diff --git a/dist/BlankProject/ProjectSettings/XRSettings.asset b/dist/BlankProject/ProjectSettings/XRSettings.asset
deleted file mode 100644
index 482590c1..00000000
--- a/dist/BlankProject/ProjectSettings/XRSettings.asset
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-{
-    "m_SettingKeys": [
-        "VR Device Disabled",
-        "VR Device User Alert"
-    ],
-    "m_SettingValues": [
-        "False",
-        "False"
-    ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/platforms/mac/entrypoint.sh b/dist/platforms/mac/entrypoint.sh
index 80ec6d09..bea8f36a 100755
--- a/dist/platforms/mac/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/dist/platforms/mac/entrypoint.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ echo ""
 echo "Please note that the exit code is not very descriptive."
 echo "Most likely it will not help you solve the issue."
 echo ""
-echo "To find the reason for failure: please search for errors in the log above."
+echo "To find the reason for failure: please search for errors in the log above and check for annotations in the summary view."
 echo ""
 fi;
 
diff --git a/dist/platforms/mac/steps/activate.sh b/dist/platforms/mac/steps/activate.sh
index 2d3339ef..3f749f04 100755
--- a/dist/platforms/mac/steps/activate.sh
+++ b/dist/platforms/mac/steps/activate.sh
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ echo "Requesting activation"
 # Store the exit code from the verify command
 UNITY_EXIT_CODE=$?
 
-if [ ! -f "/Library/Application Support/Unity/Unity_lic.ulf" ]; then
-    echo "::error ::There was an error while trying to activate the Unity license."
-fi
-
 #
 # Display information about the result
 #
diff --git a/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/activate.sh b/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/activate.sh
index 302ab531..61c649d7 100755
--- a/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/activate.sh
+++ b/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/activate.sh
@@ -4,24 +4,51 @@ if [[ -n "$UNITY_SERIAL" && -n "$UNITY_EMAIL" && -n "$UNITY_PASSWORD" ]]; then
   #
   # SERIAL LICENSE MODE
   #
-  # This will activate unity, using the activating process.
+  # This will activate unity, using the serial activation process.
   #
   echo "Requesting activation"
 
-  # Activate license
-  unity-editor \
-    -logFile /dev/stdout \
-    -quit \
-    -serial "$UNITY_SERIAL" \
-    -username "$UNITY_EMAIL" \
-    -password "$UNITY_PASSWORD" \
-    -projectPath "/BlankProject"
+  # Loop the unity-editor call until the license is activated with exponential backoff and a maximum of 5 retries
+  retry_count=0
 
-  # Store the exit code from the verify command
-  UNITY_EXIT_CODE=$?
+  # Initialize delay to 15 seconds
+  delay=15
 
-  if [ ! -f "~/.local/share/unity3d/Unity/Unity_lic.ulf" ]; then
-    echo "::error ::There was an error while trying to activate the Unity license."
+  # Loop until UNITY_EXIT_CODE is 0 or retry count reaches 5
+  while [[ $retry_count -lt 5 ]]
+  do
+    # Activate license
+    unity-editor \
+      -logFile /dev/stdout \
+      -quit \
+      -serial "$UNITY_SERIAL" \
+      -username "$UNITY_EMAIL" \
+      -password "$UNITY_PASSWORD" \
+      -projectPath "/BlankProject"
+
+    # Store the exit code from the verify command
+    UNITY_EXIT_CODE=$?
+
+    # Check if UNITY_EXIT_CODE is 0
+    if [[ $UNITY_EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]]
+    then
+      echo "Activation successful"
+      break
+    else
+      echo "Activation failed, retrying in $delay seconds..."
+      sleep $delay
+
+      # Increment retry count
+      ((retry_count++))
+
+      # Double the delay for the next iteration
+      delay=$((delay * 2))
+    fi
+  done
+
+  if [[ $retry_count -eq 5 ]]
+  then
+    echo "Activation failed after 5 retries"
   fi
 
 elif [[ -n "$UNITY_LICENSING_SERVER" ]]; then
@@ -50,8 +77,9 @@ else
   echo "Visit https://game.ci/docs/github/getting-started for more"
   echo "details on how to set up one of the possible activation strategies."
 
-  echo "::error ::No valid license activation strategy could be determined."
-  # Immediately exit as no UNITY_EXIT_CODE can be derrived.
+  echo "::error ::No valid license activation strategy could be determined. Make sure to provide UNITY_EMAIL, UNITY_PASSWORD, and either a UNITY_SERIAL \
+or UNITY_LICENSE. Otherwise please use UNITY_LICENSING_SERVER."
+  # Immediately exit as no UNITY_EXIT_CODE can be derived.
   exit 1;
 
 fi
@@ -66,6 +94,7 @@ else
   # Activation failed so exit with the code from the license verification step
   echo "Unclassified error occured while trying to activate license."
   echo "Exit code was: $UNITY_EXIT_CODE"
+  echo "::error ::There was an error while trying to activate the Unity license."
   exit $UNITY_EXIT_CODE
 fi
 
diff --git a/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/runsteps.sh b/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/runsteps.sh
index 62044aa9..e8376051 100644
--- a/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/runsteps.sh
+++ b/dist/platforms/ubuntu/steps/runsteps.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 source /steps/set_extra_git_configs.sh
 source /steps/set_gitcredential.sh
 source /steps/activate.sh
+
+# If we didn't activate successfully, exit with the exit code from the activation step.
+if [[ $UNITY_EXIT_CODE -ne 0 ]]; then
+  exit $UNITY_EXIT_CODE
+fi
+
 source /steps/build.sh
 source /steps/return_license.sh
 
@@ -22,7 +28,7 @@ echo ""
 echo "Please note that the exit code is not very descriptive."
 echo "Most likely it will not help you solve the issue."
 echo ""
-echo "To find the reason for failure: please search for errors in the log above."
+echo "To find the reason for failure: please search for errors in the log above and check for annotations in the summary view."
 echo ""
 fi;
 
diff --git a/dist/platforms/windows/activate.ps1 b/dist/platforms/windows/activate.ps1
index 5e505b46..897ec17e 100644
--- a/dist/platforms/windows/activate.ps1
+++ b/dist/platforms/windows/activate.ps1
@@ -13,7 +13,4 @@ Write-Output ""
                                      -projectPath "c:/BlankProject" `
                                      -logfile - | Out-Host
 
-if(-not(Test-path "C:/ProgramData/Unity/Unity_lic.ulf" -PathType leaf))
-{
-  Write-Output "::error ::There was an error while trying to activate the Unity license."
-}
+$ACTIVATION_EXIT_CODE = $LASTEXITCODE
diff --git a/dist/platforms/windows/entrypoint.ps1 b/dist/platforms/windows/entrypoint.ps1
index 07cbb070..fac75b74 100644
--- a/dist/platforms/windows/entrypoint.ps1
+++ b/dist/platforms/windows/entrypoint.ps1
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 Get-Process
-Start-Sleep -Seconds 3
 
 # Import any necessary registry keys, ie: location of windows 10 sdk
 # No guarantee that there will be any necessary registry keys, ie: tvOS
@@ -17,13 +16,17 @@ Get-Process -Name regsvr32 | ForEach-Object { Stop-Process -Id $_.Id -Force }
 # Activate Unity
 . "c:\steps\activate.ps1"
 
+# If we didn't activate successfully, exit with the exit code from the activation step.
+if ($ACTIVATION_EXIT_CODE -ne 0) {
+    exit $ACTIVATION_EXIT_CODE
+}
+
 # Build the project
 . "c:\steps\build.ps1"
 
 # Free the seat for the activated license
 . "c:\steps\return_license.ps1"
 
-Start-Sleep -Seconds 3
 Get-Process
 
 exit $BUILD_EXIT_CODE