diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 81fa7244cd..579fd143a9 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@ parameters:
 common_job_environment: &common_job_environment
   CARGO_NET_GIT_FETCH_WITH_CLI: true
   RUST_BACKTRACE: full
-  NODE_VERSION: 14.17.5
-  NPM_VERSION: 7.10.0
 
 commands:
   linux_install_baseline:
@@ -77,87 +75,17 @@ commands:
             tar -xf jaeger.tar.gz
             mv jaeger-1.33.0-windows-amd64 jaeger
 
-  # This job sets up our nodejs dependencies,
-  # and makes sure everything is ready to run integration tests
-  macos_prepare_node_env:
+  # This job makes sure everything is ready to run integration tests
+  macos_prepare_env:
     steps:
-      #TODO[igni]: check for node version before we try to install it
-      # Installing this with the curl nvm command was proving difficult,
-      # so I've opted to just install the .pkg.  Should be the same net
-      # result, even if liked the opportunity for symmetry with Linux.
-      - run:
-          name: Installing Node.js with a .pkg.
-          command: |
-            curl "https://nodejs.org/dist/v${NODE_VERSION}/node-v${NODE_VERSION}.pkg" > "$HOME/Downloads/node.pkg" && sudo installer -store -pkg "$HOME/Downloads/node.pkg" -target "/"
-            sudo npm install --global npm@${NPM_VERSION}
-      - run:
-          name: Assert Node.js version
-          command: test "$(node --version)" = "v${NODE_VERSION}"
-      - run:
-          name: Assert npm version
-          command: test "$(npm --version)" = "${NPM_VERSION}"
       - run:
           # The jaeger exporter won't work without this
           name: Increase udp packet size
           command: |
             sudo sysctl net.inet.udp.maxdgram=65536
             sudo sysctl net.inet.udp.maxdgram
-  linux_prepare_node_env:
-    steps:
-      #TODO[igni]: check for node version before we try to install it
-      - run:
-          name: Install nvm
-          command: |
-            curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.38.0/install.sh | bash
-            echo '. ~/.nvm/nvm.sh' >> $BASH_ENV
-      - run:
-          name: Install desired Node.js version
-          command: |
-            nvm install $NODE_VERSION
-            nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION
-            npm install --global npm@${NPM_VERSION}
-      - run:
-          name: Assert Node.js version
-          command: test "$(node --version)" = "v${NODE_VERSION}"
-      - run:
-          name: Assert npm version
-          command: test "$(npm --version)" = "${NPM_VERSION}"
 
-  windows_prepare_node_env:
-    #TODO[igni]: check for node version before we try to install it
-    steps:
-      - run:
-          name: Install desired Node.js version with nvm
-          command: |
-            nvm install ${Env:NODE_VERSION}
-            nvm on
-      - run:
-          # https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/issues/300
-          # Have to move the command out of the way because it can't
-          # overwrite itself otherwise.   This is madness, but apparently
-          # accepted.  Other things I tried: using yarn to install npm,
-          # using http://npm.im/npm-windows-upgrade and even shouting.
-          name: Install specific version of npm in a crazy Windows way
-          command: |
-            $node_dir = (get-item (get-command npm).source).directory.fullname
-            foreach ($cmd in @("npm", "npx")) {
-              foreach ($ext in @(".ps1", ".cmd", "")) {
-                if (Test-Path "$node_dir/$cmd$ext") {
-                  rename-item -path (join-path -path $node_dir -childpath "$cmd$ext") "${cmd}-orig${ext}"
-                }
-              }
-            }
-            npm-orig install --global "npm@${Env:NPM_VERSION}"
-      - run:
-          name: Assert Node.js version
-          command: |
-            if ((node --version) -Ne "v${Env:NODE_VERSION}") { exit 1 }
-      - run:
-          name: Assert npm version
-          command: |
-            if ((npm --version) -Ne "${Env:NPM_VERSION}") { exit 1 }
-
-  windows_prepare_rust_env:
+  windows_prepare_env:
     steps:
       - run:
           name: Install rustup
@@ -179,7 +107,7 @@ commands:
             [net]
             git-fetch-with-cli = true
             "@
-  prepare_rust_env:
+  prepare_env:
     steps:
       - rust/install:
           version: stable
@@ -238,9 +166,11 @@ commands:
 
   build_common_permutations:
     steps:
-      - rust/build:
-          with_cache: false
-          crate: --locked -p apollo-router
+      - run:
+          name: cargo check workspace
+          command: |
+            set -e -o pipefail
+            cargo check --locked
   build_all_permutations:
     steps:
       - build_common_permutations
@@ -346,8 +276,7 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_linux_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - linux_install_baseline
-            - linux_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - xtask_lint:
                 os: linux
   check_compliance:
@@ -364,8 +293,7 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_linux_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - linux_install_baseline
-            - linux_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - xtask_check_compliance:
                 os: linux
   build:
@@ -382,8 +310,7 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_linux_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - linux_install_baseline
-            - linux_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - build_workspace:
                 os: linux
       - when:
@@ -391,16 +318,14 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_windows_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - windows_install_baseline
-            - windows_prepare_node_env
-            - windows_prepare_rust_env
+            - windows_prepare_env
             - windows_build_workspace
       - when:
           condition:
             equal: [*rust_macos_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - macos_install_baseline
-            - macos_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - build_workspace:
                 os: macos
   test:
@@ -417,8 +342,7 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_linux_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - linux_install_baseline
-            - linux_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - test_workspace:
                 os: linux
       - when:
@@ -426,16 +350,14 @@ jobs:
             equal: [*rust_windows_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - windows_install_baseline
-            - windows_prepare_node_env
-            - windows_prepare_rust_env
+            - windows_prepare_env
             - windows_test_workspace
       - when:
           condition:
             equal: [*rust_macos_executor, << parameters.platform >>]
           steps:
             - macos_install_baseline
-            - macos_prepare_node_env
-            - prepare_rust_env
+            - prepare_env
             - test_workspace:
                 os: macos
 
@@ -465,23 +387,6 @@ jobs:
             - run: brew install cmake
             - rust/install:
                 version: stable
-            # Installing this with the curl nvm command was proving difficult,
-            # so I've opted to just install the .pkg.  Should be the same net
-            # result, even if liked the opportunity for symmetry with Linux.
-            - run:
-                name: Installing Node.js with a .pkg.
-                command: |
-                  curl "https://nodejs.org/dist/v${NODE_VERSION}/node-v${NODE_VERSION}.pkg" > "$HOME/Downloads/node.pkg" && sudo installer -store -pkg "$HOME/Downloads/node.pkg" -target "/"
-            - run:
-                name: Install specific version of npm
-                command: |
-                  sudo npm install --global npm@${NPM_VERSION}
-            - run:
-                name: Assert Node.js version
-                command: test "$(node --version)" = "v${NODE_VERSION}"
-            - run:
-                name: Assert npm version
-                command: test "$(npm --version)" = "${NPM_VERSION}"
             - run:
                 command: >
                   cargo xtask dist
@@ -510,22 +415,6 @@ jobs:
                   sudo apt-get install -y libssl-dev
             - rust/install:
                 version: stable
-            - run:
-                name: Install nvm
-                command: curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.38.0/install.sh | bash
-            - run: echo '. ~/.nvm/nvm.sh' >> $BASH_ENV
-            - run:
-                name: Install desired Node.js version
-                command: |
-                  nvm install $NODE_VERSION
-                  nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION
-                  npm install --global npm@${NPM_VERSION}
-            - run:
-                name: Assert Node.js version
-                command: test "$(node --version)" = "v${NODE_VERSION}"
-            - run:
-                name: Assert npm version
-                command: test "$(npm --version)" = "${NPM_VERSION}"
             - run:
                 command: >
                   cargo xtask dist
@@ -559,36 +448,6 @@ jobs:
                   [net]
                   git-fetch-with-cli = true
                   "@
-            - run:
-                name: Install desired Node.js version with nvm
-                command: |
-                  nvm install ${Env:NODE_VERSION}
-                  nvm on
-            - run:
-                # https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/issues/300
-                # Have to move the command out of the way because it can't
-                # overwrite itself otherwise.   This is madness, but apparently
-                # accepted.  Other things I tried: using yarn to install npm,
-                # using http://npm.im/npm-windows-upgrade and even shouting.
-                name: Install specific version of npm in a crazy Windows way
-                command: |
-                  $node_dir = (get-item (get-command npm).source).directory.fullname
-                  foreach ($cmd in @("npm", "npx")) {
-                    foreach ($ext in @(".ps1", ".cmd", "")) {
-                      if (Test-Path "$node_dir/$cmd$ext") {
-                        rename-item -path (join-path -path $node_dir -childpath "$cmd$ext") "${cmd}-orig${ext}"
-                      }
-                    }
-                  }
-                  npm-orig install --global "npm@${Env:NPM_VERSION}"
-            - run:
-                name: Assert Node.js version
-                command: |
-                  if ((node --version) -Ne "v${Env:NODE_VERSION}") { exit 1 }
-            - run:
-                name: Assert npm version
-                command: |
-                  if ((npm --version) -Ne "${Env:NPM_VERSION}") { exit 1 }
             - run:
                 command: >
                   cargo xtask dist