diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e6e4531b..e8a2d6ab 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ windows:
     - shared-windows
     - windows
     - windows-1809
-  variables:
-    PYTHON: C:\\Python36\\python
   script:
+    - choco install python2 vcredist2008 -f -y
+    - choco install --ignore-dependencies vcpython27 -f -y
     - choco install python3 --version 3.6.8 --no-progress -y
-    - $PYTHON -m pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
-    - $PYTHON ./bin/run_tests.py
+    - $env:PATH="C:\Python36;C:\Python36\Scripts;$env:PATH"
+    - python -m pip install -r requirements-dev.txt
+    - python ./bin/run_tests.py
diff --git a/examples/gitlab-minimal.yml b/examples/gitlab-minimal.yml
index 118b7b71..e1ac273c 100644
--- a/examples/gitlab-minimal.yml
+++ b/examples/gitlab-minimal.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ windows:
     - windows
     - windows-1809
   script:
-    - choco install python --version 3.8.5 -y
+    - choco install python2 vcredist2008 -f -y
+    - choco install --ignore-dependencies vcpython27 -f -y
+    - choco install python --version 3.8.5 -f -y
     - $env:PATH="C:\Python38;C:\Python38\Scripts;$env:PATH"
     - python -m pip install cibuildwheel
     - cibuildwheel --output-dir wheelhouse