diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test-windows.yml b/.github/workflows/build-test-windows.yml
index f4b2356353bf..9f21cd7682e7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test-windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test-windows.yml
@@ -188,23 +188,19 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GETTEXT_ROOT: C:\msys64_meshlib_mrbind\clang64
           VCPKG_ROOT: C:\vcpkg
+        # `|| exit /b 1` is used instead of `if errorlevel 1 exit 1`
+        # because the latter can miss exit codes inside parenthesized IF
+        # blocks in cmd.exe (e.g. it failed to catch a ninja build failure).
         run: |
           if ${{ fromJSON('["1==0", "1==1"]')[matrix.build_system == 'CMake'] }} (
-            call "${{matrix.vc-path}}\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat" -arch=amd64 ${{ fromJSON('["", "-vcvars_ver=14.2"]')[matrix.cxx_compiler == 'msvc-2019'] }}
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-            cmake --version
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-            cmake -B source\TempOutput -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{matrix.config}} -DMESHLIB_BUILD_GENERATED_C_BINDINGS=${{ fromJSON('["OFF", "ON"]')[inputs.mrbind_c] }}
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-            cmake --build source\TempOutput -j
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-            if not exist source\x64 mkdir source\x64
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-            xcopy source\TempOutput\bin\* source\x64\${{matrix.config}}\* /s /e /i /Y
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
+            call "${{matrix.vc-path}}\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat" -arch=amd64 ${{ fromJSON('["", "-vcvars_ver=14.2"]')[matrix.cxx_compiler == 'msvc-2019'] }} || exit /b 1
+            cmake --version || exit /b 1
+            cmake -B source\TempOutput -GNinja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{matrix.config}} -DMESHLIB_BUILD_GENERATED_C_BINDINGS=${{ fromJSON('["OFF", "ON"]')[inputs.mrbind_c] }} || exit /b 1
+            cmake --build source\TempOutput -j || exit /b 1
+            if not exist source\x64 mkdir source\x64 || exit /b 1
+            xcopy source\TempOutput\bin\* source\x64\${{matrix.config}}\* /s /e /i /Y || exit /b 1
           ) else (
-            msbuild -m source\MeshLib.sln -p:Configuration=${{ matrix.config }}${{ fromJSON('["", ";PlatformToolset=v142"]')[matrix.cxx_compiler == 'msvc-2019'] }}
-            if errorlevel 1 exit 1
+            msbuild -m source\MeshLib.sln -p:Configuration=${{ matrix.config }}${{ fromJSON('["", ";PlatformToolset=v142"]')[matrix.cxx_compiler == 'msvc-2019'] }} || exit /b 1
           )
 
       - name: Generate and build Python bindings