diff --git a/images/linux/scripts/installers/preparemetadata.sh b/images/linux/scripts/installers/preparemetadata.sh
index 3feee8571..8342cfe11 100644
--- a/images/linux/scripts/installers/preparemetadata.sh
+++ b/images/linux/scripts/installers/preparemetadata.sh
@@ -9,8 +9,11 @@ source $HELPER_SCRIPTS/document.sh
 
 WriteItem "<!--- DO NOT EDIT - This markdown file is autogenerated. -->"
 
-Announcements=$(cat $HELPER_SCRIPTS/announcements.md)
-WriteItem $Announcements
+if [ $ANNOUNCEMENTS ]; then
+    WriteItem $ANNOUNCEMENTS
+    WriteItem "***"
+fi
+
 
 AddTitle "$(lsb_release -ds)"
 WriteItem "The following software is installed on machines with the $IMAGE_VERSION update."
diff --git a/images/linux/ubuntu1604.json b/images/linux/ubuntu1604.json
index c1bc26603..bef3faa46 100644
--- a/images/linux/ubuntu1604.json
+++ b/images/linux/ubuntu1604.json
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
         "image_version": "dev",
         "image_os": "ubuntu16",
         "github_feed_token": null,
-        "run_validation_diskspace": "false"
+        "run_validation_diskspace": "false",
+        "announcements": "{{env `ANNOUNCEMENTS`}}"
     },
     "sensitive-variables": ["client_secret", "github_feed_token"],
     "builders": [
@@ -86,11 +87,6 @@
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/helpers",
             "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
         },
-        {
-            "type": "file",
-            "source": "{{template_dir}}/announcements.md",
-            "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}/announcements.md"
-        },
         {
             "type": "file",
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/installers",
@@ -104,7 +100,8 @@
             "environment_vars": [
                 "IMAGE_VERSION={{user `image_version`}}",
                 "METADATA_FILE={{user `metadata_file`}}",
-                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
+                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}",
+                "ANNOUNCEMENTS={{user `announcements`}}"
             ],
             "execute_command": "sudo sh -c '{{ .Vars }} {{ .Path }}'"
         },
diff --git a/images/linux/ubuntu1804.json b/images/linux/ubuntu1804.json
index 7b7435162..3e46fe1f7 100644
--- a/images/linux/ubuntu1804.json
+++ b/images/linux/ubuntu1804.json
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
         "image_version": "dev",
         "image_os": "ubuntu18",
         "github_feed_token": null,
-        "run_validation_diskspace": "false"
+        "run_validation_diskspace": "false",
+        "announcements": "{{env `ANNOUNCEMENTS`}}"
     },
     "sensitive-variables": ["client_secret", "github_feed_token"],
     "builders": [
@@ -89,11 +90,6 @@
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/helpers",
             "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
         },
-        {
-            "type": "file",
-            "source": "{{template_dir}}/announcements.md",
-            "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}/announcements.md"
-        },
         {
             "type": "file",
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/installers",
@@ -107,7 +103,8 @@
             "environment_vars": [
                 "IMAGE_VERSION={{user `image_version`}}",
                 "METADATA_FILE={{user `metadata_file`}}",
-                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
+                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}",
+                "ANNOUNCEMENTS={{user `announcements`}}"
             ],
             "execute_command": "sudo sh -c '{{ .Vars }} {{ .Path }}'"
         },
diff --git a/images/linux/ubuntu2004.json b/images/linux/ubuntu2004.json
index b83236a14..e8cd0ec45 100644
--- a/images/linux/ubuntu2004.json
+++ b/images/linux/ubuntu2004.json
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@
         "github_feed_token": null,
         "run_validation_diskspace": "false",
         "go_default": "1.14",
-        "go_versions": "1.14"
+        "go_versions": "1.14",
+        "announcements": "{{env `ANNOUNCEMENTS`}}"
     },
     "sensitive-variables": ["client_secret", "github_feed_token"],
     "builders": [
@@ -91,11 +92,6 @@
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/helpers",
             "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
         },
-        {
-            "type": "file",
-            "source": "{{template_dir}}/announcements.md",
-            "destination": "{{user `helper_script_folder`}}/announcements.md"
-        },
         {
             "type": "file",
             "source": "{{template_dir}}/scripts/installers",
@@ -109,7 +105,8 @@
             "environment_vars": [
                 "IMAGE_VERSION={{user `image_version`}}",
                 "METADATA_FILE={{user `metadata_file`}}",
-                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}"
+                "HELPER_SCRIPTS={{user `helper_script_folder`}}",
+                "ANNOUNCEMENTS={{user `announcements`}}"
             ],
             "execute_command": "sudo sh -c '{{ .Vars }} {{ .Path }}'"
         },
diff --git a/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json b/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
index ee4c5c7c9..a29928b86 100644
--- a/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
+++ b/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@
         "capture_name_prefix": "packer",
         "image_version": "dev",
         "image_os": "win16",
-        "github_feed_token": "{{env `GITHUB_FEED_TOKEN`}}"
+        "github_feed_token": "{{env `GITHUB_FEED_TOKEN`}}",
+        "announcements": "{{env `ANNOUNCEMENTS`}}"
     },
     "sensitive-variables": ["install_password", "ssh_password", "client_secret", "github_feed_token"],
     "builders": [
@@ -84,11 +85,6 @@
             "source": "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/SoftwareReport",
             "destination": "{{user `image_folder`}}"
         },
-        {
-            "type": "file",
-            "source": "{{ template_dir }}/announcements.md",
-            "destination": "{{user `image_folder`}}/SoftwareReport/announcements.md"
-        },
         {
             "type": "file",
             "source": "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Tests",
@@ -667,7 +663,8 @@
                 "pwsh -File '{{user `image_folder`}}\\SoftwareReport\\SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1'"
             ],
             "environment_vars":[
-                "TOOLSET_JSON_PATH={{user `toolset_json_path`}}"
+                "TOOLSET_JSON_PATH={{user `toolset_json_path`}}",
+                "ANNOUNCEMENTS={{user `announcements`}}"
             ]
         },
         {
diff --git a/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json b/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
index 137b52562..44059d360 100644
--- a/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
+++ b/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@
         "capture_name_prefix": "packer",
         "image_version": "dev",
         "image_os": "win19",
-        "github_feed_token": "{{env `GITHUB_FEED_TOKEN`}}"
+        "github_feed_token": "{{env `GITHUB_FEED_TOKEN`}}",
+        "announcements": "{{env `ANNOUNCEMENTS`}}"
     },
     "sensitive-variables": ["install_password", "ssh_password", "client_secret", "github_feed_token"],
     "builders": [
@@ -84,11 +85,6 @@
             "source": "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/SoftwareReport",
             "destination": "{{user `image_folder`}}"
         },
-        {
-            "type": "file",
-            "source": "{{ template_dir }}/announcements.md",
-            "destination": "{{user `image_folder`}}/SoftwareReport/announcements.md"
-        },
         {
             "type": "file",
             "source": "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Tests",
@@ -666,7 +662,8 @@
                 "pwsh -File '{{user `image_folder`}}\\SoftwareReport\\SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1'"
             ],
             "environment_vars":[
-                "TOOLSET_JSON_PATH={{user `toolset_json_path`}}"
+                "TOOLSET_JSON_PATH={{user `toolset_json_path`}}",
+                "ANNOUNCEMENTS={{user `announcements`}}"
             ]
         },
         {
diff --git a/images/win/scripts/SoftwareReport/SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1 b/images/win/scripts/SoftwareReport/SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1
index 7fefbf79b..2e69132e5 100644
--- a/images/win/scripts/SoftwareReport/SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1
+++ b/images/win/scripts/SoftwareReport/SoftwareReport.Generator.ps1
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@ Import-Module (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "SoftwareReport.VisualStudio.psm1") -Disa
 
 $markdown = ""
 
-$Announcements = Get-Content -Path $(Join-Path $PSScriptRoot "announcements.md") -Raw
-$markdown += $Announcements
-$markdown += New-MDNewLine
+if ($env:ANNOUNCEMENTS) {
+    $markdown += $env:ANNOUNCEMENTS
+    $markdown += New-MDNewLine
+    $markdown += "***"
+    $markdown += New-MDNewLine
+}
 
 $OSName = Get-OSName
 $markdown += New-MDHeader "$OSName" -Level 1