diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8e6c23424ff6e276181f12b1c05568fb12414341..14be11063af11aaa944796f26a2b226dc47caa5c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ skip = ["cp36-*", "cp37-*"]
 [tool.cibuildwheel.windows.config-settings]
 "cmake.define.OGS_USE_MFRONT" = "OFF"
 "cmake.define.OGS_BUILD_PROCESS_TH2M" = "OFF"
+# Generator needs to be set here, CMAKE_GENERATOR env var does not work.
+# Ninja generator does not select  the host64 compiler.
+"cmake.args" = "-G;Visual Studio 16 2019;--preset;wheel"
 
 [tool.ruff]
 select = [
diff --git a/scripts/ci/jobs/build-wheels.yml b/scripts/ci/jobs/build-wheels.yml
index 305644165b384fec12a2fed8cc3e259a06b32a9e..fa1c7d1b1bd6b57a67a0735264f0a31e986941cb 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/jobs/build-wheels.yml
+++ b/scripts/ci/jobs/build-wheels.yml
@@ -57,9 +57,6 @@ build wheels win:
     - .vs2019-environment
   variables:
     SKBUILD_BUILD_OPTIONS: "/m" # TODO not supported yet in scikit-build-core
-    CMAKE_GENERATOR: "Visual Studio 16 2019"
-    # Does not work as it does not select the host64 compiler:
-    # SKBUILD_GENERATOR: "Ninja"
   <<: *wheels_template
 
 publish wheels: