diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-debian-multiarch.yml b/.github/workflows/build-debian-multiarch.yml
index 543486b8e7..8fe0937bba 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-debian-multiarch.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-debian-multiarch.yml
@@ -96,13 +96,11 @@ jobs:
         install: ${{ env.INSTALL_CMD }}
 
         # Build a wheel, install it for running unit tests.
-        # --no-build-isolation is passed so that preinstalled meson-python can be used
-        # (done for optimization reasons)
+        # pip does not know that ninja is installed, and tries to install it again.
+        # so pass --ignore-dep ninja explicitly
         run: |
-          echo "\nBuilding pygame wheel\n"
-          pip3 wheel . --no-build-isolation --wheel-dir /artifacts -vvv
-          echo "\nInstalling wheel\n"
-          pip3 install --no-index --pre --break-system-packages --find-links /artifacts pygame-ce
+          echo "\nBuilding and installing pygame wheel\n"
+          PIP_BREAK_SYSTEM_PACKAGES=1 python3 dev.py --ignore-dep ninja build --wheel /artifacts --lax
           echo "\nRunning tests\n"
           export SDL_VIDEODRIVER=dummy
           export SDL_AUDIODRIVER=disk
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-on-msys2.yml b/.github/workflows/build-on-msys2.yml
index 6ac74c15f4..0845aefce2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-on-msys2.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-on-msys2.yml
@@ -68,12 +68,10 @@ jobs:
           # mingw-w64-${{ matrix.env }}-freetype
           # mingw-w64-${{ matrix.env }}-portmidi
 
-      - name: Building pygame wheel
-        run: |
-          pip3 wheel . --wheel-dir /artifacts -vvv --no-build-isolation
-
-      - name: Installing wheel
-        run: pip3 install --no-index --pre --find-links /artifacts pygame-ce
+      # pip does not know that ninja is installed, and tries to install it again.
+      # so pass --ignore-dep ninja explicitly
+      - name: Build and install pygame wheel
+        run: python3 dev.py --ignore-dep ninja build --wheel /artifacts --lax
 
       - name: Run tests
         env: