diff --git a/scripts/windows/ci/install.ps1 b/scripts/windows/ci/install.ps1
index 0b58a341b7..07cccb0c50 100644
--- a/scripts/windows/ci/install.ps1
+++ b/scripts/windows/ci/install.ps1
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ If ($env:PLATFORM -Match '^x86|x64$') {
   $env:PLATFORM = "windows_${env:PLATFORM}"
 }
 
+# Check if we're running in a CI environment
+$isCI = $env:GITHUB_ACTIONS -eq "true"
+
 $dirCheckout = (Get-Item $PSScriptRoot).parent.parent.parent.FullName
 $meteorBat = Join-Path $dirCheckout 'meteor.bat'
 
@@ -15,9 +18,10 @@ Write-Host "Updating submodules recursively..." -ForegroundColor Magenta
 # Appveyor suggests -q flag for 'git submodule...' https://goo.gl/4TFAHm
 & git.exe -C "$dirCheckout" submodule -q update --init --recursive
 
-# If ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-#   throw "Updating submodules failed."
-# }
+# Only throw locally
+If ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0 -and -not $isCI) {
+  throw "Updating submodules failed."
+}
 
 # The `meteor npm install` subcommand should work
 & "$meteorBat" npm install
@@ -25,25 +29,28 @@ If ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
   throw "'meteor npm install' failed."
 }
 
+# Only `meteor --get-ready` get-ready locally to have better control on CI
 # The `meteor --get-ready` command is susceptible to EPERM errors, so
 # we attempt it three times.
-$attempt = 3
-$success = $false
-while ($attempt -gt 0 -and -not $success) {
+If (-not $isCI) {
+  $attempt = 3
+  $success = $false
+  while ($attempt -gt 0 -and -not $success) {
 
-  Write-Host "Running 'meteor --get-ready'..." -ForegroundColor Magenta
-  # By redirecting error to host, we avoid a shocking/false error color,
-  # since --get-ready and --version can print (anything) to STDERR and
-  # PowerShell will interpret that as something being terribly wrong.
-  # & "$meteorBat" --get-ready
+    Write-Host "Running 'meteor --get-ready'..." -ForegroundColor Magenta
+    # By redirecting error to host, we avoid a shocking/false error color,
+    # since --get-ready and --version can print (anything) to STDERR and
+    # PowerShell will interpret that as something being terribly wrong.
+    & "$meteorBat" --get-ready
 
-  If ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
-    $success = $true
-  } else {
-    $attempt--
+    If ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
+      $success = $true
+    } else {
+      $attempt--
+    }
+  }
+
+  If ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+    throw "Running .\meteor --get-ready failed three times."
   }
 }
-
-If ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-  throw "Running .\meteor --get-ready failed three times."
-}