diff --git a/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json b/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
index fcb0ed4ca..b40335295 100644
--- a/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
+++ b/images/win/Windows2016-Azure.json
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@
                 "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Install-Bazel.ps1"
             ]
         },
+        {
+            "type": "powershell",
+            "scripts":[
+                "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Validate-SQLExpress.ps1"
+            ]
+        },
         {
             "type": "powershell",
             "scripts":[
@@ -455,6 +461,14 @@
                 "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Install-MysqlCli.ps1"
             ]
         },
+        {
+            "type": "powershell",
+            "elevated_user": "SYSTEM",
+            "elevated_password": "",
+            "scripts":[
+                "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1"
+            ]
+        },
         {
             "type": "powershell",
             "scripts":[
diff --git a/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json b/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
index 732d417dd..20711d802 100644
--- a/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
+++ b/images/win/Windows2019-Azure.json
@@ -438,8 +438,10 @@
         },
         {
             "type": "powershell",
+            "elevated_user": "SYSTEM",
+            "elevated_password": "",
             "scripts":[
-                "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Windows2019/Install-SQLExpress.ps1"
+                "{{ template_dir }}/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1"
             ]
         },
         {
diff --git a/images/win/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1 b/images/win/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1
index 4cb6deae1..707687295 100644
--- a/images/win/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1
+++ b/images/win/scripts/Installers/Install-SQLExpress.ps1
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #Download web-installer
+Set-Item .\MaxMemoryPerShellMB 4096
 $installerUrl = "https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=866658"
 $installerName = "SQL2019-SSEI-Expr.exe"
 $installerPath = "${env:Temp}\$installerName"
@@ -9,12 +10,45 @@ $downloadPath = "C:\SQLEXPRESS2019"
 $setupPath = Join-Path $downloadPath "SQLEXPR_x64_ENU"
 $downloadArgs = ("/MEDIAPATH=$downloadPath", "/MEDIATYPE=Core","/Action=Download", "/QUIET")
 $installArgs = ("/Q", "/IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS")
-$args = ("/Q", "/IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS", "/Action=Install", "/INSTANCEID=SQL2020", "/INSTANCENAME=SQL2020", "/SECURITYMODE=SQL", "/SAPWD=P@ssword!!", "/TCPENABLED=1")
+$args = ("/c", "$setupPath/SETUP.exe", "/Q", "/IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS", "/Action=Install", "/INSTANCEID=SQL2019", "/INSTANCENAME=SQL2019", "/SECURITYMODE=SQL", "/SAPWD=P@ssword!!", "/TCPENABLED=1")
 Write-Host "Downloading SQL Express setup package"
-Start-Process -FilePath $installerPath -ArgumentList $downloadArgs -Wait -PassThru
+$process = Start-Process -FilePath $installerPath -ArgumentList $downloadArgs -Wait -PassThru
+$exitCode = $process.ExitCode
+if ($exitCode -eq 0)
+{
+    Write-Host -Object 'Downloaded successfully'
+    Write-Host $exitCode
+}
+  else
+{
+    Write-Host -Object "Non zero exit code returned by the installation process : $exitCode."
+    exit $exitCode
+}
 #Unpack and run setup-package
 Set-Location -Path $downloadPath
 Write-Host "Unpack SQL Express setup package"
-Start-Process -FilePath "$setupPath.exe" -ArgumentList $installArgs -Wait -PassThru
+$process = Start-Process -FilePath "$setupPath.exe" -ArgumentList $installArgs -Wait -PassThru
+$exitCode = $process.ExitCode
+if ($exitCode -eq 0)
+{
+    Write-Host -Object 'Unpacked successfully'
+    Write-Host $exitCode
+}
+  else
+{
+    Write-Host -Object "Non zero exit code returned by the installation process : $exitCode."
+    Write-Host $exitCode
+}
 Write-Host "Run SQL Express setup package"
-Start-Process -FilePath "$setupPath/SETUP.exe" -ArgumentList $args -Wait -PassThru
\ No newline at end of file
+$process = Start-Process -FilePath cmd.exe -ArgumentList $args -Wait -PassThru
+$exitCode = $process.ExitCode
+if ($exitCode -eq 0)
+{
+    Write-Host -Object 'Installed successfully'
+    Write-Host $exitCode
+}
+  else
+{
+    Write-Host -Object "Non zero exit code returned by the installation process : $exitCode."
+    exit $exitCode
+}
\ No newline at end of file