diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 4f75e03b30a9..b949c78be726 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -53,22 +53,31 @@ jobs:
   include:
     - stage: deploy
       # Don't deploy from PRs.
-      # The deployment logic for pushed branches is defined in scripts\travis\build.sh
+      # This is a Travis-specific boolean language: https://docs.travis-ci.com/user/conditional-builds-stages-jobs#Specifying-conditions
+      # The deployment logic for pushed branches is further defined in scripts\travis\build.sh
       if: type != pull_request
       env:
         - JOB=deploy
       before_script: skip
       script:
-        - "./scripts/travis/build.sh"
+        # Export the variables into the current process
+        - . ./scripts/travis/build.sh
+        - "echo DEPLOY_DOCS: $DEPLOY_DOCS, DEPLOY_CODE: $DEPLOY_CODE"
+      after_script: skip
       # Work around the 10min Travis timeout so the code.angularjs firebase+gcs code deploy can complete
+      # Only run the keep_alive once (before_deploy is run for each provider)
       before_deploy: |
-        function keep_alive() {
-          while true; do
-            echo -en "\a"
-            sleep 5
-          done
-        }
-        keep_alive &
+        if ! [ "$BEFORE_DEPLOY_RUN" ]; then
+          export BEFORE_DEPLOY_RUN=1;
+
+          function keep_alive() {
+            while true; do
+              echo -en "\a"
+              sleep 10
+            done
+          }
+          keep_alive &
+        fi
       deploy:
         - provider: firebase
           # the upload folder for firebase is configured in /firebase.json
@@ -78,7 +87,7 @@ jobs:
           on:
             repo: angular/angular.js
             all_branches: true
-            condition: $DEPLOY_DOCS
+            condition: "$DEPLOY_DOCS == true"
         - provider: gcs
           skip_cleanup: true
           access_key_id: GOOGLDB7W2J3LFHICF3R
@@ -90,5 +99,5 @@ jobs:
           on:
             repo: angular/angular.js
             all_branches: true
-            condition: $DEPLOY_CODE
+            condition: "$DEPLOY_CODE == true"
 
diff --git a/scripts/travis/build.sh b/scripts/travis/build.sh
index 860bf282a860..16b080bcc95f 100755
--- a/scripts/travis/build.sh
+++ b/scripts/travis/build.sh
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ case "$JOB" in
       export USE_JQUERY=1
     fi
 
-    export TARGET_SPECS="build/docs/ptore2e/**/default_test.js"
-
     if [[ "$TEST_TARGET" == jquery* ]]; then
       TARGET_SPECS="build/docs/ptore2e/**/jquery_test.js"
+    else
+      TARGET_SPECS="build/docs/ptore2e/**/default_test.js"
     fi
 
-    export TARGET_SPECS="test/e2e/tests/**/*.js,$TARGET_SPECS"
+    TARGET_SPECS="test/e2e/tests/**/*.js,$TARGET_SPECS"
     grunt test:travis-protractor --specs="$TARGET_SPECS"
     ;;
   "deploy")
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ case "$JOB" in
     # upload docs if the branch distTag from package.json is "latest" (i.e. stable branch)
     if [[ "$DIST_TAG" == latest ]]; then
       DEPLOY_DOCS=true
+    else
+      DEPLOY_DOCS=false
     fi
 
     # upload the build (code + docs) if ...
@@ -62,9 +64,11 @@ case "$JOB" in
     #   - or the branch distTag from package.json is "latest" (i.e. stable branch)
     if [[ "$TRAVIS_TAG" != '' || "$TRAVIS_BRANCH" == master || "$DIST_TAG" == latest ]]; then
       DEPLOY_CODE=true
+    else
+      DEPLOY_CODE=false
     fi
 
-    if [[ "$DEPLOY_DOCS" || "$DEPLOY_CODE" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$DEPLOY_DOCS" == true || "$DEPLOY_CODE" == true ]]; then
       grunt prepareFirebaseDeploy
     else
       echo "Skipping deployment build because conditions have not been met."