diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yaml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yaml
index 1e08d2cd3b..39bba6637a 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yaml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ steps:
   - label: ":eslint: JS Lint"
     command:
       - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
+      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh --ignore-scripts"
+      - "echo '+++ Lint"
       - "yarn lint:js"
     plugins:
       - docker#v3.0.1:
@@ -10,8 +11,9 @@ steps:
 
   - label: ":eslint: TS Lint"
     command:
-      - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
+      - "echo '--- Install"
+      - "yarn install --ignore-scripts"
+      - "echo '+++ Lint"
       - "yarn lint:ts"
     plugins:
       - docker#v3.0.1:
@@ -19,8 +21,9 @@ steps:
 
   - label: ":eslint: Types Lint"
     command:
-      - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
+      - "echo '--- Install"
+      - "yarn install --ignore-scripts"
+      - "echo '+++ Lint"
       - "yarn lint:types"
     plugins:
       - docker#v3.0.1:
@@ -41,13 +44,10 @@ steps:
       queue: "medium"
     command:
       - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      # TODO: Remove hacky chmod for BuildKite
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/ci/*.sh"
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/*"
-      - "echo '--- Installing Dependencies'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
-      - "echo '--- Running initial build steps'"
-      - "yarn build"
+      # We don't use the babel-ed output for anything so we can --ignore-scripts
+      # to save transpiling the files. We run the transpile step explicitly in
+      # the 'build' job.
+      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh --ignore-scripts"
       - "echo '+++ Running Tests'"
       - "yarn test"
     plugins:
@@ -56,10 +56,8 @@ steps:
 
   - label: "🛠 Build"
     command:
-      - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
-      - "echo '+++ Building Project'"
-      - "yarn build"
+      - "echo '+++ Install & Build'"
+      - "yarn install"
     plugins:
       - docker#v3.0.1:
           image: "node:12"
@@ -70,14 +68,8 @@ steps:
       # e2e tests otherwise take +-8min
       queue: "xlarge"
     command:
-      # TODO: Remove hacky chmod for BuildKite
-      - "echo '--- Setup'"
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/ci/*.sh"
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/*"
       - "echo '--- Install js-sdk'"
-      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh"
-      - "echo '--- Running initial build steps'"
-      - "yarn build"
+      - "./scripts/ci/install-deps.sh --ignore-scripts"
       - "echo '+++ Running Tests'"
       - "./scripts/ci/end-to-end-tests.sh"
     plugins:
@@ -96,9 +88,6 @@ steps:
       # webpack loves to gorge itself on resources.
       queue: "medium"
     command:
-      # TODO: Remove hacky chmod for BuildKite
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/ci/*.sh"
-      - "chmod +x ./scripts/*"
       - "echo '+++ Running Tests'"
       - "./scripts/ci/riot-unit-tests.sh"
     plugins:
@@ -110,7 +99,7 @@ steps:
   - label: "🌐 i18n"
     command:
       - "echo '--- Fetching Dependencies'"
-      - "yarn install"
+      - "yarn install --ignore-scripts"
       - "echo '+++ Testing i18n output'"
       - "yarn diff-i18n"
     plugins:
diff --git a/scripts/ci/install-deps.sh b/scripts/ci/install-deps.sh
index a2e2e59a45..14b5fc5393 100755
--- a/scripts/ci/install-deps.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/install-deps.sh
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ scripts/fetchdep.sh matrix-org matrix-js-sdk
 
 pushd matrix-js-sdk
 yarn link
-yarn install
+yarn install $@
 yarn build
 popd
 
 yarn link matrix-js-sdk
-yarn install
+yarn install $@