diff --git a/packages/now-build-utils/src/debug.ts b/packages/now-build-utils/src/debug.ts
index 9325df73f..ea885c373 100644
--- a/packages/now-build-utils/src/debug.ts
+++ b/packages/now-build-utils/src/debug.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import { getPlatformEnv } from './';
+
 export default function debug(message: string, ...additional: any[]) {
-  if (process.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG) {
+  if (getPlatformEnv('BUILDER_DEBUG')) {
     console.log(message, ...additional);
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/now-build-utils/src/errors.ts b/packages/now-build-utils/src/errors.ts
index 1a5f58769..c096d1a36 100644
--- a/packages/now-build-utils/src/errors.ts
+++ b/packages/now-build-utils/src/errors.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ interface Props {
   message: string;
   /**
    * A unique error code for this particular error.
-   * Should start with the builder name such as `NOW_NODE_`.
+   * Should start with the builder name such as `NODE_`.
    */
   code: string;
   /**
diff --git a/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/node-version.ts b/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/node-version.ts
index 231e4ac82..564d2e56b 100644
--- a/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/node-version.ts
+++ b/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/node-version.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export async function getSupportedNodeVersion(
             engineRange +
             '".';
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_BUILD_UTILS_NODE_VERSION_INVALID',
+        code: 'BUILD_UTILS_NODE_VERSION_INVALID',
         link:
           'https://vercel.com/docs/runtimes#official-runtimes/node-js/node-js-version',
         message: intro + '\n' + pleaseSet,
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export async function getSupportedNodeVersion(
           engineRange +
           '".';
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_BUILD_UTILS_NODE_VERSION_DISCONTINUED',
+      code: 'BUILD_UTILS_NODE_VERSION_DISCONTINUED',
       link:
         'https://vercel.com/docs/runtimes#official-runtimes/node-js/node-js-version',
       message: intro + '\n' + pleaseSet + '\n' + upstreamProvider,
diff --git a/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/run-user-scripts.ts b/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/run-user-scripts.ts
index 69600223f..96a262920 100644
--- a/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/run-user-scripts.ts
+++ b/packages/now-build-utils/src/fs/run-user-scripts.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export function spawnAsync(
         : 'Command';
       reject(
         new NowBuildError({
-          code: `NOW_BUILD_UTILS_SPAWN_${code || signal}`,
+          code: `BUILD_UTILS_SPAWN_${code || signal}`,
           message:
             opts.stdio === 'inherit'
               ? `${cmd} exited with ${code || signal}`
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export function execAsync(
 
           return reject(
             new NowBuildError({
-              code: `NOW_BUILD_UTILS_EXEC_${code || signal}`,
+              code: `BUILD_UTILS_EXEC_${code || signal}`,
               message: `${cmd} exited with ${code || signal}`,
             })
           );
diff --git a/packages/now-build-utils/src/index.ts b/packages/now-build-utils/src/index.ts
index 2e4c58619..8253d3676 100644
--- a/packages/now-build-utils/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/now-build-utils/src/index.ts
@@ -91,3 +91,10 @@ export const isOfficialRuntime = (desired: string, name?: string): boolean => {
       name.startsWith(`@now/${desired}`))
   );
 };
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to support both `VERCEL_` and legacy `NOW_` env vars.
+ */
+export const getPlatformEnv = (name: string): string | undefined => {
+  return process.env[`VERCEL_${name}`] || process.env[`NOW_${name}`];
+};
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/src/commands/dev/dev.ts b/packages/now-cli/src/commands/dev/dev.ts
index 5c23fa72f..d29ea1194 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/src/commands/dev/dev.ts
+++ b/packages/now-cli/src/commands/dev/dev.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export default async function dev(
     return link.exitCode;
   }
 
-  if (link.status === 'not_linked' && !process.env.__NOW_SKIP_DEV_COMMAND) {
+  if (link.status === 'not_linked' && !process.env.__VERCEL_SKIP_DEV_CMD) {
     output.error(
       `Your codebase isn’t linked to a project on Vercel. Run ${getCommandName()} to link it.`
     );
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/builder.ts b/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/builder.ts
index 305031cba..c9c31a6e6 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/builder.ts
+++ b/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/builder.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ async function createBuildProcess(
     PATH,
     ...envConfigs.allEnv,
     NOW_REGION: 'dev1',
+    VERCEL_REGION: 'dev1',
   };
 
   const buildProcess = fork(modulePath, [], {
@@ -379,6 +380,7 @@ export async function executeBuild(
               ...asset.environment,
               ...envConfigs.runEnv,
               NOW_REGION: 'dev1',
+              VERCEL_REGION: 'dev1',
             },
           },
         });
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/server.ts b/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/server.ts
index 092ca0896..0ff57811f 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/server.ts
+++ b/packages/now-cli/src/util/dev/server.ts
@@ -1696,6 +1696,7 @@ export default class DevServer {
       ...process.env,
       ...this.envConfigs.allEnv,
       NOW_REGION: 'dev1',
+      VERCEL_REGION: 'dev1',
       PORT: `${port}`,
     };
 
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/src/util/metrics.ts b/packages/now-cli/src/util/metrics.ts
index 875f9d562..a8804be38 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/src/util/metrics.ts
+++ b/packages/now-cli/src/util/metrics.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import crypto from 'crypto';
 import ua from 'universal-analytics';
 import { platform, release, userInfo } from 'os';
+import { getPlatformEnv } from '@vercel/build-utils';
 
 import userAgent from './ua-browser';
 import { GA_TRACKING_ID } from './constants';
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ const config: any = configFiles.getConfigFilePath();
 
 export const shouldCollectMetrics =
   (config.collectMetrics === undefined || config.collectMetrics === true) &&
-  process.env.NOW_CLI_COLLECT_METRICS !== '0' &&
+  getPlatformEnv('CLI_COLLECT_METRICS') !== '0' &&
   GA_TRACKING_ID;
 
 export const metrics = (): ua.Visitor => {
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/src/util/projects/link.ts b/packages/now-cli/src/util/projects/link.ts
index 5c8e719ec..72a963a82 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/src/util/projects/link.ts
+++ b/packages/now-cli/src/util/projects/link.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { prependEmoji, emoji } from '../emoji';
 import AJV from 'ajv';
 import { isDirectory } from '../config/global-path';
+import { getPlatformEnv } from '@vercel/build-utils';
 
 const readFile = promisify(fs.readFile);
 const writeFile = promisify(fs.writeFile);
@@ -104,7 +105,8 @@ export async function getLinkedProject(
   | { status: 'not_linked'; org: null; project: null }
   | { status: 'error'; exitCode: number }
 > {
-  const { VERCEL_ORG_ID, VERCEL_PROJECT_ID } = getFlags();
+  const VERCEL_ORG_ID = getPlatformEnv('ORG_ID');
+  const VERCEL_PROJECT_ID = getPlatformEnv('PROJECT_ID');
   const shouldUseEnv = Boolean(VERCEL_ORG_ID && VERCEL_PROJECT_ID);
 
   if ((VERCEL_ORG_ID || VERCEL_PROJECT_ID) && !shouldUseEnv) {
@@ -163,20 +165,6 @@ export async function getLinkedProject(
   return { status: 'linked', org, project };
 }
 
-export function getFlags() {
-  let {
-    VERCEL_ORG_ID,
-    VERCEL_PROJECT_ID,
-    NOW_ORG_ID,
-    NOW_PROJECT_ID,
-  } = process.env;
-
-  // Fallback to old NOW env vars if available
-  VERCEL_ORG_ID = VERCEL_ORG_ID || NOW_ORG_ID;
-  VERCEL_PROJECT_ID = VERCEL_PROJECT_ID || NOW_PROJECT_ID;
-  return { VERCEL_ORG_ID, VERCEL_PROJECT_ID };
-}
-
 export async function linkFolderToProject(
   output: Output,
   path: string,
@@ -184,7 +172,8 @@ export async function linkFolderToProject(
   projectName: string,
   orgSlug: string
 ) {
-  const { VERCEL_ORG_ID, VERCEL_PROJECT_ID } = getFlags();
+  const VERCEL_ORG_ID = getPlatformEnv('ORG_ID');
+  const VERCEL_PROJECT_ID = getPlatformEnv('PROJECT_ID');
 
   // if defined, skip linking
   if (VERCEL_ORG_ID || VERCEL_PROJECT_ID) {
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/test/dev/integration.js b/packages/now-cli/test/dev/integration.js
index e54f89835..365d8c946 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/test/dev/integration.js
+++ b/packages/now-cli/test/dev/integration.js
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ async function exec(directory, args = []) {
   return execa(binaryPath, ['dev', directory, ...args], {
     reject: false,
     shell: true,
-    env: { __NOW_SKIP_DEV_COMMAND: 1 },
+    env: { __VERCEL_SKIP_DEV_CMD: 1 },
   });
 }
 
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ async function testFixture(directory, opts = {}, args = []) {
       shell: true,
       stdio: 'pipe',
       ...opts,
-      env: { ...opts.env, __NOW_SKIP_DEV_COMMAND: 1 },
+      env: { ...opts.env, __VERCEL_SKIP_DEV_CMD: 1 },
     }
   );
 
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ function testFixtureStdio(
       let printedOutput = false;
 
       const env = skipDeploy
-        ? { ...process.env, __NOW_SKIP_DEV_COMMAND: 1 }
+        ? { ...process.env, __VERCEL_SKIP_DEV_CMD: 1 }
         : process.env;
       dev = execa(
         binaryPath,
diff --git a/packages/now-cli/test/helpers/prepare.js b/packages/now-cli/test/helpers/prepare.js
index 7c0e5910f..95a6283b5 100644
--- a/packages/now-cli/test/helpers/prepare.js
+++ b/packages/now-cli/test/helpers/prepare.js
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ fs.writeFileSync(
   'index.js',
   fs
     .readFileSync('index.js', 'utf8')
-    .replace('BUILD_ENV_DEBUG', process.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG ? 'on' : 'off'),
+    .replace('BUILD_ENV_DEBUG', process.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG ? 'on' : 'off')
+    .replace('BUILD_ENV_DEBUG', process.env.VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG ? 'on' : 'off'),
 );
       `,
       'index.js': `
diff --git a/packages/now-client/src/utils/index.ts b/packages/now-client/src/utils/index.ts
index d486ea8ff..9a9bd13dc 100644
--- a/packages/now-client/src/utils/index.ts
+++ b/packages/now-client/src/utils/index.ts
@@ -237,9 +237,7 @@ export const prepareFiles = (
 };
 
 export function createDebug(debug?: boolean) {
-  const isDebug = debug || process.env.NOW_CLIENT_DEBUG;
-
-  if (isDebug) {
+  if (debug) {
     return (...logs: string[]) => {
       process.stderr.write(
         [`[now-client-debug] ${new Date().toISOString()}`, ...logs].join(' ') +
diff --git a/packages/now-next/src/index.ts b/packages/now-next/src/index.ts
index 5f3d0c563..7e82cf952 100644
--- a/packages/now-next/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/now-next/src/index.ts
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ export const build = async ({
 
   if (!nextVersion) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_NEXT_NO_VERSION',
+      code: 'NEXT_NO_VERSION',
       message:
         'No Next.js version could be detected in "package.json". Make sure `"next"` is installed in "dependencies" or "devDependencies"',
     });
@@ -443,14 +443,14 @@ export const build = async ({
 
           if (!nextBasePath.startsWith('/')) {
             throw new NowBuildError({
-              code: 'NOW_NEXT_BASEPATH_STARTING_SLASH',
+              code: 'NEXT_BASEPATH_STARTING_SLASH',
               message:
                 'basePath must start with `/`. Please upgrade your `@vercel/next` builder and try again. Contact support if this continues to happen.',
             });
           }
           if (nextBasePath.endsWith('/')) {
             throw new NowBuildError({
-              code: 'NOW_NEXT_BASEPATH_TRAILING_SLASH',
+              code: 'NEXT_BASEPATH_TRAILING_SLASH',
               message:
                 'basePath must not end with `/`. Please upgrade your `@vercel/next` builder and try again. Contact support if this continues to happen.',
             });
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ export const build = async ({
       default: {
         // update MIN_ROUTES_MANIFEST_VERSION in ./utils.ts
         throw new NowBuildError({
-          code: 'NOW_NEXT_VERSION_OUTDATED',
+          code: 'NEXT_VERSION_OUTDATED',
           message:
             'This version of `@vercel/next` does not support the version of Next.js you are trying to deploy.\n' +
             'Please upgrade your `@vercel/next` builder and try again. Contact support if this continues to happen.',
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ export const build = async ({
     const resultingExport = await getExportStatus(entryPath);
     if (!resultingExport) {
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_NEXT_EXPORT_FAILED',
+        code: 'NEXT_EXPORT_FAILED',
         message:
           'Exporting Next.js app failed. Please check your build logs and contact us if this continues.',
       });
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ export const build = async ({
 
     if (resultingExport.success !== true) {
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_NEXT_EXPORT_FAILED',
+        code: 'NEXT_EXPORT_FAILED',
         message: 'Export of Next.js app failed. Please check your build logs.',
       });
     }
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ export const build = async ({
         'BUILD_ID not found in ".next". The "package.json" "build" script did not run "next build"'
       );
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_NEXT_NO_BUILD_ID',
+        code: 'NEXT_NO_BUILD_ID',
         message: 'Missing BUILD_ID',
       });
     }
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ export const build = async ({
       }
 
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_NEXT_NO_SERVERLESS_PAGES',
+        code: 'NEXT_NO_SERVERLESS_PAGES',
         message: 'No serverless pages were built',
         link: 'https://err.sh/zeit/now/now-next-no-serverless-pages-built',
       });
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ export const build = async ({
     ) => {
       if (isBlocking && isFallback) {
         throw new NowBuildError({
-          code: 'NOW_NEXT_ISBLOCKING_ISFALLBACK',
+          code: 'NEXT_ISBLOCKING_ISFALLBACK',
           message: 'invariant: isBlocking and isFallback cannot both be true',
         });
       }
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ export const build = async ({
         if (initialRevalidate === false) {
           // Lazy routes cannot be "snapshotted" in time.
           throw new NowBuildError({
-            code: 'NOW_NEXT_ISLAZY_INITIALREVALIDATE',
+            code: 'NEXT_ISLAZY_INITIALREVALIDATE',
             message: 'invariant isLazy: initialRevalidate !== false',
           });
         }
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ export const build = async ({
       const lambda = lambdas[outputSrcPathPage];
       if (lambda == null) {
         throw new NowBuildError({
-          code: 'NOW_NEXT_MISSING_LAMBDA',
+          code: 'NEXT_MISSING_LAMBDA',
           message: `Unable to find lambda for route: ${routeFileNoExt}`,
         });
       }
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ export const build = async ({
       if (initialRevalidate === false) {
         if (htmlFsRef == null || jsonFsRef == null) {
           throw new NowBuildError({
-            code: 'NOW_NEXT_HTMLFSREF_JSONFSREF',
+            code: 'NEXT_HTMLFSREF_JSONFSREF',
             message: 'invariant: htmlFsRef != null && jsonFsRef != null',
           });
         }
@@ -1189,7 +1189,7 @@ export const build = async ({
     );
     if (typeof lambdas[routeFileNoExt] === undefined) {
       throw new NowBuildError({
-        code: 'NOW_NEXT__UNKNOWN_ROUTE_KEY',
+        code: 'NEXT__UNKNOWN_ROUTE_KEY',
         message: `invariant: unknown lambda ${routeKey} (lookup: ${routeFileNoExt}) | please report this immediately`,
       });
     }
@@ -1328,7 +1328,7 @@ export const prepareCache = async ({
   const nextVersion = getNextVersion(pkg);
   if (!nextVersion)
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_NEXT_VERSION_PARSE_FAILED',
+      code: 'NEXT_VERSION_PARSE_FAILED',
       message: 'Could not parse Next.js version',
     });
   const isLegacy = isLegacyNext(nextVersion);
diff --git a/packages/now-next/src/legacy-launcher.ts b/packages/now-next/src/legacy-launcher.ts
index 88d0c24bf..7089d6d0d 100644
--- a/packages/now-next/src/legacy-launcher.ts
+++ b/packages/now-next/src/legacy-launcher.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import url from 'url';
 import { Bridge } from './now__bridge';
 
 if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) {
-  process.env.NODE_ENV =
-    process.env.NOW_REGION === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
+  const region = process.env.VERCEL_REGION || process.env.NOW_REGION;
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = region === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
 }
 
 const app = next({});
diff --git a/packages/now-next/src/templated-launcher.ts b/packages/now-next/src/templated-launcher.ts
index 50c149d35..18b9c1105 100644
--- a/packages/now-next/src/templated-launcher.ts
+++ b/packages/now-next/src/templated-launcher.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) {
-  process.env.NODE_ENV =
-    process.env.NOW_REGION === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
+  const region = process.env.VERCEL_REGION || process.env.NOW_REGION;
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = region === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
 }
 
 import { Server } from 'http';
diff --git a/packages/now-next/src/utils.ts b/packages/now-next/src/utils.ts
index 451939e0e..079eccc42 100644
--- a/packages/now-next/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/now-next/src/utils.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function validateEntrypoint(entrypoint: string) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
       message:
         'Specified "src" for "@vercel/next" has to be "package.json" or "next.config.js"',
-      code: 'NOW_NEXT_INCORRECT_SRC',
+      code: 'NEXT_INCORRECT_SRC',
     });
   }
 }
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ export async function getRoutesManifest(
     throw new NowBuildError({
       message: `A "routes-manifest.json" couldn't be found. Is the correct output directory configured? This setting does not need to be changed in most cases`,
       link: 'https://err.sh/zeit/now/now-next-routes-manifest',
-      code: 'NOW_NEXT_NO_ROUTES_MANIFEST',
+      code: 'NEXT_NO_ROUTES_MANIFEST',
     });
   }
 
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ export async function getDynamicRoutes(
           message:
             'This version of `@vercel/next` does not support the version of Next.js you are trying to deploy.\n' +
             'Please upgrade your `@vercel/next` builder and try again. Contact support if this continues to happen.',
-          code: 'NOW_NEXT_VERSION_UPGRADE',
+          code: 'NEXT_VERSION_UPGRADE',
         });
       }
     }
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ export async function getDynamicRoutes(
     throw new NowBuildError({
       message:
         'Found usage of dynamic routes but not on a new enough version of Next.js.',
-      code: 'NOW_NEXT_DYNAMIC_ROUTES_OUTDATED',
+      code: 'NEXT_DYNAMIC_ROUTES_OUTDATED',
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/now-node/src/launcher.ts b/packages/now-node/src/launcher.ts
index 3c4816e42..4d9c4dfbf 100644
--- a/packages/now-node/src/launcher.ts
+++ b/packages/now-node/src/launcher.ts
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Server.prototype.listen = function listen() {
 };
 
 if (!process.env.NODE_ENV) {
-  process.env.NODE_ENV =
-    process.env.NOW_REGION === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
+  const region = process.env.VERCEL_REGION || process.env.NOW_REGION;
+  process.env.NODE_ENV = region === 'dev1' ? 'development' : 'production';
 }
 
 try {
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ exports.launcher = bridge.launcher;`;
 
 export function makeAwsLauncher({
   entrypointPath,
-  awsLambdaHandler = ''
+  awsLambdaHandler = '',
 }: LauncherConfiguration): string {
   const funcName = awsLambdaHandler.split('.').pop();
   return `const url = require("url");
diff --git a/packages/now-node/src/typescript.ts b/packages/now-node/src/typescript.ts
index 58b069440..a6d44a5df 100644
--- a/packages/now-node/src/typescript.ts
+++ b/packages/now-node/src/typescript.ts
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ export function register(opts: Options = {}): Register {
 
   function createTSError(diagnostics: ReadonlyArray<_ts.Diagnostic>) {
     const message = formatDiagnostics(diagnostics, diagnosticHost);
-    return new NowBuildError({ code: 'NOW_NODE_TYPESCRIPT_ERROR', message });
+    return new NowBuildError({ code: 'NODE_TYPESCRIPT_ERROR', message });
   }
 
   function reportTSError(
diff --git a/packages/now-ruby/install-ruby.ts b/packages/now-ruby/install-ruby.ts
index 2e97e1094..32b37640e 100644
--- a/packages/now-ruby/install-ruby.ts
+++ b/packages/now-ruby/install-ruby.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function getRubyPath(meta: Meta, gemfileContents: string) {
       });
       if (!found) {
         throw new NowBuildError({
-          code: 'NOW_RUBY_INVALID_VERSION',
+          code: 'RUBY_INVALID_VERSION',
           message: 'Found `Gemfile` with invalid Ruby version: `' + line + '`.',
           link:
             'https://vercel.com/docs/runtimes#official-runtimes/ruby/ruby-version',
diff --git a/packages/now-static-build/src/index.ts b/packages/now-static-build/src/index.ts
index 8e412bc0b..072049925 100644
--- a/packages/now-static-build/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/now-static-build/src/index.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ function validateDistDir(distDir: string) {
 
   if (!exists()) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_STATIC_BUILD_NO_OUT_DIR',
+      code: 'STATIC_BUILD_NO_OUT_DIR',
       message: `No Output Directory named "${distDirName}" found after the Build completed. You can configure the Output Directory in your project settings.`,
       link,
     });
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function validateDistDir(distDir: string) {
 
   if (!isDirectory()) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_STATIC_BUILD_NOT_A_DIR',
+      code: 'STATIC_BUILD_NOT_A_DIR',
       message: `The path specified as Output Directory ("${distDirName}") is not actually a directory.`,
       link,
     });
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ function validateDistDir(distDir: string) {
 
   if (isEmpty()) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_STATIC_BUILD_EMPTY_OUT_DIR',
+      code: 'STATIC_BUILD_EMPTY_OUT_DIR',
       message: `The Output Directory "${distDirName}" is empty.`,
       link,
     });
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ async function fetchBinary(url: string, framework: string, version: string) {
   const res = await fetch(url);
   if (res.status === 404) {
     throw new NowBuildError({
-      code: 'NOW_STATIC_BUILD_BINARY_NOT_FOUND',
+      code: 'STATIC_BUILD_BINARY_NOT_FOUND',
       message: `Version ${version} of ${framework} does not exist. Please specify a different one.`,
       link: 'https://vercel.com/docs/v2/build-step#framework-versioning',
     });
diff --git a/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/45-node-modules-bin-path/now.json b/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/45-node-modules-bin-path/now.json
index 2d39d6af6..f0d26b112 100644
--- a/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/45-node-modules-bin-path/now.json
+++ b/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/45-node-modules-bin-path/now.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
   ],
   "build": {
     "env": {
-      "NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG": "1"
+      "VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG": "1"
     }
   },
   "probes": [{ "path": "/", "mustContain": "hello world" }]
diff --git a/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/46-hugo-with-framework/now.json b/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/46-hugo-with-framework/now.json
index 19f16faf9..e0099c884 100644
--- a/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/46-hugo-with-framework/now.json
+++ b/packages/now-static-build/test/fixtures/46-hugo-with-framework/now.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   ],
   "build": {
     "env": {
-      "NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG": "1"
+      "VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG": "1"
     }
   },
   "probes": [{ "path": "/", "mustContain": "My First Post" }]
diff --git a/test/lib/deployment/now-deploy.js b/test/lib/deployment/now-deploy.js
index 7d009f5d8..3a570a8ec 100644
--- a/test/lib/deployment/now-deploy.js
+++ b/test/lib/deployment/now-deploy.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ async function nowDeploy(bodies, randomness) {
       mode: path.extname(n) === '.sh' ? 0o100755 : 0o100644,
     }));
 
-  const { FORCE_BUILD_IN_REGION, NOW_DEBUG } = process.env;
+  const { FORCE_BUILD_IN_REGION, NOW_DEBUG, VERCEL_DEBUG } = process.env;
   const nowJson = JSON.parse(bodies['now.json']);
 
   const nowDeployPayload = {
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ async function nowDeploy(bodies, randomness) {
         RANDOMNESS_BUILD_ENV_VAR: randomness,
         FORCE_BUILD_IN_REGION,
         NOW_DEBUG,
+        VERCEL_DEBUG,
       },
     },
     name: 'test2020',
@@ -145,10 +146,9 @@ async function fetchWithAuth(url, opts = {}) {
     currentCount += 1;
     if (!token || currentCount === MAX_COUNT) {
       currentCount = 0;
-      if (process.env.NOW_TOKEN) {
-        // used for health checks
-        token = process.env.NOW_TOKEN;
-      } else {
+      // used for health checks
+      token = process.env.VERCEL_TOKEN || process.env.NOW_TOKEN;
+      if (!token) {
         // used by GH Actions
         token = await fetchTokenWithRetry();
       }
@@ -161,14 +161,21 @@ async function fetchWithAuth(url, opts = {}) {
 }
 
 async function fetchTokenWithRetry(retries = 5) {
-  const { NOW_TOKEN, ZEIT_TEAM_TOKEN, ZEIT_REGISTRATION_URL } = process.env;
-  if (NOW_TOKEN) {
-    console.log('Using NOW_TOKEN for test deployment');
-    return NOW_TOKEN;
+  const {
+    NOW_TOKEN,
+    VERCEL_TOKEN,
+    ZEIT_TEAM_TOKEN,
+    ZEIT_REGISTRATION_URL,
+  } = process.env;
+  if (VERCEL_TOKEN || NOW_TOKEN) {
+    console.log('Your personal token will be used to make test deployments.');
+    return VERCEL_TOKEN || NOW_TOKEN;
   }
   if (!ZEIT_TEAM_TOKEN || !ZEIT_REGISTRATION_URL) {
     throw new Error(
-      'Failed to create test deployment. Did you forget to set NOW_TOKEN?'
+      process.env.CI
+        ? 'Failed to create test deployment. This is expected for 3rd-party Pull Requests. Please run tests locally.'
+        : 'Failed to create test deployment. Please set `VERCEL_TOKEN` environment variable and run again.'
     );
   }
   try {
diff --git a/test/lib/deployment/test-deployment.js b/test/lib/deployment/test-deployment.js
index b620c31a7..0bdf368e5 100644
--- a/test/lib/deployment/test-deployment.js
+++ b/test/lib/deployment/test-deployment.js
@@ -54,16 +54,16 @@ async function testDeployment(
   }
 
   // we use json5 to allow comments for probes
-  const nowJson = json5.parse(bodies['now.json']);
+  const nowJson = json5.parse(bodies['vercel.json'] || bodies['now.json']);
 
-  if (process.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG) {
+  if (process.env.VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG) {
     if (!nowJson.build) {
       nowJson.build = {};
     }
     if (!nowJson.build.env) {
       nowJson.build.env = {};
     }
-    nowJson.build.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG = process.env.NOW_BUILDER_DEBUG;
+    nowJson.build.env.VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG = process.env.VERCEL_BUILDER_DEBUG;
   }
 
   for (const build of nowJson.builds || []) {