diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_cmake.yml b/.github/workflows/build_cmake.yml
index 6b0913c249..7907cf58b8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_cmake.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_cmake.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ env:
   # this is different from MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET to prevent build problems
   # we set MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET later
   MACOS_TARGET: 10.12
-  FEATURES: -DBUILD_GPL_PLUGINS=ON -DWITH_COORDGEN=OFF -DUSE_VTK=ON
+  FEATURES: -DBUILD_GPL_PLUGINS=ON -DWITH_COORDGEN=OFF -DUSE_VTK=ON -DUSE_3DCONNEXION=ON
   CACHE: -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache
   SCCACHE_GHA_ENABLED: "true"
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_m1.yml b/.github/workflows/build_m1.yml
index 7f9e31142b..6fc990f546 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_m1.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_m1.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ env:
   # this is different from MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET to prevent build problems
   # we set MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET later
   MACOS_TARGET: 10.12
-  FEATURES: -DUSE_VTK=ON -DBUILD_GPL_PLUGINS=ON -DWITH_COORDGEN=OFF
+  FEATURES: -DUSE_VTK=ON -DBUILD_GPL_PLUGINS=ON -DWITH_COORDGEN=OFF -DUSE_3DCONNEXION=ON
 
 jobs:
   build: