diff --git a/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines.yaml b/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines.yaml
index fd57e8e59e0..565946113f3 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/azure-pipelines.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ variables:
   value: '& TestCategory != DotNetIgnore & TestCategory != HybridAOT & TestCategory != MkBundle & TestCategory != MonoSymbolicate & TestCategory != PackagesConfig & TestCategory != StaticProject & TestCategory != SystemApplication'
 - name: ExcludedNUnitCategories
   value: '& cat != DotNetIgnore & cat != HybridAOT & cat != MkBundle & cat != MonoSymbolicate & cat != PackagesConfig & cat != StaticProject & cat != SystemApplication'
+- name: DefaultTestSdkPlatforms  # Comma-separated SDK Platform(s) to install on test agents (no spaces)
+  value: 33
 - ${{ if eq(variables['Build.DefinitionName'], 'Xamarin.Android-Private') }}:
   - group: AzureDevOps-Artifact-Feeds-Pats
   - group: DotNet-MSRC-Storage
@@ -312,11 +314,14 @@ stages:
       parameters:
         provisionClassic: false
         provisionatorChannel: ${{ parameters.provisionatorChannel }}
+        installLegacyDotNet: false
+        restoreNUnitConsole: false
+        updateMono: false
 
     - template: yaml-templates/run-xaprepare.yaml
       parameters:
         displayName: install emulator
-        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies
+        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies --android-sdk-platforms="$(DefaultTestSdkPlatforms)"
         
     - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
       inputs:
@@ -345,6 +350,8 @@ stages:
         arguments: -t:PrepareJavaInterop -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -m:1 -v:n
         displayName: prepare java.interop $(XA.Build.Configuration)
         continueOnError: false
+      
+    - template: yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
 
     - template: yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml
       parameters:
@@ -411,15 +418,9 @@ stages:
         testAssembly: $(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/$(DotNetStableTargetFramework)/Xamarin.Android.Tools.Aidl-Tests.dll
         testResultsFile: TestResult-Aidl-Tests-macOS-$(XA.Build.Configuration).xml
 
-    - task: MSBuild@1
-      displayName: shut down emulator
-      inputs:
-        solution: tests/Mono.Android-Tests/Mono.Android-Tests.csproj
-        configuration: $(XA.Build.Configuration)
-        msbuildArguments: >-
-          /t:AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget
-          /bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
-      condition: always()
+    - template: yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
+      parameters:
+        command: stop
 
     - template: yaml-templates/upload-results.yaml
       parameters:
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml
index 354ca060758..20286848482 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/apk-instrumentation.yaml
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ steps:
 - script: >
     DEST="$(Build.StagingDirectory)/Test${{ parameters.configuration }}/${{ parameters.artifactFolder }}/" &&
     mkdir -p "$DEST" &&
-    cp "${{ parameters.artifactSource }}" "$DEST"
+    cp "${{ parameters.artifactSource }}" "$DEST" ||
+    echo "copy apk/aab failed"  # We don't need to report the error
   displayName: copy apk/aab
   condition: ne(variables['Agent.JobStatus'], 'Succeeded')
   continueOnError: true
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/setup-test-environment.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/setup-test-environment.yaml
index a8f9d539cc1..31b17d913e1 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/setup-test-environment.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/setup-test-environment.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ parameters:
   installLegacyDotNet: true
   restoreNUnitConsole: true
   updateMono: true
-  androidSdkPlatforms: 33
+  androidSdkPlatforms: $(DefaultTestSdkPlatforms)
 
 steps:
 - checkout: self
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/stage-msbuild-emulator-tests.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/stage-msbuild-emulator-tests.yaml
index 7482109b42a..0e816409afe 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/stage-msbuild-emulator-tests.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/stage-msbuild-emulator-tests.yaml
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ stages:
     cancelTimeoutInMinutes: 5
     workspace:
       clean: all
-    variables:
-      androidSdkPlatforms: 33
     steps:
     - template: setup-test-environment.yaml
       parameters:
@@ -38,7 +36,7 @@ stages:
     - template: run-xaprepare.yaml
       parameters:
         displayName: install emulator
-        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies --android-sdk-platforms="$(androidSdkPlatforms)"
+        arguments: --s=EmulatorTestDependencies --android-sdk-platforms="$(DefaultTestSdkPlatforms)"
         
     - task: DownloadPipelineArtifact@2
       inputs:
diff --git a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
index 200637f1b51..501fd9f549b 100644
--- a/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
+++ b/build-tools/automation/yaml-templates/start-stop-emulator.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ parameters:
   avdApiLevel:            # Device API level, like '30', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
   avdAbi:                 # Device ABI, like 'x86', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
   avdType:                # Device AVD, like 'android-wear', required if 'specificImage' is 'true'
+  launchTimeoutMin: 15    # Minutes to wait for the emulator to start
 
 steps:
 - ${{ if eq(parameters.command, 'start') }}:
@@ -14,9 +15,9 @@ steps:
     inputs:
       projects: src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/Emulator.csproj
       ${{ if eq(parameters.specificImage, true) }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"InstallAvdImage;AcquireAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/install-emulator-${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}.binlog
+        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"InstallAvdImage;AcquireAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=$(launchTimeoutMin) -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/install-emulator-${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }}.binlog
       ${{ else }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:AcquireAndroidTarget -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:AcquireAndroidTarget -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=$(launchTimeoutMin) -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/start-emulator.binlog
 
 - ${{ if eq(parameters.command, 'stop') }}:
   - task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
@@ -26,6 +27,6 @@ steps:
     inputs:
       projects: src/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tasks/Tests/Xamarin.Android.Build.Tests/Emulator.csproj
       ${{ if eq(parameters.specificImage, true) }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -p:TestDeviceName=${{ parameters.deviceName }} -p:TestAvdApiLevel=${{ parameters.avdApiLevel }} -p:TestAvdAbi=${{ parameters.avdAbi }} -p:TestAvdType=${{ parameters.avdType }} -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=$(launchTimeoutMin) -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
       ${{ else }}:
-        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog
+        arguments: -c $(XA.Build.Configuration) -t:"AcquireAndroidTarget,ReleaseAndroidTarget" -p:AvdLaunchTimeoutMinutes=$(launchTimeoutMin) -bl:$(System.DefaultWorkingDirectory)/bin/Test$(XA.Build.Configuration)/shutdown-emulator.binlog