diff --git a/build/azure-pipelines.yml b/build/azure-pipelines.yml
index 9548c9b8..4c589123 100644
--- a/build/azure-pipelines.yml
+++ b/build/azure-pipelines.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ stages:
         dotNetCoreVersion: $(DOTNET_CORE_SDK)
         checkoutSubmodules: true
         useVersionSuffix: true
+        propsFile: 'firely-validator-api.props'
         packageArtifacts: true
         restoreDependencies: true
         nuGetServiceConnections: GitHubPackageGetFeed
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ stages:
         dotNetCoreVersion: $(DOTNET_CORE_SDK)
         checkoutSubmodules: true
         useVersionSuffix: false
+        propsFile: 'firely-validator-api.props'
         packageArtifacts: true
         restoreDependencies: true
         nuGetServiceConnections: GitHubPackageGetFeed
@@ -73,4 +75,22 @@ stages:
               parameters:
                 artifact: NuGetPackages
                 source: https://nuget.pkg.github.com/FirelyTeam/index.json
-                apiKey: $(GITHUB_PACKAGES_APIKEY)
\ No newline at end of file
+                apiKey: $(GITHUB_PACKAGES_APIKEY)
+
+- stage: deployToNuget
+  dependsOn: deploy_gitHub
+  displayName: Deploy packages to NuGet
+  condition: and(succeeded(), startswith(variables['Build.SourceBranch'], 'refs/tags/v'))
+  jobs:
+  - deployment: NuGet    
+    displayName: Publish to Nuget      
+    environment: NuGet
+    strategy:
+      runOnce:
+        deploy:
+          steps:
+          - template: push-nuget-package.yml@templates
+            parameters:
+              artifact: 'NuGetPackages'
+              source: https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json
+              apiKey: $(NUGET_APIKEY)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/build/templates/build.yml b/build/templates/build.yml
index 9dbceef0..2e0cf8b8 100644
--- a/build/templates/build.yml
+++ b/build/templates/build.yml
@@ -2,13 +2,15 @@
 # File: build.yml
 
 parameters:
-  # Default values
 - name: dotNetCoreVersion
   type: string
   default: '3.1.102' # can also be use with wildcards:  latest minor version of 3. , use '3.x'
 - name: useVersionSuffix
   type: boolean
   default: true
+- name: propsFile # used for versionSuffix, if not empty, the versionSuffix will be read from the props file
+  type: string
+  default: ''
 - name: restoreDependencies
   type: boolean
   default: false
@@ -47,23 +49,75 @@ jobs:
     - checkout: self
       submodules: true
 
+   ## retrieve the version suffix from the props file and set it as a variable
+  - powershell: |
+      [string]$propsFile = '${{ parameters.propsFile }}'
+      [string]$versionSuffix = ''
+      if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($propsFile) -eq $false)
+      {
+        $xml = [xml](get-content $propsFile)      
+        #Get the suffix version 
+        $versionSuffix = $xml.Project.PropertyGroup.VersionSuffix
+        $versionSuffix = $versionSuffix.Trim()      
+      }  
+      Write-Host "Version Suffix: $versionSuffix"
+      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VersionSuffix]$versionSuffix"
+    displayName: 'Retrieve version suffix'
+    
+  - powershell: |    
+      Write-Host "Updating Build Number to Version Suffix"
+      [string]$versionSuffix = '$(VersionSuffix)'
+      if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($versionSuffix)) 
+      {
+        $versionSuffix = $env:BUILD_BUILDNUMBER
+      }
+      else 
+      {
+        $versionSuffix = $versionSuffix + "-" + $env:BUILD_BUILDNUMBER
+      }    
+      Write-Host "Updated version Suffix: $versionSuffix"
+      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VersionSuffix]$versionSuffix"
+    displayName: 'Add buildnumber to version suffix'
+    condition: and(succeeded(), eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'true'))
+
+  - powershell: |    
+      Write-Host "Determining if version suffix should be used"
+      
+      [string]$useVersionSuffix = 'true'
+      [string]$versionSuffix = '$(VersionSuffix)'
+
+      Write-Host "Version Suffix: $versionSuffix"
+
+      if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($versionSuffix)) 
+      {
+        $useVersionSuffix = 'false'
+      }
+      
+      Write-Host "Use Version Suffix: $useVersionSuffix"
+      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=UseVersionSuffix]$useVersionSuffix"
+    displayName: 'Determine version suffix use'
+
   - ${{ if eq(parameters.restoreDependencies, 'true') }}:
     - template: restore.yml@templates
       parameters:
         nuGetServiceConnections: ${{ parameters.nuGetServiceConnections }}
         nuGetSources: ${{ parameters.nuGetSources }}
       
-  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(build.buildNumber) --no-restore /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
-    displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration) with version suffix  and no restore'
-    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'true'), eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'true')))
-    
-  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(build.buildNumber) /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true
-    displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration) with version suffix'
-    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'true'), eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'false')))
+  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(VersionSuffix) --no-restore /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
+    displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration) with no restore'
+    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'true'), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'false')))
 
-  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
+  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(VersionSuffix) /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
     displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration)'
-    condition: and(succeeded(), eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'false'))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'false'), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'false')))
+
+  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(VersionSuffix) --no-restore /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
+    displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration) with version suffix and with no restore'
+    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'true'), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'true')))
+
+  - script: dotnet build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(VersionSuffix) /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true 
+    displayName: 'dotnet build $(buildConfiguration) with version suffix'
+    condition: and(succeeded(), and(eq('${{ parameters.restoreDependencies }}', 'false'), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'true')))
 
   - task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
     displayName: 'dotnet test UnitTests'
@@ -78,11 +132,13 @@ jobs:
     - template: package.yml
       parameters:
         useVersionSuffix: ${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}  
+        versionSuffix: $(VersionSuffix)
   
   - ${{ if eq(parameters.publishArtifacts, 'true') }}:
     - template: publish.yml@templates
       parameters:
         useVersionSuffix: ${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}
+        versionSuffix: $(VersionSuffix)
         publishWebProjects: ${{ parameters.publishWebProjects }}
         zipAfterPublish: ${{ parameters.zipAfterPublish }}
         
diff --git a/build/templates/package.yml b/build/templates/package.yml
index 32372c41..3c44c049 100644
--- a/build/templates/package.yml
+++ b/build/templates/package.yml
@@ -1,16 +1,50 @@
 parameters:
   # Default values
   useVersionSuffix: true
+  versionSuffix: ''
 
 steps:
+  - powershell: |
+      [string] $versionSuffix = '${{ parameters.versionSuffix }}'
+      [string] $addBuildNumber = '${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}'
+      
+      Write-Host "Add Build Number: $addBuildNumber"
+
+      if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($versionSuffix) -and $addBuildNumber -eq 'true') 
+      {
+        $versionSuffix = $env:BUILD_BUILDNUMBER
+      }
+      
+      Write-Host "Version Suffix: $versionSuffix"
+      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=VersionSuffix]$versionSuffix"
+    displayName: 'Retrieve version suffix for packaging'
+
+
+  - powershell: |    
+      Write-Host "Determining if version suffix should be used"
+      
+      [string]$useVersionSuffix = 'true'
+      [string]$versionSuffix = '$(VersionSuffix)'
+
+      Write-Host "Version Suffix: $versionSuffix"
+
+      if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($versionSuffix)) 
+      {
+        $useVersionSuffix = 'false'
+      }
+      
+      Write-Host "Use Version Suffix: $useVersionSuffix"
+      Write-Host "##vso[task.setvariable variable=UseVersionSuffix]$useVersionSuffix"
+    displayName: 'Determine version suffix use for packaging'
+
   # Package nugets
-  - script: dotnet pack --no-build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(build.buildNumber) --output $(Build.artifactStagingDirectory)/packages
+  - script: dotnet pack --no-build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --version-suffix $(VersionSuffix) --output $(Build.artifactStagingDirectory)/packages
     displayName: 'dotnet pack $(buildConfiguration) with version suffix'
-    condition: and(succeeded(), eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'true'))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'true'))
 
   - script: dotnet pack --no-build --configuration $(buildConfiguration) --output $(Build.artifactStagingDirectory)/packages
     displayName: 'dotnet pack $(buildConfiguration)'
-    condition: and(succeeded(), eq('${{ parameters.useVersionSuffix }}', 'false'))
+    condition: and(succeeded(), eq(variables.UseVersionSuffix, 'false'))
 
   - template: codesign-nuget-packages.yml@templates
     parameters: