diff --git a/.github/workflows/meson.yaml b/.github/workflows/meson.yaml
index b044d3e..7542e27 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/meson.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/meson.yaml
@@ -54,18 +54,16 @@ jobs:
     - name: extra_path
       shell: bash
       run: echo "${{matrix.config.extra_path}}" >> $GITHUB_PATH
-    - name: configure
-      shell: cmake -P {0}
-      run: |
-        set(ENV{CC} ${{matrix.config.cc}})
-        set(ENV{CXX} ${{matrix.config.cxx}})
-        set(ENV{C_LD} ${{matrix.config.c_ld}})
-        set(ENV{CXX_LD} ${{matrix.config.cxx_ld}})
     - name: install prerequisites
       run: |
         # asuming that python and pip are already installed
         pip3 install meson ninja
     - name: setup meson project
+      env: # set proper compilers and linkers for meson
+        CC: ${{matrix.config.cc}}
+        CXX: ${{matrix.config.cxx}}
+        C_LD: ${{matrix.config.c_ld}}
+        CXX_LD: ${{matrix.config.cxx_ld}}
       run: |
         # setup the build directory with tests and examples enabled
         meson setup builddir -DSQLITECPP_BUILD_TESTS=true -DSQLITECPP_BUILD_EXAMPLES=true --force-fallback-for=sqlite3