diff --git a/ci/build_windows.py b/ci/build_windows.py
index 39cb85f45d34..35fc7f69b387 100755
--- a/ci/build_windows.py
+++ b/ci/build_windows.py
@@ -145,15 +145,15 @@ def windows_build(args):
     logging.info("Found mxnet root: {}".format(mxnet_root))
     with remember_cwd():
         os.chdir(path)
-        logging.info("Generating project with CMake")
-        check_call("cmake -G \"Visual Studio 14 2015 Win64\" {} {}".format(CMAKE_FLAGS[args.flavour], mxnet_root), shell=True)
+        cmd = "\"{}\"; if ($?) { cmake -G \"NMake Makefiles JOM\" {} {} }".format(KNOWN_VCVARS[0],
+                                                                                  CMAKE_FLAGS[args.flavour], mxnet_root)
+        logging.info("Generating project with CMake:\n{}".format(cmd))
+        check_call(cmd, shell=True)
         logging.info("Building with visual studio")
         t0 = int(time.time())
-        check_call(
-            ["msbuild", "mxnet.sln", "/p:configuration=release;platform=x64;BuildInParallel=true", "/maxcpucount",
-             "/v:minimal"])
+        check_call(["jom"])
         logging.info("Build flavour: %s complete in directory: \"%s\"", args.flavour, os.path.abspath(path))
-        logging.info("Build took %s" , datetime.timedelta(seconds=int(time.time()-t0)))
+        logging.info("Build took %s", datetime.timedelta(seconds=int(time.time() - t0)))
     windows_package(args)
 
 def windows_package(args):