diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c89ecb7..179afe5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,24 @@
-*.pyc
+# User content belongs under recipe/.
+# Feedstock configuration goes in `conda-forge.yml`
+# Everything else is managed by the conda-smithy rerender process.
+# Please do not modify
+
+# Ignore all files and folders in root
+*
+!/conda-forge.yml
+
+# Don't ignore any files/folders if the parent folder is 'un-ignored'
+# This also avoids warnings when adding an already-checked file with an ignored parent.
+!/**/
+# Don't ignore any files/folders recursively in the following folders
+!/recipe/**
+!/.ci_support/**
 
-build_artifacts
+# Since we ignore files/folders recursively, any folders inside
+# build_artifacts gets ignored which trips some build systems.
+# To avoid that we 'un-ignore' all files/folders recursively
+# and only ignore the root build_artifacts folder.
+!/build_artifacts/**
+/build_artifacts
+
+*.pyc
diff --git a/.scripts/build_steps.sh b/.scripts/build_steps.sh
index eba1dfd..1ec0dd3 100755
--- a/.scripts/build_steps.sh
+++ b/.scripts/build_steps.sh
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ CONDARC
 export CONDA_LIBMAMBA_SOLVER_NO_CHANNELS_FROM_INSTALLED=1
 
 mamba install --update-specs --yes --quiet --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 mamba update --update-specs --yes --quiet --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 
 # set up the condarc
 setup_conda_rc "${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}" "${RECIPE_ROOT}" "${CONFIG_FILE}"
@@ -57,12 +57,6 @@ if [[ -f "${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}/LICENSE.txt" ]]; then
   cp "${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}/LICENSE.txt" "${RECIPE_ROOT}/recipe-scripts-license.txt"
 fi
 
-if [[ "${sha:-}" == "" ]]; then
-  pushd ${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}
-  sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
-  popd
-fi
-
 if [[ "${BUILD_WITH_CONDA_DEBUG:-0}" == 1 ]]; then
     if [[ "x${BUILD_OUTPUT_ID:-}" != "x" ]]; then
         EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS="${EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS:-} --output-id ${BUILD_OUTPUT_ID}"
diff --git a/.scripts/run_docker_build.sh b/.scripts/run_docker_build.sh
index b70ef01..00f377a 100755
--- a/.scripts/run_docker_build.sh
+++ b/.scripts/run_docker_build.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ if [ -z ${FEEDSTOCK_NAME} ]; then
     export FEEDSTOCK_NAME=$(basename ${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT})
 fi
 
+if [[ "${sha:-}" == "" ]]; then
+  pushd "${FEEDSTOCK_ROOT}"
+  sha=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+  popd
+fi
+
 docker info
 
 # In order for the conda-build process in the container to write to the mounted
diff --git a/.scripts/run_osx_build.sh b/.scripts/run_osx_build.sh
index 9259eb9..d29a138 100755
--- a/.scripts/run_osx_build.sh
+++ b/.scripts/run_osx_build.sh
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ export CONDA_SOLVER="libmamba"
 export CONDA_LIBMAMBA_SOLVER_NO_CHANNELS_FROM_INSTALLED=1
 
 mamba install --update-specs --quiet --yes --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 mamba update --update-specs --yes --quiet --channel conda-forge --strict-channel-priority \
-    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4
+    pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1"
 
 
 
diff --git a/.scripts/run_win_build.bat b/.scripts/run_win_build.bat
index 7d2fdd6..a1fd842 100755
--- a/.scripts/run_win_build.bat
+++ b/.scripts/run_win_build.bat
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ set "CONDA_LIBMAMBA_SOLVER_NO_CHANNELS_FROM_INSTALLED=1"
 
 :: Provision the necessary dependencies to build the recipe later
 echo Installing dependencies
-mamba.exe install "python=3.10" pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 -c conda-forge --strict-channel-priority --yes
+mamba.exe install "python=3.10" pip mamba conda-build boa conda-forge-ci-setup=4 "conda-build>=24.1" -c conda-forge --strict-channel-priority --yes
 if !errorlevel! neq 0 exit /b !errorlevel!
 
 :: Set basic configuration
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ if EXIST LICENSE.txt (
     copy LICENSE.txt "recipe\\recipe-scripts-license.txt"
 )
 if NOT [%HOST_PLATFORM%] == [%BUILD_PLATFORM%] (
-    set "EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS=%EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS% --no-test"
+    if [%CROSSCOMPILING_EMULATOR%] == [] (
+        set "EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS=%EXTRA_CB_OPTIONS% --no-test"
+    )
 )
 
 if NOT [%flow_run_id%] == [] (
diff --git a/build-locally.py b/build-locally.py
index 3f4b7a7..e0d408d 100755
--- a/build-locally.py
+++ b/build-locally.py
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ def verify_config(ns):
     elif ns.config.startswith("osx"):
         if "OSX_SDK_DIR" not in os.environ:
             raise RuntimeError(
-                "Need OSX_SDK_DIR env variable set. Run 'export OSX_SDK_DIR=SDKs' "
-                "to download the SDK automatically to 'SDKs/MacOSX<ver>.sdk'. "
+                "Need OSX_SDK_DIR env variable set. Run 'export OSX_SDK_DIR=$PWD/SDKs' "
+                "to download the SDK automatically to '$PWD/SDKs/MacOSX<ver>.sdk'. "
+                "Note: OSX_SDK_DIR must be set to an absolute path. "
                 "Setting this variable implies agreement to the licensing terms of the SDK by Apple."
             )