diff --git a/scripts/build-setup.sh b/scripts/build-setup.sh
index 080b79af..c58ddd7b 100755
--- a/scripts/build-setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-setup.sh
@@ -109,15 +109,49 @@ if [ $TOOLCHAIN_TYPE == "esp-tools" ]; then
     done
 fi
 
+
+#######################################
+###### BEGIN STEP-BY-STEP SETUP #######
+#######################################
+
+# In order to run code on error, we must handle errors manually
+set +e;
+
+function begin_step
+{
+    thisStepNum=$1;
+    thisStepDesc=$2;
+    echo " ========== BEGINNING STEP $thisStepNum: $thisStepDesc =========="
+}
+function exit_if_last_command_failed
+{
+    local exitcode=$?;
+    if [ $exitcode -ne 0 ]; then
+        die "Build script failed with exit code $exitcode at step $thisStepNum: $thisStepDesc" $exitcode;
+    fi
+}
+
 # setup and install conda environment
 if run_step "1"; then
-    try; (
-        source $CYDIR/scripts/build-step-init-conda-environment.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 1: conda environment setup. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    begin_step "1" "Conda environment setup"
+        # note: lock file must end in .conda-lock.yml - see https://github.com/conda-incubator/conda-lock/issues/154
+        CONDA_REQS=$CYDIR/conda-reqs
+        CONDA_LOCK_REQS=$CONDA_REQS/conda-lock-reqs
+        # must match with the file generated by generate-conda-lockfile.sh
+        LOCKFILE=$CONDA_LOCK_REQS/conda-requirements-$TOOLCHAIN_TYPE-linux-64.conda-lock.yml
+
+        if [ "$USE_UNPINNED_DEPS" = true ]; then
+            # auto-gen the lockfiles
+            $CYDIR/scripts/generate-conda-lockfiles.sh
+            exit_if_last_command_failed
+        fi
+
+        # use conda-lock to create env
+        conda-lock install --conda $(which conda) -p $CYDIR/.conda-env $LOCKFILE &&
+
+        source $CYDIR/.conda-env/etc/profile.d/conda.sh &&
+        conda activate $CYDIR/.conda-env
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 if [ -z "$FORCE_FLAG" ]; then
@@ -129,17 +163,14 @@ fi
 
 # initialize all submodules (without the toolchain submodules)
 if run_step "2"; then
-    try; (
-        $CYDIR/scripts/init-submodules-no-riscv-tools.sh $FORCE_FLAG
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 2: submodule initialization. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    begin_step "2" "Initializing Chipyard submodules"
+    $CYDIR/scripts/init-submodules-no-riscv-tools.sh $FORCE_FLAG
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 # build extra toolchain collateral (i.e. spike, pk, riscv-tests, libgloss)
 if run_step "3"; then
+    begin_step "3" "Building toolchain collateral"
     if run_step "1"; then
         PREFIX=$CONDA_PREFIX/$TOOLCHAIN_TYPE
     else
@@ -149,95 +180,74 @@ if run_step "3"; then
         fi
         PREFIX=$RISCV
     fi
-    try; (
-        $CYDIR/scripts/build-toolchain-extra.sh $TOOLCHAIN_TYPE -p $PREFIX
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 3: toolchain collateral. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    $CYDIR/scripts/build-toolchain-extra.sh $TOOLCHAIN_TYPE -p $PREFIX
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 # run ctags for code navigation
 if run_step "4"; then
-    try; (
+    begin_step "4" "Running ctags for code navigation"
         $CYDIR/scripts/gen-tags.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 4: ctags generation. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 # precompile chipyard scala sources
 if run_step "5"; then
-    try; (
-        source $CYDIR/scripts/build-step-precompile-chipyard-scala.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 5: chipyard pre-compile sources. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    begin_step "5" "Pre-compiling Chipyard Scala sources"
+        pushd $CYDIR/sims/verilator
+        make launch-sbt SBT_COMMAND=";project chipyard; compile"
+        make launch-sbt SBT_COMMAND=";project tapeout; compile"
+        popd
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 # setup firesim
 if run_step "6"; then
-    try; (
-        $CYDIR/scripts/firesim-setup.sh &&
+    begin_step "6" "Setting up FireSim"
+        $CYDIR/scripts/firesim-setup.sh
         $CYDIR/sims/firesim/gen-tags.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 6: firesim setup. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 
     # precompile firesim scala sources
     if run_step "7"; then
-        try; (
-            source $CYDIR/scripts/build-step-precompile-firesim-scala.sh
+        begin_step "7" "Pre-compiling Firesim Scala sources"
+        pushd $CYDIR/sims/firesim
+        (
+            set -e # Subshells un-set "set -e" so it must be re enabled
+            echo $CYDIR
+            source sourceme-manager.sh --skip-ssh-setup
+            pushd sim
+            make sbt SBT_COMMAND="project {file:$CYDIR}firechip; compile" TARGET_PROJECT=firesim
+            popd
         )
-        catch || {
-            echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 7: firesim pre-compile sources. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-            exit $?
-        }
+        exit_if_last_command_failed
+        popd
     fi
 fi
 
 # setup firemarshal
 if run_step "8"; then
+    begin_step "8" "Setting up FireMarshal"
     pushd $CYDIR/software/firemarshal
-    try; (
-        ./init-submodules.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 8: firemarshal setup. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    ./init-submodules.sh
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 
     # precompile firemarshal buildroot sources
     if run_step "9"; then
-        try; (
-            source $CYDIR/scripts/fix-open-files.sh &&
-            ./marshal $VERBOSE_FLAG build br-base.json &&
-            ./marshal $VERBOSE_FLAG clean br-base.json
-        )
-        catch || {
-            echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 9: firemarshal pre-compile buildroot sources. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-            exit $?
-        }
+        begin_step "9" "Pre-compiling FireMarshal buildroot sources"
+        source $CYDIR/scripts/fix-open-files.sh &&
+        ./marshal $VERBOSE_FLAG build br-base.json &&
+        ./marshal $VERBOSE_FLAG clean br-base.json
+        exit_if_last_command_failed
     fi
     popd
 fi
 
 # do misc. cleanup for a "clean" git status
 if run_step "10"; then
-    try; (
-        $CYDIR/scripts/repo-clean.sh
-    )
-    catch || {
-        echo "Build script exited with exit code $? at step 10: repository cleanup. Check the above logs for more details on the error."
-        exit $?
-    }
+    begin_step "10" "Cleaning up repository"
+    $CYDIR/scripts/repo-clean.sh
+    exit_if_last_command_failed
 fi
 
 cat <<EOT >> env.sh
diff --git a/scripts/utils.sh b/scripts/utils.sh
index 6f0fc5f7..30d3e092 100755
--- a/scripts/utils.sh
+++ b/scripts/utils.sh
@@ -53,24 +53,3 @@ function restore_bash_options
 {
     set +vx; eval "$OLDSTATE"
 }
-
-#######################################
-# Basic try-catch block implementation
-# for bash scripts.
-# Usage: try; ( run commands )
-#  catch || { handle error }
-# Source: https://stackoverflow.com/a/25180186/5121242
-#######################################
-function try()
-{
-    [[ $- = *e* ]]; SAVED_OPT_E=$?
-    set +e
-}
-
-function catch()
-{
-    export ex_code=$?
-    (( $SAVED_OPT_E )) && set +e
-    return $ex_code
-}
-