diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 9999c65a..bb2ef435 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -274,12 +274,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test cross compile to Windows
         if: ${{ matrix.platform.os == 'ubuntu-latest' && matrix.python-version == '3.8' }}
         env:
-          CARGO_TARGET_X86_64_PC_WINDOWS_MSVC_LINKER: rust-lld
+          XWIN_ARCH: x86_64
         run: |
           sudo apt-get install -y mingw-w64 llvm
           rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-gnu x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
+          which cargo-xwin > /dev/null || cargo install cargo-xwin
           cargo build --manifest-path examples/maturin-starter/Cargo.toml --features abi3 --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
-          cargo build --manifest-path examples/maturin-starter/Cargo.toml --features abi3 --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
+          cargo xwin build --manifest-path examples/maturin-starter/Cargo.toml --features abi3 --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
       - name: Test cross compile to Windows with maturin
         if: ${{ matrix.platform.os == 'ubuntu-latest' && matrix.python-version == '3.8' }}
         uses: messense/maturin-action@v1