build Official Release
   # We make this timeout more than double the normal amount of build time as signing has a highly variable amount of time to complete.
   timeoutInMinutes: 90 # API Scan can take a long time and fail the build
+  variables:
+    VisualStudioMinimumVersion: ${{ parameters.VisualStudioMinimumVersion }}  
   templateContext:
     mb:
       signing:
@@ -90,7 +92,6 @@ jobs:
         allowPackageConflicts: true
         nuGetFeedType: external
         
-
   steps:
 
   ###################################################################################################################################################################
@@ -139,6 +140,13 @@ jobs:
     inputs:
       forceReinstallCredentialProvider: true
 
+  # Sets the VisualStudioMinimumVersion variable for the job. This variable is also used by the APIScan job.
+  # https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/process/set-variables-scripts?view=azure-devops&tabs=powershell#set-variable-properties
+  - powershell: Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VisualStudioMinimumVersion;isoutput=true]$(VisualStudioMinimumVersion)"
+    displayName: Set VisualStudioMinimumVersion Variable
+    # Name is required to reference the variables created within this build step in other stages.
+    name: SetVisualStudioMinimumVersionVariable
+
   # Runs the full build of the projects in the repository. See Build.proj for details.
   - script: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/build.cmd /v:normal /p:Configuration=$(BuildConfiguration) /p:CIBuild=true
     displayName: Build All Projects
@@ -172,13 +180,6 @@ jobs:
   - task: MicroBuildSwixPlugin@4
     displayName: Install Swix Plugin
 
-  # Sets the VisualStudioMinimumVersion variable for the job. This variable is also used by the APIScan job.
-  # https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/process/set-variables-scripts?view=azure-devops&tabs=powershell#set-variable-properties
-  - powershell: Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VisualStudioMinimumVersion;isoutput=true]$(. '$(Build.SourcesDirectory)/eng/scripts/GetVisualStudioMinimumVersion.ps1')"
-    displayName: Set VisualStudioMinimumVersion Variable
-    # Name is required to reference the variables created within this build step in other stages.
-    name: SetVisualStudioMinimumVersionVariable
-
   # Creates the VS bootstrapper information based on the build's .vsman file.
   # This bootstrapper information is only used for OptProf currently.
   # Since this data will be output with rest of our insertion files, we produce this data now and publish it in the build artifacts.
diff --git a/eng/pipelines/templates/build-pull-request.yml b/eng/pipelines/templates/build-pull-request.yml
index d80022ffe9e..539b0e35e04 100644
--- a/eng/pipelines/templates/build-pull-request.yml
+++ b/eng/pipelines/templates/build-pull-request.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ jobs:
   variables:
     BuildConfiguration: ${{ parameters.BuildConfiguration }}
     ArtifactName: ${{ parameters.ArtifactName }}
+    VisualStudioMinimumVersion: ${{ parameters.VisualStudioMinimumVersion }}
   steps:
 
   ###################################################################################################################################################################
@@ -43,6 +44,13 @@ jobs:
   - task: NuGetAuthenticate@1
     displayName: Authenticate NuGet
 
+  # Sets the VisualStudioMinimumVersion variable for the job.
+  # https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/process/set-variables-scripts?view=azure-devops&tabs=powershell#set-variable-properties
+  - powershell: Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VisualStudioMinimumVersion;isoutput=true]$(VisualStudioMinimumVersion)"
+    displayName: Set VisualStudioMinimumVersion Variable
+    # Name is required to reference the variables created within this build step in other stages.
+    name: SetVisualStudioMinimumVersionVariable
+
   # Runs the full build of the projects in the repository. See Build.proj for details.
   - script:  $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/build.cmd /v:normal /p:Configuration=$(BuildConfiguration) /p:CIBuild=true
     displayName: Build All Projects
diff --git a/version.json b/version.json
index fa448963747..64cba31d2d1 100644
--- a/version.json
+++ b/version.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "$schema": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotnet/Nerdbank.GitVersioning/main/src/NerdBank.GitVersioning/version.schema.json",
-  "version": "17.14",
+  "version": "18.1",
   "cloudBuild": {
     "setAllVariables": true
   }