diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c6ab3a3779..88b5ef53cc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -190,4 +190,8 @@ npm run binary-upload -- --platform darwin --version 0.20.0 --zip cypress.zip
 ```
 
 If something goes wrong, see debug messages using `DEBUG=cypress:binary ...` environment
-variable
+variable.
+
+Because we had many problems reliably zipping built binary, for now we need
+to build both Mac and Linux binary from Mac (Linux binary is built using
+a Docker container), then zip it **from Mac**, then upload it.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 260f190a2b..2ab888fea0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
     "all": "node ./scripts/run.js",
     "test": "echo '⚠️ This root monorepo is only for local development and new contributions. There are no tests.'",
     "link": "node ./scripts/link-packages.js",
-    "postinstall": "npm run link && npm run all install && npm run build",
+    "postinstall": "echo 'root postinstall' && npm run link && npm run all install && npm run build",
     "clean-deps": "npm run all clean-deps",
     "docker": "./scripts/run-docker-local.sh",
     "build-linux-binary": "./scripts/build-linux-binary.sh",
diff --git a/scripts/binary/build.coffee b/scripts/binary/build.coffee
index ad4dffe64a..5fb8a45527 100644
--- a/scripts/binary/build.coffee
+++ b/scripts/binary/build.coffee
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 _ = require("lodash")
 fse = require("fs-extra")
+os = require("os")
 del = require("del")
 path = require("path")
 cp = require("child_process")
@@ -44,13 +45,31 @@ smokeTests = {
 # can pass options to better control the build
 # for example
 #   skipClean - do not delete "dist" folder before build
-module.exports = (platform, version, options = {}) ->
+buildCypressApp = (platform, version, options = {}) ->
   distDir = _.partial(meta.distDir, platform)
   buildDir = _.partial(meta.buildDir, platform)
   buildAppDir = _.partial(meta.buildAppDir, platform)
 
   log = _.partialRight(logger, platform)
 
+  canBuildInDocker = ->
+    platform == "linux" && os.platform() == "darwin"
+
+  badPlatformMismatch = ->
+    console.error("⛔️  cannot build #{platform} from #{os.platform()}")
+    console.error("⛔️  should use matching platform to build it")
+    console.error("program arguments")
+    console.error(process.argv)
+
+  checkPlatform = ->
+    log("#checkPlatform")
+    if platform == os.platform() then return
+
+    console.log("trying to build #{platform} from #{os.platform()}")
+    if platform == "linux" && os.platform() == "darwin"
+      console.log("try running ./scripts/build-linux-binary.sh")
+    Promise.reject(new Error("Build platform mismatch"))
+
   cleanupPlatform = ->
     log("#cleanupPlatform")
 
@@ -215,6 +234,7 @@ module.exports = (platform, version, options = {}) ->
           reject new Error("Verifying App via GateKeeper failed")
 
   Promise.resolve()
+  .then(checkPlatform)
   .then(cleanupPlatform)
   .then(buildPackages)
   .then(copyPackages)
@@ -238,3 +258,5 @@ module.exports = (platform, version, options = {}) ->
   .return({
     buildDir: buildDir()
   })
+
+module.exports = buildCypressApp
diff --git a/scripts/binary/util/packages.coffee b/scripts/binary/util/packages.coffee
index a009a943b0..63e279ffbd 100644
--- a/scripts/binary/util/packages.coffee
+++ b/scripts/binary/util/packages.coffee
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ npmRun = (args, cwd) ->
         reject(new Error(msg))
 
 
-runAllBuildJs = _.partial(npmRun, ["run", "all", "build-js"])
+runAllBuildJs = _.partial(npmRun, ["run", "all", "build-js", "--skip-packages", "cli,docs"])
 
 # removes transpiled JS files in the original package folders
-runAllCleanJs = _.partial(npmRun, ["run", "all", "clean-js"])
+runAllCleanJs = _.partial(npmRun, ["run", "all", "clean-js", "--skip-packages", "cli,docs"])
 
 # builds all the packages except for cli and docs
 runAllBuild = _.partial(npmRun,
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ npmInstallAll = (pathToPackages) ->
 
 
   retryNpmInstall = (pkg) ->
-    npmInstall = _.partial(npmRun, ["install", "--production"])
+    npmInstall = _.partial(npmRun, ["install", "--production", "--quiet"])
     npmInstall(pkg)
     .catch {code: "EMFILE"}, ->
       Promise
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ npmInstallAll = (pathToPackages) ->
   ## prunes out all of the devDependencies
   ## from what was copied
   retryGlobbing()
-  .map(retryNpmInstall)
+  .mapSeries(retryNpmInstall)
   .then ->
     console.log("Finished NPM Installing", new Date() - started)
 
diff --git a/scripts/binary/zip.coffee b/scripts/binary/zip.coffee
index 38895754f1..a203cb3693 100644
--- a/scripts/binary/zip.coffee
+++ b/scripts/binary/zip.coffee
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ linuxZip = (src, dest) ->
   )
 
 zippers = {
-  linux: linuxZip
+  linux: macZip
   darwin: macZip
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/build-linux-binary.sh b/scripts/build-linux-binary.sh
index fdad982383..70defc7d3c 100755
--- a/scripts/build-linux-binary.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-linux-binary.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-set e+x
+#!/bin/bash
 
 echo "This script should be run from monorepo's root"
 
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ docker pull $name
 
 echo "Starting Docker image with monorepo volume attached"
 echo "In order to build Cypress Linux binary"
+echo Command npm run binary-build -- "$@"
 
 # for now just run shell in the Docker container
 # and then the user can go through the deploy
@@ -17,9 +18,8 @@ docker run \
   -v $PWD:/home/person/cypress-monorepo \
   -w /home/person/cypress-monorepo \
   -it $name \
-  /bin/bash
-
+  npm run binary-build -- "$@"
 
+# /bin/bash
 # todo: grab / compute the version to build
-# npm run deploy -- --platform linux --version 0.20.0
 
diff --git a/scripts/run-all.js b/scripts/run-all.js
index ae280347f4..c878055538 100644
--- a/scripts/run-all.js
+++ b/scripts/run-all.js
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ const mapTasks = (cmd, packages) => {
       runCommand = `run ${cmd}`
   }
 
+  console.log("filtered packages:", packages.join(", "))
   return packages.map((dir, index) => {
     const packageName = packageNameFromPath(dir)
     return {