diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8605aa300..8ebe15a1c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ jobs:
           PKG_CONFIG_PATH: BUILD_native_mixed\INSTALL\lib\pkgconfig;BUILD_native_static\INSTALL\lib\pkgconfig
           CC: cl.exe
           CXX: cl.exe
+          CFLAGS: -IBUILD_native_static\INSTALL\include
         run: |
           meson.exe setup build . -Ddefault_library=static
           type build/meson-logs/meson-log.txt
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 9aa6a65b0..e023ce03a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public_conf.set('LIBZIM_WITH_XAPIAN', xapian_dep.found())
 pkg_requires = ['liblzma', 'libzstd']
 if build_machine.system() == 'windows'
     extra_link_args = ['-lRpcrt4', '-lWs2_32', '-lwinmm', '-licuuc', '-licuin']
-    extra_cpp_args = ['-DSORTPP_PASS']
+    extra_cpp_args = ['-DSORTPP_PASS', '-ID:\\a\\libzim\\libzim\\BUILD_native_static\\INSTALL\\include']
 else
     extra_link_args = []
     extra_cpp_args = []