diff --git a/recipes/expat/all/conanfile.py b/recipes/expat/all/conanfile.py
index baaf7c03c6cca..46d12e330bfd8 100644
--- a/recipes/expat/all/conanfile.py
+++ b/recipes/expat/all/conanfile.py
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ def generate(self):
         tc.variables["EXPAT_SHARED_LIBS"] = self.options.shared
         tc.variables["EXPAT_BUILD_TESTS"] = False
         tc.variables["EXPAT_BUILD_TOOLS"] = False
+        # https://github.com/conan-io/conan/issues/12012
+        tc.variables["CMAKE_TRY_COMPILE_CONFIGURATION"] = str(self.settings.build_type)
         tc.variables["EXPAT_CHAR_TYPE"] = self.options.char_type
         if is_msvc(self):
             tc.variables["EXPAT_MSVC_STATIC_CRT"] = is_msvc_static_runtime(self)