diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs.yml b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
index ff7b53e34..6d5ad6bac 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs.yml
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ jobs:
       run:
         shell: bash -el {0}
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
 
-      - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@a4260408e20b96e80095f42ff7f1a15b27dd94ca # v3.0.4
+      - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@d2e6a045a86077fb6cad6f5adf368e9076ddaa8d # v3.1.0
         with:
           activate-environment: constructor-docs
           environment-file: docs/environment.yml
diff --git a/.github/workflows/labels.yml b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
index 543a4dca6..d808d92a1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/labels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/labels.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
       GLOBAL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/conda/infra/main/.github/global.yml
       LOCAL: .github/labels.yml
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
 
       - id: has_local
         uses: andstor/file-existence-action@076e0072799f4942c8bc574a82233e1e4d13e9d6 # v3.0.0
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index b1e3a60f2..5597945ba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ jobs:
       PYTHONUNBUFFERED: "1"
     steps:
       - name: Retrieve the source code
-        uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+        uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
-      - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@a4260408e20b96e80095f42ff7f1a15b27dd94ca # v3.0.4
+      - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@d2e6a045a86077fb6cad6f5adf368e9076ddaa8d # v3.1.0
         with:
           activate-environment: constructor-dev
           environment-file: dev/environment.yml
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ jobs:
           pytest -vv --cov=constructor --cov-branch tests/ -m "not examples"
           coverage run --branch --append -m constructor -V
           coverage json
-      - uses: codecov/codecov-action@e28ff129e5465c2c0dcc6f003fc735cb6ae0c673 # v4.5.0
+      - uses: codecov/codecov-action@b9fd7d16f6d7d1b5d2bec1a2887e65ceed900238 # v4.6.0
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           flags: unit
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ jobs:
           pytest -vv --cov=constructor --cov-branch tests/test_examples.py
           coverage run --branch --append -m constructor -V
           coverage json
-      - uses: codecov/codecov-action@e28ff129e5465c2c0dcc6f003fc735cb6ae0c673 # v4.5.0
+      - uses: codecov/codecov-action@b9fd7d16f6d7d1b5d2bec1a2887e65ceed900238 # v4.6.0
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
           flags: integration
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ jobs:
           git diff --exit-code
       - name: Upload the example installers as artifacts
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' && matrix.python-version == '3.9'
-        uses: actions/upload-artifact@50769540e7f4bd5e21e526ee35c689e35e0d6874 # v4.4.0
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@b4b15b8c7c6ac21ea08fcf65892d2ee8f75cf882 # v4.4.3
         with:
           name: installers-${{ runner.os }}-${{ github.sha }}-${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_number }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
           path: "${{ runner.temp }}/examples_artifacts"
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Retrieve the source code
-        uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+        uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
       - name: Report failures
         uses: JasonEtco/create-an-issue@1b14a70e4d8dc185e5cc76d3bec9eab20257b2c5 # v2.9.2
         env:
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       # Clean checkout of specific git ref needed for package metadata version
       # which needs env vars GIT_DESCRIBE_TAG and GIT_BUILD_STR:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.ref }}
           clean: true
diff --git a/.github/workflows/update.yml b/.github/workflows/update.yml
index 91224cfec..df69f36aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update.yml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
           echo REPOSITORY=$(curl --silent ${{ github.event.issue.pull_request.url }} | jq --raw-output '.head.repo.full_name') >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo REF=$(curl --silent ${{ github.event.issue.pull_request.url }} | jq --raw-output '.head.ref') >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
-      - uses: actions/checkout@d632683dd7b4114ad314bca15554477dd762a938 # v4.2.0
+      - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v4.2.2
         with:
           repository: ${{ env.REPOSITORY || github.repository }}
           ref: ${{ env.REF || '' }}
diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 24e9873fc..1b027b6f6 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ ci:
 exclude: ^(versioneer.py|constructor/_version.py|CONSTRUCT.md|docs/source/construct-yaml.md)
 repos:
   - repo: https://github.com/pre-commit/pre-commit-hooks
-    rev: v4.6.0
+    rev: v5.0.0
     hooks:
       - id: check-added-large-files
       - id: check-ast
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ repos:
       - id: end-of-file-fixer
       - id: trailing-whitespace
   - repo: https://github.com/asottile/pyupgrade
-    rev: v3.17.0
+    rev: v3.19.0
     hooks:
       - id: pyupgrade
         args: ["--py38-plus", "--keep-percent-format"]
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ repos:
       - id: shellcheck
         exclude: ^(constructor/header.sh|constructor/osx/.*sh)
   - repo: https://github.com/python-jsonschema/check-jsonschema
-    rev: 0.29.3
+    rev: 0.29.4
     hooks:
       - id: check-github-workflows
diff --git a/CONSTRUCT.md b/CONSTRUCT.md
index 92d93b572..831af3d06 100644
--- a/CONSTRUCT.md
+++ b/CONSTRUCT.md
@@ -476,13 +476,16 @@ Path to a post-install script. Some notes:
   installation path is available as `${PREFIX}`. Installer metadata is
   available in the `${INSTALLER_NAME}`, `${INSTALLER_VER}`, `${INSTALLER_PLAT}`
   environment variables. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `SH`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` will be `"1"` in batch mode (`-b`), `"0"` otherwise.
 - For PKG installers, the shebang line is respected if present;
   otherwise, `bash` is used. The same variables mentioned for `sh`
   installers are available here. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `PKG`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` is not supported and always set to `"?"`.
 - For Windows `.exe` installers, the script must be a `.bat` file.
   Installation path is available as `%PREFIX%`. Metadata about
   the installer can be found in the `%INSTALLER_NAME%`, `%INSTALLER_VER%`,
   `%INSTALLER_PLAT%` environment variables. `%INSTALLER_TYPE%` is set to `EXE`.
+  `%INSTALLER_UNATTENDED%` will be `"1"` in silent mode (`/S`), `"0"` otherwise.
 
 If necessary, you can activate the installed `base` environment like this:
 
diff --git a/constructor/construct.py b/constructor/construct.py
index 1a3a2b9e7..f556f566f 100644
--- a/constructor/construct.py
+++ b/constructor/construct.py
@@ -350,13 +350,16 @@
   installation path is available as `${PREFIX}`. Installer metadata is
   available in the `${INSTALLER_NAME}`, `${INSTALLER_VER}`, `${INSTALLER_PLAT}`
   environment variables. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `SH`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` will be `"1"` in batch mode (`-b`), `"0"` otherwise.
 - For PKG installers, the shebang line is respected if present;
   otherwise, `bash` is used. The same variables mentioned for `sh`
   installers are available here. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `PKG`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` is not supported and always set to `"?"`.
 - For Windows `.exe` installers, the script must be a `.bat` file.
   Installation path is available as `%PREFIX%`. Metadata about
   the installer can be found in the `%INSTALLER_NAME%`, `%INSTALLER_VER%`,
   `%INSTALLER_PLAT%` environment variables. `%INSTALLER_TYPE%` is set to `EXE`.
+  `%INSTALLER_UNATTENDED%` will be `"1"` in silent mode (`/S`), `"0"` otherwise.
 
 If necessary, you can activate the installed `base` environment like this:
 
diff --git a/constructor/fcp.py b/constructor/fcp.py
index 96b191b36..e6f66dfa1 100644
--- a/constructor/fcp.py
+++ b/constructor/fcp.py
@@ -451,16 +451,18 @@ def main(info, verbose=True, dry_run=False, conda_exe="conda.exe"):
     # We need to preserve the configuration for proxy servers and ssl, otherwise if constructor is
     # running in a host that sits behind proxy (usually in a company / corporate environment) it
     # will have this settings reset with the call to conda_replace_context_default
+    # We can pass ssl_verify via env var, but proxy_servers is a mapping so we need to do it by hand
     # See: https://github.com/conda/constructor/issues/304
     proxy_servers = conda_context.proxy_servers
-    ssl_verify = conda_context.ssl_verify
-
+    _ssl_verify = conda_context.ssl_verify
     with env_vars({
         "CONDA_PKGS_DIRS": download_dir,
+        "CONDA_SSL_VERIFY": str(conda_context.ssl_verify),
     }, conda_replace_context_default):
-        # Restoring the state for both "proxy_servers" and "ssl_verify" to what was before
+        # Restoring the state for "proxy_servers" to what it was before
         conda_context.proxy_servers = proxy_servers
-        conda_context.ssl_verify = ssl_verify
+        assert conda_context.ssl_verify == _ssl_verify
+        assert conda_context.pkgs_dirs and conda_context.pkgs_dirs[0] == download_dir
 
         (
             pkg_records,
diff --git a/constructor/header.sh b/constructor/header.sh
index 2fe8ca107..f07212f95 100644
--- a/constructor/header.sh
+++ b/constructor/header.sh
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ while getopts "bifhkp:sut" x; do
     esac
 done
 
+# For pre- and post-install scripts
+export INSTALLER_UNATTENDED="$BATCH"
+
 # For testing, keep the package cache around longer
 CLEAR_AFTER_TEST=0
 if [ "$TEST" = "1" ] && [ "$KEEP_PKGS" = "0" ]; then
diff --git a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
index bbbe2f7fa..3bb66380e 100644
--- a/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
+++ b/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl
@@ -1250,6 +1250,11 @@ Section "Install"
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_VER", "${VERSION}").r0'
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_PLAT", "${PLATFORM}").r0'
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_TYPE", "EXE").r0'
+    ${If} ${Silent}
+        System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_UNATTENDED", "1").r0'
+    ${Else}
+        System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_UNATTENDED", "0").r0'
+    ${EndIf}
 
     ${If} '@VIRTUAL_SPECS@' != ''
     # We need to specify CONDA_SOLVER=classic for conda-standalone
@@ -1452,6 +1457,11 @@ Section "Uninstall"
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_VER", "$0").r0'
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_PLAT", "${PLATFORM}").r0'
     System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_TYPE", "EXE").r0'
+    ${If} ${Silent}
+        System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_UNATTENDED", "1").r0'
+    ${Else}
+        System::Call 'kernel32::SetEnvironmentVariable(t,t)i("INSTALLER_UNATTENDED", "0").r0'
+    ${EndIf}
 
     !insertmacro AbortRetryNSExecWaitLibNsisCmd "pre_uninstall"
     !insertmacro AbortRetryNSExecWaitLibNsisCmd "rmpath"
diff --git a/constructor/osx/run_user_script.sh b/constructor/osx/run_user_script.sh
index 61816160f..ca325f9d5 100644
--- a/constructor/osx/run_user_script.sh
+++ b/constructor/osx/run_user_script.sh
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export INSTALLER_NAME="__NAME__"
 export INSTALLER_VER="__VERSION__"
 export INSTALLER_PLAT="__PLAT__"
 export INSTALLER_TYPE="PKG"
+export INSTALLER_UNATTENDED="?"
 export PRE_OR_POST="__PRE_OR_POST__"
 _SCRIPT_ENV_VARIABLES_=''  # Templated extra environment variable(s)
 
diff --git a/docs/source/construct-yaml.md b/docs/source/construct-yaml.md
index 92d93b572..831af3d06 100644
--- a/docs/source/construct-yaml.md
+++ b/docs/source/construct-yaml.md
@@ -476,13 +476,16 @@ Path to a post-install script. Some notes:
   installation path is available as `${PREFIX}`. Installer metadata is
   available in the `${INSTALLER_NAME}`, `${INSTALLER_VER}`, `${INSTALLER_PLAT}`
   environment variables. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `SH`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` will be `"1"` in batch mode (`-b`), `"0"` otherwise.
 - For PKG installers, the shebang line is respected if present;
   otherwise, `bash` is used. The same variables mentioned for `sh`
   installers are available here. `${INSTALLER_TYPE}` is set to `PKG`.
+  `${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}` is not supported and always set to `"?"`.
 - For Windows `.exe` installers, the script must be a `.bat` file.
   Installation path is available as `%PREFIX%`. Metadata about
   the installer can be found in the `%INSTALLER_NAME%`, `%INSTALLER_VER%`,
   `%INSTALLER_PLAT%` environment variables. `%INSTALLER_TYPE%` is set to `EXE`.
+  `%INSTALLER_UNATTENDED%` will be `"1"` in silent mode (`/S`), `"0"` otherwise.
 
 If necessary, you can activate the installed `base` environment like this:
 
diff --git a/examples/scripts/post_install.bat b/examples/scripts/post_install.bat
index 7a435cafc..7916add93 100644
--- a/examples/scripts/post_install.bat
+++ b/examples/scripts/post_install.bat
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ if not "%INSTALLER_NAME%" == "Scripts" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_VER%" == "X" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_PLAT%" == "win-64" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_TYPE%" == "EXE" exit 1
+if not "%INSTALLER_UNATTENDED%" == "1" exit 1
 if "%PREFIX%" == "" exit 1
 if not "%CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1%" == "FIR$T-CUSTOM_STRING WITH SPACES AND @*! CHARACTERS" exit 1
 if not "%CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2%" == "$ECOND-CUSTOM_STRING WITH SPACES AND @*! CHARACTERS" exit 1
diff --git a/examples/scripts/post_install.sh b/examples/scripts/post_install.sh
index 1db67d136..db0509f26 100644
--- a/examples/scripts/post_install.sh
+++ b/examples/scripts/post_install.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ echo "INSTALLER_NAME=${INSTALLER_NAME}"
 echo "INSTALLER_VER=${INSTALLER_VER}"
 echo "INSTALLER_PLAT=${INSTALLER_PLAT}"
 echo "INSTALLER_TYPE=${INSTALLER_TYPE}"
+echo "INSTALLER_UNATTENDED=${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}"
 echo "CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1=${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1}"
 echo "CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2=${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2}"
 echo "PREFIX=${PREFIX}"
@@ -20,6 +21,10 @@ test "${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1}" = 'FIR$T-CUSTOM_'\''STRING'\'' WITH SPACES AND @*! "
 # shellcheck disable=SC2016 # String interpolation disabling is deliberate
 test "${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2}" = '$ECOND-CUSTOM_'\''STRING'\'' WITH SPACES AND @*! "CHARACTERS"'
 
+if [[ "${INSTALLER_TYPE}" == "SH" ]]; then
+    test "${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}" = "1"
+fi
+
 if [[ $(uname -s) == Linux ]]; then
     if [[ ${INSTALLER_PLAT} != linux-* ]]; then
         exit 1
diff --git a/examples/scripts/pre_install.bat b/examples/scripts/pre_install.bat
index 5ece67c31..ec4fce07c 100644
--- a/examples/scripts/pre_install.bat
+++ b/examples/scripts/pre_install.bat
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ if not "%INSTALLER_NAME%" == "Scripts" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_VER%" == "X" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_PLAT%" == "win-64" exit 1
 if not "%INSTALLER_TYPE%" == "EXE" exit 1
+if not "%INSTALLER_UNATTENDED%" == "1" exit 1
 if "%PREFIX%" == "" exit 1
 if not "%CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1%" == "FIR$T-CUSTOM_STRING WITH SPACES AND @*! CHARACTERS" exit 1
 if not "%CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2%" == "$ECOND-CUSTOM_STRING WITH SPACES AND @*! CHARACTERS" exit 1
diff --git a/examples/scripts/pre_install.sh b/examples/scripts/pre_install.sh
index df0806980..753db8121 100644
--- a/examples/scripts/pre_install.sh
+++ b/examples/scripts/pre_install.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ echo "INSTALLER_NAME=${INSTALLER_NAME}"
 echo "INSTALLER_VER=${INSTALLER_VER}"
 echo "INSTALLER_PLAT=${INSTALLER_PLAT}"
 echo "INSTALLER_TYPE=${INSTALLER_TYPE}"
+echo "INSTALLER_UNATTENDED=${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}"
 echo "CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1=${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1}"
 echo "CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2=${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2}"
 echo "PREFIX=${PREFIX}"
@@ -17,6 +18,10 @@ test "${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_1}" = 'FIR$T-CUSTOM_'\''STRING'\'' WITH SPACES AND @*! "
 # shellcheck disable=SC2016 # String interpolation disabling is deliberate
 test "${CUSTOM_VARIABLE_2}" = '$ECOND-CUSTOM_'\''STRING'\'' WITH SPACES AND @*! "CHARACTERS"'
 
+if [[ "${INSTALLER_TYPE}" == "SH" ]]; then
+    test "${INSTALLER_UNATTENDED}" = "1"
+fi
+
 if [[ $(uname -s) == Linux ]]; then
     if [[ ${INSTALLER_PLAT} != linux-* ]]; then
         exit 1
diff --git a/news/860-ssl-verify b/news/860-ssl-verify
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bb2e4000
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/860-ssl-verify
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* Respect `ssl_verify` setting if defined in any `condarc` file. (#851 via #860)
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/news/885-installer-unattended b/news/885-installer-unattended
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4ee1d139
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/885-installer-unattended
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+### Enhancements
+
+* Export `INSTALLER_UNATTENDED` environment variable so pre- and post-install scripts can detect if the installer is running in batch/silent mode or not. (#882 via #885)
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Deprecations
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Docs
+
+* <news item>
+
+### Other
+
+* <news item>