diff --git a/.buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh b/.buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..61fc4ee74
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+if [[ "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" == "${0}" ]]; then
+  echo "This script must be 'source'd (instead of being called directly as an executable) to work properly"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Note: Set the flags separately (instead of via the shebang), because that script will be `source`'d and not run directly
+set -e
+set -u
+
+# The Git command line client is not configured in Buildkite.
+# At the moment, steps that need Git access can configure it on demand using this script.
+# Later on, we should be able to configure it on the agent instead.
+git config --global user.email "mobile+wpmobilebot@automattic.com"
+git config --global user.name "Automattic Release Bot"
+
+echo '--- :robot_face: Use bot for git operations'
+source use-bot-for-git
diff --git a/.buildkite/commands/configure-git-for-release-management.sh b/.buildkite/commands/configure-git-for-release-management.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 6aeae2b3b..000000000
--- a/.buildkite/commands/configure-git-for-release-management.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash -eu
-
-# The Git command line client is not configured in Buildkite.
-# At the moment, steps that need Git access can configure it on deman using this script.
-# Later on, we should be able to configure it on the agent instead.
-add_host_to_ssh_known_hosts github.com
-git config --global user.email "mobile+wpmobilebot@automattic.com"
-git config --global user.name "Automattic Release Bot"
diff --git a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/complete-code-freeze.yml b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/complete-code-freeze.yml
index 4a5990cf1..18be74c0c 100644
--- a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/complete-code-freeze.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/complete-code-freeze.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ steps:
     plugins: [$CI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN]
     command: |
       echo '--- :git: Configure Git for Release Management'
-      .buildkite/commands/configure-git-for-release-management.sh
+      source .buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh
 
       echo '--- :git: Checkout release branch'
       .buildkite/commands/checkout-release-branch.sh
diff --git a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/new-beta-release.yml b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/new-beta-release.yml
index b4c37a32b..49c98df79 100644
--- a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/new-beta-release.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/new-beta-release.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 # yaml-language-server: $schema=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/buildkite/pipeline-schema/main/schema.json
 ---
 
-agents:
-  queue: mac
+# Variables used in this pipeline are defined in `shared-pipeline-vars`, which is `source`'d before calling `buildkite-agent pipeline upload`
 
 # The new beta workflow needs to run on macOS because it uses SwiftGen under the hood.
 #
@@ -11,12 +10,15 @@ agents:
 env:
   IMAGE_ID: $IMAGE_ID
 
+agents:
+  queue: mac
+
 steps:
   - label: New Beta Release
     plugins: [$CI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN]
     command: |
       echo '--- :git: Configure Git for Release Management'
-      .buildkite/commands/configure-git-for-release-management.sh
+      source .buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh
 
       echo '--- :git: Checkout Release Branch'
       .buildkite/commands/checkout-release-branch.sh
diff --git a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/start-code-freeze.yml b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/start-code-freeze.yml
index 49fabdaf4..baa9e6231 100644
--- a/.buildkite/release-pipelines/start-code-freeze.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/release-pipelines/start-code-freeze.yml
@@ -3,15 +3,19 @@
 
 # Variables used in this pipeline are defined in `shared-pipeline-vars`, which is `source`'d before calling `buildkite-agent pipeline upload`
 
+env:
+  IMAGE_ID: $IMAGE_ID
+
+agents:
+  queue: mac
+
 steps:
   - label: Start Code Freeze
     plugins:
       - $CI_TOOLKIT_PLUGIN
-    agents:
-        queue: tumblr-metal
     command: |
-      echo '--- :robot_face: Use bot for Git operations'
-      source use-bot-for-git wpmobilebot
+      echo '--- :git: Configure Git for Release Management'
+      source .buildkite/commands/configure-for-release.sh
 
       echo '--- :ruby: Setup Ruby Tools'
       install_gems
diff --git a/.xcode-version b/.xcode-version
index 232a7fc1a..5cc8594da 100644
--- a/.xcode-version
+++ b/.xcode-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-15.4
+16.1-rc.1