diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-win-msys2-ucrt64.yml b/.github/workflows/build-win-msys2-ucrt64.yml
index 6e366ec..0e2bfa0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-win-msys2-ucrt64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-win-msys2-ucrt64.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ jobs:
         update: true
         install: >-
           make
+          mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gcc
           mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-pcre2
           mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-openssl
     - name: set date
diff --git a/Makefile.win b/Makefile.win
index 0785637..a2e5211 100644
--- a/Makefile.win
+++ b/Makefile.win
@@ -8,10 +8,7 @@
 BUILDDIR = ../bin/
 PREFIX ?= 3proxy_
 CRYPT_PREFIX ?= $(PREFIX)
-# Override make's built-in CC=cc default; respect env/command-line overrides.
-ifeq ($(origin CC), default)
-CC = gcc
-endif
+CC ?= gcc
 CFLAGS ?= -O3 -flto
 CFLAGS += -fno-strict-aliasing -c -mthreads  -DWITH_WSAPOLL -DWITH_ODBC
 COUT = -o