diff --git a/.ci/build_packages/tests.sh b/.ci/build_packages/tests.sh
index c4b752da1..5fead0139 100755
--- a/.ci/build_packages/tests.sh
+++ b/.ci/build_packages/tests.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,47 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-set -x -e -u
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+set -x
+
+if [ -z "${1:-}" ]; then
+    echo "Usage $0 <PACKAGE_NAME> zip|pkg"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ "${2:-}" != 'zip' ] && [ "${2:-}" != 'pkg' ]; then
+    echo "Usage $0 <PACKAGE_NAME> zip|pkg"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+PACKAGE_NAME="${1}"
+PACKAGE_TYPE="${2}"
+
 export DEBUG=1
 export CODE_PATH=${CODE_PATH:-"/emqx"}
 export EMQX_NAME=${EMQX_NAME:-"emqx"}
 export PACKAGE_PATH="${CODE_PATH}/_packages/${EMQX_NAME}"
 export RELUP_PACKAGE_PATH="${CODE_PATH}/_upgrade_base"
 
+if [ "$PACKAGE_TYPE" = 'zip' ]; then
+    PKG_SUFFIX="zip"
+else
+    SYSTEM="$("$CODE_PATH"/scripts/get-distro.sh)"
+    case "${SYSTEM:-}" in
+        ubuntu*|debian*|raspbian*)
+            PKG_SUFFIX='deb'
+            ;;
+        *)
+            PKG_SUFFIX='rpm'
+            ;;
+    esac
+fi
+PACKAGE_FILE_NAME="${PACKAGE_NAME}.${PKG_SUFFIX}"
+
+PACKAGE_FILE="${PACKAGE_PATH}/${PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}.${PKG_SUFFIX}"
+if ! [ -f "$PACKAGE_FILE" ]; then
+    echo "$PACKAGE_FILE is not a file"
+fi
+
 case "$(uname -m)" in
     x86_64)
         ARCH='amd64'
@@ -30,11 +66,9 @@ emqx_prepare(){
 
 emqx_test(){
     cd "${PACKAGE_PATH}"
-
-    for var in "$PACKAGE_PATH"/"${EMQX_NAME}"-*;do
-        case ${var##*.} in
+    local packagename="${PACKAGE_FILE_NAME}"
+        case "$PKG_SUFFIX" in
             "zip")
-                packagename=$(basename "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${EMQX_NAME}"-*.zip)
                 unzip -q "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${packagename}"
                 export EMQX_ZONES__DEFAULT__MQTT__SERVER_KEEPALIVE=60
                 export EMQX_MQTT__MAX_TOPIC_ALIAS=10
@@ -42,7 +76,6 @@ emqx_test(){
                 export EMQX_LOG__FILE_HANDLERS__DEFAULT__LEVEL=debug
                 if [[ $(arch) == *arm* || $(arch) == aarch64 ]]; then
                     export EMQX_LISTENERS__QUIC__DEFAULT__ENABLED=false
-                    export WAIT_FOR_ERLANG_STOP=120
                 fi
                 # sed -i '/emqx_telemetry/d' "${PACKAGE_PATH}"/emqx/data/loaded_plugins
 
@@ -72,7 +105,6 @@ emqx_test(){
                 rm -rf "${PACKAGE_PATH}"/emqx
             ;;
             "deb")
-                packagename=$(basename "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${EMQX_NAME}"-*.deb)
                 dpkg -i "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${packagename}"
                 if [ "$(dpkg -l |grep emqx |awk '{print $1}')" != "ii" ]
                 then
@@ -99,15 +131,8 @@ emqx_test(){
                 fi
             ;;
             "rpm")
-                packagename=$(basename "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${EMQX_NAME}"-*.rpm)
-
-                if [[ "${ARCH}" == "amd64" && $(rpm -E '%{rhel}') == 7 ]] ;
-                then
-                    # EMQX OTP requires openssl11 to have TLS1.3 support
-                    yum install -y openssl11;
-                fi
-                rpm -ivh "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${packagename}"
-                if ! rpm -q emqx | grep -q emqx; then
+                yum install -y "${PACKAGE_PATH}/${packagename}"
+                if ! rpm -q "${EMQX_NAME}" | grep -q "${EMQX_NAME}"; then
                     echo "package install error"
                     exit 1
                 fi
@@ -124,7 +149,6 @@ emqx_test(){
             ;;
 
         esac
-    done
 }
 
 run_test(){
@@ -142,7 +166,6 @@ EOF
         ## for ARM, due to CI env issue, skip start of quic listener for the moment
         [[ $(arch) == *arm* || $(arch) == aarch64 ]] && tee -a "$emqx_env_vars" <<EOF
 export EMQX_LISTENERS__QUIC__DEFAULT__ENABLED=false
-export WAIT_FOR_ERLANG_STOP=120
 EOF
     else
         echo "Error: cannot locate emqx_vars"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_packages.yaml b/.github/workflows/build_packages.yaml
index 867a10444..d72053f49 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_packages.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_packages.yaml
@@ -297,14 +297,18 @@ jobs:
         SYSTEM: ${{ matrix.os }}
       working-directory: source
       run: |
-        docker run -i --rm \
-        -v $(pwd):/emqx \
-        --workdir /emqx \
-        --platform linux/$ARCH \
-        ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/5.0-3:$OTP-$SYSTEM \
-        bash -euc "make $PROFILE-zip || cat rebar3.crashdump; \
-                   make $PROFILE-pkg || cat rebar3.crashdump; \
-                   EMQX_NAME=$PROFILE && .ci/build_packages/tests.sh"
+        ./scripts/buildx.sh \
+          --profile "${PROFILE}" \
+          --pkgtype "zip" \
+          --arch "${ARCH}" \
+          --builder "ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/5.0-3:${OTP}-${SYSTEM}"
+        ## the pkg build is incremental on the zip build
+        ./scripts/buildx.sh \
+          --profile "${PROFILE}" \
+          --pkgtype "pkg" \
+          --arch "${ARCH}" \
+          --builder "ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/5.0-3:${OTP}-${SYSTEM}"
+
     - name: create sha256
       env:
         PROFILE: ${{ matrix.profile}}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_slim_packages.yaml b/.github/workflows/build_slim_packages.yaml
index 632ad0838..4a987b43e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_slim_packages.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_slim_packages.yaml
@@ -43,19 +43,23 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v1
-    - name: build zip package
-      run: make ${{ matrix.profile }}-zip
-    - name: build deb/rpm packages
-      run: make ${{ matrix.profile }}-pkg
-    - name: packages test
+    - name: prepare
       run: |
-        export CODE_PATH=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE
-        EMQX_NAME=${{ matrix.profile }} .ci/build_packages/tests.sh
+        echo "EMQX_NAME=${{ matrix.profile }}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        echo "CODE_PATH=$GITHUB_WORKSPACE" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+        echo "EMQX_PKG_NAME=${{ matrix.profile }}-$(./pkg-vsn.sh)-otp${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.os }}-amd64" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+    - name: build and test zip package
+      run: |
+        make ${EMQX_NAME}-zip
+        .ci/build_packages/tests.sh "$EMQX_PKG_NAME" zip
+    - name: build and test deb/rpm packages
+      run: |
+        make ${EMQX_NAME}-pkg
+        .ci/build_packages/tests.sh "$EMQX_PKG_NAME" pkg
     - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
       with:
         name: ${{ matrix.profile}}-${{ matrix.otp }}-${{ matrix.os }}
         path: _packages/**/*.zip
-
   mac:
     if: contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'Mac')
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/elixir_deps_check.yaml b/.github/workflows/elixir_deps_check.yaml
index b19512205..12fc9643b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/elixir_deps_check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/elixir_deps_check.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v2.4.0
       - name: ensure rebar
         run: ./scripts/ensure-rebar3.sh 3.16.1-emqx-1
+      - name: setup mix
+        run: |
+          mix local.hex --force
+          mix local.rebar --force
+          mix deps.get
       - name: check elixir deps
         run: ./scripts/check-elixir-deps-discrepancies.exs
 
diff --git a/bin/emqx b/bin/emqx
index 75a265856..592b01ead 100755
--- a/bin/emqx
+++ b/bin/emqx
@@ -601,16 +601,15 @@ case "${COMMAND}" in
         "$BINDIR/run_erl" -daemon "$PIPE_DIR" "$RUNNER_LOG_DIR" \
                           "$(relx_start_command)"
 
-        WAIT_TIME=${WAIT_FOR_ERLANG:-15}
+        WAIT_TIME=${EMQX_WAIT_FOR_START:-120}
         if wait_until_return_val "true" "$WAIT_TIME" 'relx_nodetool' \
                 'eval' 'emqx:is_running()'; then
             echo "$EMQX_DESCRIPTION $REL_VSN is started successfully!"
             exit 0
         else
-            echo "$EMQX_DESCRIPTION $REL_VSN failed to start within ${WAIT_TIME} seconds,"
-            echo "see the output of '$0 console' for more information."
-            echo "If you want to wait longer, set the environment variable"
-            echo "WAIT_FOR_ERLANG to the number of seconds to wait."
+            echo "$EMQX_DESCRIPTION $REL_VSN failed to start in ${WAIT_TIME} seconds."
+            echo "Please find more information in erlang.log.N"
+            echo "Or run 'DEBUG=1 $0 console' to have logs printed to console."
             exit 1
         fi
         ;;
@@ -622,13 +621,13 @@ case "${COMMAND}" in
             echoerr "Graceful shutdown failed PID=[$PID]"
             exit 1
         fi
-        WAIT_TIME="${WAIT_FOR_ERLANG_STOP:-60}"
+        WAIT_TIME="${EMQX_WAIT_FOR_STOP:-120}"
         if ! wait_for "$WAIT_TIME" 'is_down' "$PID"; then
             msg="dangling after ${WAIT_TIME} seconds"
             # also log to syslog
             logger -t "${REL_NAME}[${PID}]" "STOP: $msg"
             # log to user console
-            echoerr "stop failed, $msg"
+            echoerr "Stop failed, $msg"
             echo "ERROR: $PID is still around"
             ps -p "$PID"
             exit 1
diff --git a/scripts/buildx.sh b/scripts/buildx.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..7c49ce909
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/buildx.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+## This script helps to run docker buildx to build cross-arch/platform packages (linux only)
+## It mounts (not copy) host directory to a cross-arch/platform builder container
+## Make sure the source dir (specified by --src_dir option) is clean before running this script
+
+## NOTE: it requires $USER in docker group
+## i.e. will not work if docker command has to be executed with sudo
+
+## example:
+## ./scripts/buildx.sh --profile emqx --pkgtype zip --arch arm64 --builder ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/4.4-4:24.1.5-3-debian10
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+help() {
+    echo
+    echo "-h|--help:           To display this usage information"
+    echo "--profile <PROFILE>: EMQ X profile to build, e.g. emqx, emqx-edge"
+    echo "--pkgtype zip|pkg:   Specify which package to build, zip for .zip and pkg for .rpm or .deb"
+    echo "--arch amd64|arm64:  Target arch to build the EMQ X package for"
+    echo "--src_dir <SRC_DIR>: EMQ X source ode in this dir, default to PWD"
+    echo "--builder <BUILDER>: Builder image to pull"
+    echo "                     E.g. ghcr.io/emqx/emqx-builder/4.4-4:24.1.5-3-debian10"
+}
+
+while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+    case $1 in
+    -h|--help)
+        help
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+    --src_dir)
+        SRC_DIR="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    --profile)
+        PROFILE="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    --pkgtype)
+        PKGTYPE="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    --builder)
+        BUILDER="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    --arch)
+        ARCH="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
+    *)
+      echo "WARN: Unknown arg (ignored): $1"
+      shift
+      continue
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+if [ -z "${PROFILE:-}" ] || [ -z "${PKGTYPE:-}" ] || [ -z "${BUILDER:-}" ] || [ -z "${ARCH:-}" ]; then
+    help
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ "$PKGTYPE" != 'zip' ] && [ "$PKGTYPE" != 'pkg' ]; then
+    echo "Bad --pkgtype option, should be zip or pkg"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+cd "${SRC_DIR:-.}"
+
+PKG_VSN="${PKG_VSN:-$(./pkg-vsn.sh)}"
+OTP_VSN_SYSTEM=$(echo "$BUILDER" | cut -d ':' -f2)
+PKG_NAME="${PROFILE}-${PKG_VSN}-otp${OTP_VSN_SYSTEM}-${ARCH}"
+
+docker info
+docker run --rm --privileged tonistiigi/binfmt:latest --install "${ARCH}"
+docker run -i --rm \
+    -v "$(pwd)":/emqx \
+    --workdir /emqx \
+    --platform="linux/$ARCH" \
+    -e EMQX_NAME="$PROFILE" \
+    "$BUILDER" \
+    bash -euc "make ${PROFILE}-${PKGTYPE} && .ci/build_packages/tests.sh $PKG_NAME $PKGTYPE"
diff --git a/scripts/check-elixir-deps-discrepancies.exs b/scripts/check-elixir-deps-discrepancies.exs
index aa885f688..eee0a9e67 100755
--- a/scripts/check-elixir-deps-discrepancies.exs
+++ b/scripts/check-elixir-deps-discrepancies.exs
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env elixir
 
-# ensure we have a mix.lock
-{_, 0} = System.cmd("mix", ["deps.get"], into: IO.stream())
-
 # ensure we have a fresh rebar.lock
 
 case File.stat("rebar.lock") do
diff --git a/scripts/start-two-nodes-in-docker.sh b/scripts/start-two-nodes-in-docker.sh
index e0526c26f..45942076f 100755
--- a/scripts/start-two-nodes-in-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/start-two-nodes-in-docker.sh
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ docker run -d -t --restart=always --name "$NODE1" \
   --net "$NET" \
   -e EMQX_NODE_NAME="emqx@$NODE1" \
   -e EMQX_NODE_COOKIE="$COOKIE" \
-  -e WAIT_FOR_ERLANG=60 \
   -p 18083:18083 \
   -v "$PROJ_DIR"/_build/emqx/rel/emqx:/built \
   "$IMAGE" sh -c 'cp -r /built /emqx && /emqx/bin/emqx console'
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ docker run -d -t --restart=always --name "$NODE2" \
   --net "$NET" \
   -e EMQX_NODE_NAME="emqx@$NODE2" \
   -e EMQX_NODE_COOKIE="$COOKIE" \
-  -e WAIT_FOR_ERLANG=60 \
   -p 18084:18083 \
   -v "$PROJ_DIR"/_build/emqx/rel/emqx:/built \
   "$IMAGE" sh -c 'cp -r /built /emqx && /emqx/bin/emqx console'