diff --git a/build-system/scripts/create_ecr_manifest b/build-system/scripts/create_ecr_manifest
index 44d887a190f..2e9fad6ae68 100755
--- a/build-system/scripts/create_ecr_manifest
+++ b/build-system/scripts/create_ecr_manifest
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ for A in $ARCH_LIST
 do
   ARCH_IMAGE=$IMAGE_URI-$A
   echo "Adding image $ARCH_IMAGE to manifest list."
-  docker manifest create $IMAGE_URI --amend $ARCH_IMAGE
+  retry docker manifest create $IMAGE_URI --amend $ARCH_IMAGE
 done
 IFS=$OLD_IFS
 unset OLD_IFS
 
-docker manifest push --purge $IMAGE_URI
+retry docker manifest push --purge $IMAGE_URI
diff --git a/build-system/scripts/remote_run_script b/build-system/scripts/remote_run_script
index 8aa4e0ea64f..e9ef84d723d 100755
--- a/build-system/scripts/remote_run_script
+++ b/build-system/scripts/remote_run_script
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ shift
 SSH_CONFIG_PATH=${SSH_CONFIG_PATH:-$BUILD_SYSTEM_PATH/remote/ssh_config}
 
 # Copy the runner script to spot instance. This is what we actually run.
+echo "Copying ./remote_runner to $IP..."
 scp -rF $SSH_CONFIG_PATH $BUILD_SYSTEM_PATH/scripts/remote_runner $IP:.
 
 # Run script on remote instance, passing environment variables.
diff --git a/build-system/scripts/request_spot b/build-system/scripts/request_spot
index 40d7d9a585a..9e35b9b769a 100755
--- a/build-system/scripts/request_spot
+++ b/build-system/scripts/request_spot
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ INSTANCE_TYPE_SUFFIX=${cpu_map[$CPUS]}
 
 # Check if INSTANCE_TYPE_SUFFIX is set, if not, the CPU count is not recognized.
 if [ -z "$INSTANCE_TYPE_SUFFIX" ]; then
-  echo "Unrecognized CPU count: $CPUS"
+  >&2 echo "Unrecognized CPU count: $CPUS"
   exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ done
 
 # Wait till ssh port is open.
 >&2 echo "Waiting for SSH at $IP..."
-while ! nc -z $IP 22; do sleep 1; done;
-
-echo $IP
+for I in {1..60}; do
+  if nc -z $IP 22; then
+    echo $IP
+    exit 0
+  fi
+  sleep 1
+done
+exit 1
diff --git a/build-system/scripts/retry b/build-system/scripts/retry
index 88cbeb6789e..0489aa226fd 100755
--- a/build-system/scripts/retry
+++ b/build-system/scripts/retry
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@ ATTEMPTS=3
 for i in $(seq 1 $ATTEMPTS); do
     "$@" && exit || sleep 10
 done
-echo "$@ failed after $ATTEMPTS attempts"
+>&2 echo "$@ failed after $ATTEMPTS attempts"
 exit 1
diff --git a/build-system/scripts/spot_run_script b/build-system/scripts/spot_run_script
index d8cd288070a..69707de660f 100755
--- a/build-system/scripts/spot_run_script
+++ b/build-system/scripts/spot_run_script
@@ -12,26 +12,31 @@ CONTENT_HASH=$1
 CPUS=$2
 shift 2
 
-# On any sort of exit (error or not), kill spot request so it doesn't count against quota.
+# On any sort of exit (error or not).
 function on_exit {
+    set +e
+
+    if [ -n "$IP" ]; then
+        echo "Terminating spot instance..."
+        ssh -F $SSH_CONFIG_PATH $IP sudo halt -p > /dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
+    # Kill spot request so it doesn't count against quota.
     if [ -f "sir-$CONTENT_HASH:$JOB_NAME.txt" ]; then
         SIR=$(cat sir-$CONTENT_HASH:$JOB_NAME.txt)
-        echo "Cancelling spot instance request $SIR (silently)"
+        echo "Cancelling spot instance request $SIR..."
         aws ec2 cancel-spot-instance-requests --spot-instance-request-ids $SIR >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     fi
 }
 trap on_exit EXIT
 
 # Get spot instance.
-IP=$(request_spot $CONTENT_HASH:$JOB_NAME $CPUS)
+IP=$(retry request_spot $CONTENT_HASH:$JOB_NAME $CPUS)
 
-# Run script remotely on spot instance, capturing success or failure.
-set +e
-remote_run_script $IP $@
-CODE=$?
-
-# Shutdown spot.
-echo "Terminating spot instance..."
-ssh -F $SSH_CONFIG_PATH $IP sudo halt -p > /dev/null 2>&1
+if [ -z "$IP" ]; then
+    echo "Failed to get spot instance."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
-exit $CODE
+# Run script remotely on spot instance, capturing success or failure.
+remote_run_script $IP $@
\ No newline at end of file