diff --git a/build.proj b/build.proj
index 793fd4888e..eb54b86188 100644
--- a/build.proj
+++ b/build.proj
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@
     <Message Importance="High" Text="Building packages ..." />
 
     <ItemGroup>
-      <PkgProject Include="pkg\Microsoft.ML.Auto\Microsoft.ML.Auto.nupkgproj" />
+      <PkgProject Include="pkg\Microsoft.ML.Auto\*.nupkgproj" />
+      <PkgProject Include="pkg\mlnet\*.nupkgproj" />
     </ItemGroup>
 
     <MSBuild Projects="@(PkgProject)"
diff --git a/build/vsts-ci.yml b/build/vsts-ci.yml
index f17a78d4f5..d5845e64a5 100644
--- a/build/vsts-ci.yml
+++ b/build/vsts-ci.yml
@@ -8,113 +8,110 @@ resources:
     image: mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet-buildtools/prereqs:centos-7-mlnet-8bba86b-20190314145033
 
 phases:
-################################################################################
-- phase: Linux
-################################################################################
-  variables:
-    BuildConfig: Release
-    OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
-    DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
-    DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
-    DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
-  queue:
-    name: DotNet-Build
-    demands:
-    - agent.os -equals linux
-    container: CentosContainer
-  steps:
-  # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
-  - script: echo no-op
-  # - script: ./build.sh -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
-    displayName: Build
+# ################################################################################
+# - phase: Linux
+# ################################################################################
+#   variables:
+#     BuildConfig: Release
+#     OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
+#     DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
+#     DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
+#     DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
+#   queue:
+#     name: DotNet-Build
+#     demands:
+#     - agent.os -equals linux
+#     container: CentosContainer
+#   steps:
+#   # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
+#   - script: ./build.sh -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
+#     displayName: Build
 
-  # - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
-  #   displayName: Publish Linux package assets
-  #   inputs:
-  #     pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
-  #     artifactName: PackageAssets
-  #     artifactType: container
+#   - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
+#     displayName: Publish Linux package assets
+#     inputs:
+#       pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
+#       artifactName: PackageAssets
+#       artifactType: container
 
-################################################################################
-- phase: MacOS
-################################################################################
-  variables:
-    BuildConfig: Release
-    OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
-    DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
-    DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
-    DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
-  queue:
-    name: DotNetCore-Build
-    demands:
-    - agent.os -equals Darwin
-  steps:
-  - script: echo no-op
-  # - script: brew update && brew install libomp && brew link libomp --force
-    displayName: Install build dependencies
-  # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
-  # - script: ./build.sh -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
-  #   displayName: Build
+# ################################################################################
+# - phase: MacOS
+# ################################################################################
+#   variables:
+#     BuildConfig: Release
+#     OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
+#     DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
+#     DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
+#     DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
+#   queue:
+#     name: DotNetCore-Build
+#     demands:
+#     - agent.os -equals Darwin
+#   steps:
+#   - script: brew update && brew install libomp && brew link libomp --force
+#     displayName: Install build dependencies
+#   # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
+#   - script: ./build.sh -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
+#     displayName: Build
 
-  # - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
-  #   displayName: Publish macOS package assets
-  #   inputs:
-  #     pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
-  #     artifactName: PackageAssets
-  #     artifactType: container
+#   - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
+#     displayName: Publish macOS package assets
+#     inputs:
+#       pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
+#       artifactName: PackageAssets
+#       artifactType: container
 
-################################################################################
-- phase: Windows_x86
-################################################################################
-  variables:
-    BuildConfig: Release
-    OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
-    DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
-    DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
-    DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
-    _SignType: real
-    _UseEsrpSigning: true
-    _TeamName: DotNetCore
-  queue:
-    name: DotNetCore-Build
-    demands: 
-      - agent.os -equals Windows_NT
-  steps:
+# ################################################################################
+# - phase: Windows_x86
+# ################################################################################
+#   variables:
+#     BuildConfig: Release
+#     OfficialBuildId: $(BUILD.BUILDNUMBER)
+#     DOTNET_CLI_TELEMETRY_OPTOUT: 1
+#     DOTNET_SKIP_FIRST_TIME_EXPERIENCE: 1
+#     DOTNET_MULTILEVEL_LOOKUP: 0
+#     _SignType: real
+#     _UseEsrpSigning: true
+#     _TeamName: DotNetCore
+#   queue:
+#     name: DotNetCore-Build
+#     demands: 
+#       - agent.os -equals Windows_NT
+#   steps:
 
-  # - task: ms-vseng.MicroBuildTasks.30666190-6959-11e5-9f96-f56098202fef.MicroBuildSigningPlugin@1
-  #   displayName: Install MicroBuild Signing Plugin
-  #   inputs:
-  #     signType: '$(_SignType)'
-  #     zipSources: false
-  #     esrpSigning: '$(_UseEsrpSigning)'
-  #   env:
-  #     TeamName: $(_TeamName)
-  #   continueOnError: false
-  #   condition: and(succeeded(), in(variables._SignType, 'real', 'test'))
+#   - task: ms-vseng.MicroBuildTasks.30666190-6959-11e5-9f96-f56098202fef.MicroBuildSigningPlugin@1
+#     displayName: Install MicroBuild Signing Plugin
+#     inputs:
+#       signType: '$(_SignType)'
+#       zipSources: false
+#       esrpSigning: '$(_UseEsrpSigning)'
+#     env:
+#       TeamName: $(_TeamName)
+#     continueOnError: false
+#     condition: and(succeeded(), in(variables._SignType, 'real', 'test'))
 
-  # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
-  # - script: ./build.cmd -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -buildArch=x86 -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
-  - script: echo no-op
-    displayName: Build
+#   # Only build native assets to avoid conflicts.
+#   - script: ./build.cmd -buildNative -$(BuildConfig) -buildArch=x86 -skipRIDAgnosticAssets
+#     displayName: Build
   
-  # - task: MSBuild@1
-  #   displayName: Sign Windows_x86 Binaries
-  #   inputs:
-  #     solution: build/sign.proj
-  #     msbuildArguments: /p:SignType=$(_SignType)
-  #     msbuildVersion: 15.0
-  #   continueOnError: false
+#   - task: MSBuild@1
+#     displayName: Sign Windows_x86 Binaries
+#     inputs:
+#       solution: build/sign.proj
+#       msbuildArguments: /p:SignType=$(_SignType)
+#       msbuildVersion: 15.0
+#     continueOnError: false
 
-  # - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
-  #   displayName: Publish Windows_x86 package assets
-  #   inputs:
-  #     pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
-  #     artifactName: PackageAssets
-  #     artifactType: container
-
-  # Terminate all dotnet build processes.
-  # - script: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/Tools/dotnetcli/dotnet.exe build-server shutdown
-  #   displayName: Dotnet Server Shutdown
+#   - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
+#     displayName: Publish Windows_x86 package assets
+#     inputs:
+#       pathToPublish: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/bin/obj/packages
+#       artifactName: PackageAssets
+#       artifactType: container
+#
+#   # Terminate all dotnet build processes.
+#   - script: $(Build.SourcesDirectory)/Tools/dotnetcli/dotnet.exe build-server shutdown
+#     displayName: Dotnet Server Shutdown
 
 ################################################################################
 - phase: Windows_x64
@@ -172,9 +169,9 @@ phases:
 - phase: Package
 ################################################################################
   dependsOn:
-  - Linux
-  - MacOS
-  - Windows_x86
+  # - Linux
+  # - MacOS
+  # - Windows_x86
   - Windows_x64
   variables:
     BuildConfig: Release
diff --git a/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.nupkgproj b/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.nupkgproj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ba75027733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.nupkgproj
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk" DefaultTargets="Pack">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.1</TargetFramework>
+    <PackageDescription>ML.NET command line tool.</PackageDescription>
+    <PackageType>DotNetCliTool</PackageType>
+    <ToolCommandName>mlnet</ToolCommandName>
+    <PackAsTool>true</PackAsTool>
+    <CopyBuildOutputToPublishDirectory>false</CopyBuildOutputToPublishDirectory>
+    <GenerateDependencyFile>false</GenerateDependencyFile>
+    <CopyOutputSymbolsToPublishDirectory>false</CopyOutputSymbolsToPublishDirectory>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.CodeAnalysis" Version="2.10.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="NLog" Version="4.5.11" />
+    <PackageReference Include="System.CodeDom" Version="4.5.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="System.CommandLine.Experimental" Version="0.2.0-alpha.19174.3" />
+    <PackageReference Include="System.Text.Encoding.CodePages" Version="4.5.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.ApplicationInsights" Version="2.9.1" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.DotNet.PlatformAbstractions" Version="2.1.0" />
+    <!-- references from AutoML -->
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.ML" Version="1.0.0-preview" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.ML.LightGBM" Version="1.0.0-preview" />
+    <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.ML.Mkl.Components" Version="1.0.0-preview" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
+  <Target Name="CreateManifestResourceNames" />
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.symbols.nupkgproj b/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.symbols.nupkgproj
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5159655b54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/mlnet/mlnet.symbols.nupkgproj
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk" DefaultTargets="Pack">
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.1</TargetFramework>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <Content Remove="$(PackageAssetsPath)$(PackageIdFolderName)\tools\**\*"/>
+    <Content Include="$(PackageAssetsPath)$(PackageIdFolderName)\tools\**\mlnet.dll" Pack="true" PackagePath="tools" />
+    <Content Include="$(PackageAssetsPath)$(PackageIdFolderName)\tools\**\mlnet.pdb" Pack="true" PackagePath="tools" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.ML.Auto/Microsoft.ML.Auto.csproj b/src/Microsoft.ML.Auto/Microsoft.ML.Auto.csproj
index c9550f1d7d..d28dd9f3aa 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.ML.Auto/Microsoft.ML.Auto.csproj
+++ b/src/Microsoft.ML.Auto/Microsoft.ML.Auto.csproj
@@ -19,5 +19,13 @@
     <GenerateDocumentationFile>true</GenerateDocumentationFile>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
- 
+  <!-- here we place this assembly into CLI package dir so it gets included in CLI nuget -->
+  <Import Project="..\mlnet\mlnet.Build.props" />
+
+  <Target Name="PrepareMlNetCLIPackageAssets" BeforeTargets="PreparePackageAssets">
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(TargetPath)" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+  </Target>
+
 </Project>
diff --git a/src/mlnet/mlnet.Build.props b/src/mlnet/mlnet.Build.props
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b420192fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mlnet/mlnet.Build.props
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<Project>
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <MlNetPackagePath>mlnet\tools\netcoreapp2.1\any\</MlNetPackagePath>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mlnet/mlnet.csproj b/src/mlnet/mlnet.csproj
index d68e5b154d..4dd25afdc0 100644
--- a/src/mlnet/mlnet.csproj
+++ b/src/mlnet/mlnet.csproj
@@ -3,11 +3,7 @@
   <PropertyGroup>
     <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
     <TargetFramework>netcoreapp2.1</TargetFramework>
-    <PackAsTool>true</PackAsTool>
     <RootNamespace>Microsoft.ML.CLI</RootNamespace>
-    <ToolCommandName>mlnet</ToolCommandName>
-    <PackageId>mlnet</PackageId>
-    <Authors>mlnet</Authors>
     <!-- TODO: make the code compliant and remove the following two lines: -->
     <UseStyleCopAnalyzer>false</UseStyleCopAnalyzer>
     <UseMLCodeAnalyzer>false</UseMLCodeAnalyzer>
@@ -106,4 +102,14 @@
     </None>
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <Import Project="mlnet.Build.props" />
+  <Target Name="PrepareMlNetCLIPackageAssets" BeforeTargets="PreparePackageAssets">
+    <ItemGroup>
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(TargetPath)" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(ProjectDepsFilePath)" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(ProjectRuntimeConfigFilePath)" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(TargetDir)\NLog.config" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+      <PackageAsset Include="$(TargetDir)\mlnet.pdb" RelativePath="$(MlNetPackagePath)" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+  </Target>
 </Project>