diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index b4075b996..e0c9bf169 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ build --define kafka_enabled=false
 test --define kafka_enabled=false
 run --define kafka_enabled=false
 
+# Release flags
+build:release --workspace_status_command=./scripts/workspace_status.sh
+build:release --stamp
 
 # multi-arch cross-compiling toolchain configs:
 -----------------------------------------------
diff --git a/.buildkite-bazelrc b/.buildkite-bazelrc
index 85815f3cc..2981e4f71 100644
--- a/.buildkite-bazelrc
+++ b/.buildkite-bazelrc
@@ -46,7 +46,5 @@ test --local_test_jobs=2
 # Disabled race detection due to unstable test results under constrained environment build kite
 # build --features=race
 
-# Enable kafka for CI and docker images
-build --define kafka_enabled=true
+# Enable kafka for CI tests only.
 test --define kafka_enabled=true
-run --define kafka_enabled=true
diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 5730f884e..71af2130e 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -114,15 +114,8 @@ load(
     _go_image_repos = "repositories",
 )
 
-_go_image_repos()
-
 # Golang images
 # This is using gcr.io/distroless/base
-load(
-    "@io_bazel_rules_docker//go:image.bzl",
-    _go_image_repos = "repositories",
-)
-
 _go_image_repos()
 
 # CC images
@@ -1215,12 +1208,6 @@ go_repository(
     importpath = "golang.org/x/time",
 )
 
-go_repository(
-    name = "in_gopkg_natefinch_npipe_v2",
-    commit = "c1b8fa8bdccecb0b8db834ee0b92fdbcfa606dd6",
-    importpath = "gopkg.in/natefinch/npipe.v2",
-)
-
 go_repository(
     name = "com_github_googleapis_gnostic",
     commit = "896953e6749863beec38e27029c804e88c3144b8",  # v0.4.1
@@ -1277,12 +1264,6 @@ go_repository(
     importpath = "k8s.io/utils",
 )
 
-go_repository(
-    name = "com_github_googleapis_gnostic",
-    commit = "25d8b0b6698593f520d9d8dc5a88e6b16ca9ecc0",
-    importpath = "github.com/googleapis/gnostic",
-)
-
 go_repository(
     name = "com_github_patrickmn_go_cache",
     commit = "46f407853014144407b6c2ec7ccc76bf67958d93",
@@ -1453,9 +1434,9 @@ go_repository(
 )
 
 go_repository(
-    name = "com_github_emicklei_dot",
-    commit = "f4a04130244d60cef56086d2f649b4b55e9624aa",
-    importpath = "github.com/emicklei/dot",
+    name = "com_github_googleapis_gnostic",
+    commit = "25d8b0b6698593f520d9d8dc5a88e6b16ca9ecc0",
+    importpath = "github.com/googleapis/gnostic",
 )
 
 go_repository(
@@ -1498,18 +1479,6 @@ go_repository(
     version = "v0.0.1",
 )
 
-go_repository(
-    name = "com_github_dgraph_io_ristretto",
-    commit = "99d1bbbf28e64530eb246be0568fc7709a35ebdd",
-    importpath = "github.com/dgraph-io/ristretto",
-)
-
-go_repository(
-    name = "com_github_cespare_xxhash",
-    commit = "d7df74196a9e781ede915320c11c378c1b2f3a1f",
-    importpath = "github.com/cespare/xxhash",
-)
-
 go_repository(
     name = "com_github_kevinms_leakybucket_go",
     importpath = "github.com/kevinms/leakybucket-go",
diff --git a/bazel.sh b/bazel.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..07f30840f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+env -i \
+ PATH=/usr/bin:/bin \
+ HOME=$HOME \
+ bazel "$@"
diff --git a/beacon-chain/core/helpers/BUILD.bazel b/beacon-chain/core/helpers/BUILD.bazel
index 20b8f5088..ff4df28b3 100644
--- a/beacon-chain/core/helpers/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/beacon-chain/core/helpers/BUILD.bazel
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ go_library(
     importpath = "github.com/prysmaticlabs/prysm/beacon-chain/core/helpers",
     visibility = [
         "//beacon-chain:__subpackages__",
-        "//shared/testutil:__pkg__",
         "//shared/benchutil/benchmark_files:__subpackages__",
+        "//shared/testutil:__pkg__",
         "//slasher:__subpackages__",
         "//tools:__subpackages__",
         "//validator:__subpackages__",
diff --git a/proto/slashing/BUILD.bazel b/proto/slashing/BUILD.bazel
index 482a34cfe..b3d3f5420 100644
--- a/proto/slashing/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/proto/slashing/BUILD.bazel
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ go_proto_library(
     proto = ":ethereum_slashing_proto",
     visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     deps = [
+        "@com_github_gogo_protobuf//gogoproto:go_default_library",
         "@com_github_prysmaticlabs_ethereumapis//eth/v1alpha1:go_default_library",
         "@com_github_prysmaticlabs_go_bitfield//:go_default_library",
-        "@com_github_gogo_protobuf//gogoproto:go_default_library",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/third_party/kafka/BUILD.bazel b/third_party/kafka/BUILD.bazel
index 5305e46e8..37393eb9a 100644
--- a/third_party/kafka/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/third_party/kafka/BUILD.bazel
@@ -16,6 +16,6 @@ cmake_external(
         "librdkafka++.a",
         "librdkafka.a",
     ],
-    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     tags = ["no-remote-exec"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
 )