diff --git a/.github/workflows/wheels.yml b/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
index ecec790..6946ca5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
@@ -115,17 +115,20 @@ jobs:
       if: steps.build-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
       run: "& winbuild\\build\\build_dep_libavif.cmd"
 
-    - name: Install dependencies / Pillow
-      run: "& winbuild\\build\\install_pillow.cmd"
-
     # trim ~150MB x 9
     - name: Optimize build cache
       if: steps.build-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
       run: rmdir /S /Q winbuild\build\src
       shell: cmd
 
+    - name: Install dependencies / Pillow
+      run: |
+        cmd /c "winbuild\build\build_env.cmd && $env:pythonLocation\python.exe -m pip install -v Pillow"
+      shell: pwsh
+
     - name: Build pillow-avif-plugin
-      run: "& winbuild\\build\\build_pillow_avif_plugin.cmd install"
+      run: |
+        cmd /c "winbuild\build\build_env.cmd && $env:pythonLocation\python.exe setup.py build_ext install"
       shell: pwsh
 
     # failing with PyPy3
diff --git a/winbuild/build_prepare.py b/winbuild/build_prepare.py
index 1fe5342..dccc145 100644
--- a/winbuild/build_prepare.py
+++ b/winbuild/build_prepare.py
@@ -441,16 +441,6 @@ def build_dep_all() -> None:
     write_script("build_dep_all.cmd", lines)
 
 
-def install_pillow():
-    lines = [
-        "@echo on",
-        "@echo ---- Installing pillow ----",
-        r'"{python_dir}\{python_exe}" -m pip install Pillow',
-        "@echo Pillow installed successfully",
-    ]
-    write_script("install_pillow.cmd", lines)
-
-
 def install_meson():
     msi_url = "https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/releases/download/0.56.2/meson-0.56.2-64.msi"  # noqa: E501
     msi_file = os.path.join(args.depends_dir, "meson-0.56.2-64.msi")
@@ -465,24 +455,6 @@ def install_meson():
     write_script("install_meson.cmd", lines)
 
 
-def build_pillow_avif_plugin():
-    lines = (
-        [
-            "@echo ---- Building pillow-avif-plugin (build_ext %*) ----",
-            cmd_cd("{pillow_avif_plugin_dir}"),
-        ]
-        + prefs["header"]
-        + [
-            cmd_set("DISTUTILS_USE_SDK", "1"),  # use same compiler to build pillow-avif
-            cmd_set("MSSdk", "1"),  # for PyPy3.6
-            cmd_set("py_vcruntime_redist", "true"),  # use /MD, not /MT
-            r'"{python_dir}\{python_exe}" setup.py build_ext %*',
-        ]
-    )
-
-    write_script("build_pillow_avif_plugin.cmd", lines)
-
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     winbuild_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
     pillow_dir = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(winbuild_dir, ".."))
@@ -599,7 +571,5 @@ def build_pillow_avif_plugin():
 
     write_script(".gitignore", ["*"])
     build_env()
-    build_dep_all()
-    install_pillow()
     install_meson()
-    build_pillow_avif_plugin()
+    build_dep_all()