diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index 65313193d..a0c8af0bc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ jobs:
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
     - name: Install
       run: |
+        type build\cmake_install.cmake
+
         cmake --build build --config RelWithDebInfo --target install
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
         cmake --build build --config RelWithDebInfo --target pip_install
@@ -117,15 +119,20 @@ jobs:
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1
         cmake --build build --config Release --parallel 2
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1
-    - name: Install Python
+    - name: Install
       shell: cmd
       run: |
         call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\vc\Auxiliary\build\vcvarsall.bat" x64
+
+        type build\cmake_install.cmake
+
+        cmake --build build --config Release --target install
+        if errorlevel 1 exit 1
         cmake --build build --config Release --target pip_install
         if errorlevel 1 exit 1
     - name: Test
       shell: cmd
       run: |
-          call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\vc\Auxiliary\build\vcvarsall.bat" x64
-          ctest --test-dir build --build-config Release --output-on-failure -E AMReX -R py
-          if errorlevel 1 exit 1
+        call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Enterprise\vc\Auxiliary\build\vcvarsall.bat" x64
+        ctest --test-dir build --build-config Release --output-on-failure -E AMReX -R py
+        if errorlevel 1 exit 1
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 31266e64a..68d89cb8f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -348,9 +348,12 @@ if(ImpactX_LIB)
     else()
         set(ABS_INSTALL_LIB_DIR ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR})
     endif()
+    # escape spaces
+    string(REGEX REPLACE " " "\\\\ " ABS_INSTALL_LIB_DIR ${ABS_INSTALL_LIB_DIR})
+
     install(CODE "file(CREATE_LINK
         $<TARGET_FILE_NAME:lib>
-        ${ABS_INSTALL_LIB_DIR}/libImpactX$<TARGET_FILE_SUFFIX:lib>
+        '${ABS_INSTALL_LIB_DIR}/libImpactX$<TARGET_FILE_SUFFIX:lib>'
         COPY_ON_ERROR SYMBOLIC)")
 endif()
 
diff --git a/cmake/ImpactXFunctions.cmake b/cmake/ImpactXFunctions.cmake
index dba8fdfd4..e92f9f555 100644
--- a/cmake/ImpactXFunctions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/ImpactXFunctions.cmake
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ function(impactx_test_set_pythonpath test_name)
         set_property(TEST ${test_name}
             APPEND PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT
                 "PYTHONPATH=${WIN_PYTHON_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}\;${WIN_PYTHONPATH}"
-                "PATH=$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:lib>\;${WIN_PATH}$"
+                "PATH=$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:lib>\;${WIN_PATH}"
         )
     else()
         set_property(TEST ${test_name}