diff --git a/.pipelines/build-windows-nuget.yml b/.pipelines/build-windows-nuget.yml
index 1bcd45ccc72..2e1eb637054 100644
--- a/.pipelines/build-windows-nuget.yml
+++ b/.pipelines/build-windows-nuget.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ steps:
 - script: CALL .scripts/package.cmd
   displayName: 'Package artifacts'
   env:
-    Tag: +$(Build.SourceVersion)
+    Tag: -$(Build.SourceVersion)--$(Build.BuildId)
     nugetPath: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)\vowpalwabbit\.nuget\nuget.exe
   failOnStderr: true
 - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
diff --git a/.scripts/package.cmd b/.scripts/package.cmd
index 1168fc1bae4..44456d73c1b 100644
--- a/.scripts/package.cmd
+++ b/.scripts/package.cmd
@@ -9,9 +9,15 @@ CALL %~dp0init.cmd
 
 PUSHD %~dp0..
 
-REM TODO: these should be read from the version props file, or similar
-SET Version=8.6.1
-SET Tag=-INTERNALONLY
+REM TODO: these should be read from the version props file, or similar, with the ability to overload via env
+REM Tracked by https://github.com/VowpalWabbit/vowpal_wabbit/issues/1714
+IF NOT DEFINED Version (
+    SET Version=8.6.1
+)
+
+IF NOT DEFINED Tag (
+    SET Tag=-INTERNALONLY
+)
 
 SET RootRelativeOutputDirX64=%vwRoot%\vowpalwabbit\out\target\
 SET RootRelativeOutputDirAnyCPU=%vwRoot%\vowpalwabbit\out\target\