diff --git a/parts/common/components.json b/parts/common/components.json
index f9aa47eb7c7..0a0fdf40bf3 100644
--- a/parts/common/components.json
+++ b/parts/common/components.json
@@ -820,7 +820,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "0.0.50"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@
                 "latestVersion": "1.1.5"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/ccgakvplugin/v1.1.5/binaries/windows-gmsa-ccgakvplugin-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/ccgakvplugin/v1.1.5/binaries/windows-gmsa-ccgakvplugin-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@
                 "latestVersion": "1.1.2-hotfix.20230807"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/csi-proxy/v[version]/binaries/csi-proxy-v[version].tar.gz"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/csi-proxy/v${version}/binaries/csi-proxy-v${version}.tar.gz"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "1.30.0"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/cloud-provider-azure/v[version]/binaries/azure-acr-credential-provider-windows-amd64-v[version].tar.gz"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/cloud-provider-azure/v${version}/binaries/azure-acr-credential-provider-windows-amd64-v${version}.tar.gz"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@
                 "latestVersion": "3.24.0"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/calico-node/v[version]/binaries/calico-windows-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/calico-node/v${version}/binaries/calico-windows-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "1.5.38"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v[version]/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-windows-amd64-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v${version}/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-windows-amd64-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "1.4.58"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v[version]/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-swift-windows-amd64-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v${version}/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-swift-windows-amd64-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -943,7 +943,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "1.4.58"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v[version]/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-overlay-windows-amd64-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/azure-cni/v${version}/binaries/azure-vnet-cni-overlay-windows-amd64-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "v1.7.17-azure.1"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/[version]/binaries/containerd-[version]-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/${version}/binaries/containerd-${version}-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
           },
           "ws2022": {
             "versionsV2": [
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "v1.7.17-azure.1"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/[version]/binaries/containerd-[version]-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/${version}/binaries/containerd-${version}-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
           },
           "default": {
             "versionsV2": [
@@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@
                 "previousLatestVersion": "v1.7.17-azure.1"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/[version]/binaries/containerd-[version]-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/containerd/windows/${version}/binaries/containerd-${version}-windows-amd64.tar.gz"
           }
         },
         "default": {
@@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@
               }
             ],
             "downloadURL": "mcr.microsoft.com/oss/binaries/kubernetes/kubernetes-node:${version}-linux-${CPU_ARCH}",
-            "windowsDownloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/kubernetes/[version]/windowszip/[version]-1int.zip"
+            "windowsDownloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/kubernetes/${version}/windowszip/${version}-1int.zip"
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.ps1 b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.ps1
index afa20634ce8..d5fde34bdaf 100644
--- a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.ps1
+++ b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.ps1
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+
+function SafeReplaceString {
+    Param(
+        [Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]
+        $stringToReplace
+    )
+
+    $stringToReplace = &{
+        Clear-Variable -Name * -Exclude version,CPU_ARCH,stringToReplace -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+        $executionContext.InvokeCommand.ExpandString($stringToReplace)
+    }
+
+    return $stringToReplace
+}
+
+
 function GetComponentsFromComponentsJson
 {
     Param(
@@ -26,12 +42,16 @@ function GetComponentsFromComponentsJson
             $skuMatch = $windowsVersion.windowsSkuMatch
             if ($skuMatch -eq $null -or $windowsSku -eq $null -or $windowsSku -Like $skuMatch)
             {
-                $url = $downloadUrl.replace("*", $windowsVersion.latestVersion)
+                $version = $windowsVersion.latestVersion
+                $url = SafeReplaceString($downloadUrl)
+                $url = $url.replace("*", $windowsVersion.latestVersion)
                 $output += $url
 
                 if (-not [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion))
                 {
-                    $url = $downloadUrl.replace("*", $windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion)
+                    $version = $windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion
+                    $url = SafeReplaceString($downloadUrl)
+                    $url = $url.replace("*", $windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion)
                     $output += $url
                 }
             }
@@ -102,12 +122,14 @@ function GetPackagesFromComponentsJson
 
         foreach ($windowsVersion in $items)
         {
-            $url = $downloadUrl.replace("[version]", $windowsVersion.latestVersion)
+            $version = $windowsVersion.latestVersion
+            $url = SafeReplaceString($downloadUrl)
             $thisList += $url
 
             if (-not [string]::IsNullOrEmpty($windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion))
             {
-                $url = $downloadUrl.replace("[version]", $windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion)
+                $version = $windowsVersion.previousLatestVersion
+                $url = SafeReplaceString($downloadUrl)
                 $thisList += $url
             }
         }
diff --git a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.tests.ps1 b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.tests.ps1
index d9a6445f5dd..63616b88ff7 100644
--- a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.tests.ps1
+++ b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/components_json_helpers.tests.ps1
@@ -3,6 +3,36 @@ BeforeAll {
     . $PSCommandPath.Replace('.tests.ps1', '.ps1')
 }
 
+Describe 'SafeReplaceString' {
+    It 'given no vars are present, it returns the string' {
+        SafeReplaceString "this is a string" | Should -Be "this is a string"
+    }
+
+    It 'given version var is present, it replaces version' {
+        # set the str before the $version env var so that we know it's being replaced in the function.
+        $str = "this is a `${version}` string"
+        $version = "versioned"
+        SafeReplaceString $str | Should -Be "this is a versioned string"
+    }
+
+    It 'given CPU_ARCH var is present, it replaces version' {
+        # set the str before the $version env var so that we know it's being replaced in the function.
+        $str = "this is an `${CPU_ARCH}` string"
+        $CPU_ARCH = "architecture"
+        SafeReplaceString $str | Should -Be "this is an architecture string"
+    }
+
+    It 'given BOBBY var is present, it replaces with empty string' {
+        # set the str before the $version env var so that we know it's being replaced in the function.
+        $str = "this is an `${BOBBY}` string"
+        $BOBBY = "architecture"
+        SafeReplaceString $str | Should -Be "this is an  string"
+    }
+
+}
+
+
+
 Describe 'GetWindowsDefenderInfo' {
     BeforeEach {
         $testString = '{
@@ -344,7 +374,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
                 "previousLatestVersion": "0.0.51"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -385,7 +415,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
             }
         )
         $componentsJson.Packages[0].windowsDownloadLocation = "location"
-        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v`${version}.zip"
 
         $packages = GetPackagesFromComponentsJson $componentsJson
 
@@ -403,7 +433,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
             }
         )
         $componentsJson.Packages[0].windowsDownloadLocation = "location"
-        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v`${version}.zip"
 
         $packages = GetPackagesFromComponentsJson $componentsJson
 
@@ -418,7 +448,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
             }
         )
         $componentsJson.Packages[0].windowsDownloadLocation = "location"
-        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+        $componentsJson.Packages[0].downloadUris.windows.default.downloadURL = "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v`${version}.zip"
 
         $packages = GetPackagesFromComponentsJson $componentsJson
 
@@ -439,7 +469,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
                 "latestVersion": "0.0.48"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -455,7 +485,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
                 "latestVersion": "0.0.49"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -484,7 +514,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
                 "latestVersion": "0.0.49"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           },
           "default": {
             "versionsV2": [
@@ -493,7 +523,7 @@ Describe 'Gets the Binaries' {
                 "latestVersion": "0.0.48"
               }
             ],
-            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v[version].zip"
+            "downloadURL": "https://acs-mirror.azureedge.net/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v${version}.zip"
           }
         }
       }
@@ -522,6 +552,36 @@ Describe 'Gets The Versions' {
         $componentsJson = echo $testString | ConvertFrom-Json
     }
 
+    It 'replaces CPU_ARCH in the string' {
+        $componentsJson.ContainerImages[0].windowsVersions = @(
+            [PSCustomObject]@{
+                latestVersion = "1.8.22"
+            }
+        )
+        $componentsJson.ContainerImages[0].downloadURL = "mcr.microsoft.com/oss/kubernetes/autoscaler/`${CPU_ARCH}/addon-resizer:*"
+
+        $CPU_ARCH="x86"
+        $components = GetComponentsFromComponentsJson $componentsJson
+
+        $components | Should -HaveCount 1
+        $components | Should -Contain "mcr.microsoft.com/oss/kubernetes/autoscaler/x86/addon-resizer:1.8.22"
+    }
+
+    It 'does not replace varvarvar in the string' {
+        $componentsJson.ContainerImages[0].windowsVersions = @(
+            [PSCustomObject]@{
+                latestVersion = "1.8.22"
+            }
+        )
+        $componentsJson.ContainerImages[0].downloadURL = "mcr.microsoft.com/oss/kubernetes/autoscaler/`${varvarvar}/addon-resizer:*"
+
+        $varvarvar="x86"
+        $components = GetComponentsFromComponentsJson $componentsJson
+
+        $components | Should -HaveCount 1
+        $components | Should -Contain "mcr.microsoft.com/oss/kubernetes/autoscaler//addon-resizer:1.8.22"
+    }
+
     It 'given there are no container images, it returns an empty array' {
         $componentsJson.ContainerImages = @()
 
diff --git a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/windows-vhd-configuration.ps1 b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/windows-vhd-configuration.ps1
index dfc9fd45924..2e5c2e42377 100644
--- a/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/windows-vhd-configuration.ps1
+++ b/vhdbuilder/packer/windows/windows-vhd-configuration.ps1
@@ -13,6 +13,27 @@ $global:aksToolsDir = "c:\aks-tools"
 # We need to guarantee that the node provisioning will not fail because the vhd is full before resize-osdisk is called in AKS Windows CSE script.
 $global:lowestFreeSpace = 1*1024*1024*1024 # 1GB
 
+$cpu = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_Processor
+$CPU_ARCH = switch ($cpu.Architecture) {
+    0 { "amd64" } # x86
+    1 { "" } # MIPS
+    2 { "" } # Alpha
+    3 { "" } # PowerPC
+    5 { "arm64" } # ARM
+    6 { "amd64" } # Itanium
+    9 { "amd64" } # x64
+    default { "" }
+}
+
+Write-Output ($cpu | ConvertTo-Json)
+
+if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($CPU_ARCH)) {
+    $cpuName = $cpu.Name
+    $cpuArch = $cpu.Architecture
+    Write-Output "Unknown architecture for CPU $cpuName with arch $cpuArch"
+    throw "Unsupported architecture for SKU $windowsSKU for CPU $cpuName with arch $cpuArch"
+}
+
 $HelpersFile = "c:/k/components_json_helpers.ps1"
 $ComponentsJsonFile = "c:/k/components.json"
 $WindowsSettingsFile = "c:/k/windows_settings.json"