diff --git a/RepositoryExternal.mk b/RepositoryExternal.mk
index fa7288206da6..7466621c371e 100644
--- a/RepositoryExternal.mk
+++ b/RepositoryExternal.mk
@@ -4251,7 +4251,7 @@ gb_ExternalExecutable__register_xmllint :=
 else # ! SYSTEM_LIBXML_FOR_BUILD
 
 define gb_ExternalExecutable__register_xmllint
-$(call gb_ExternalExecutable_set_internal,xmllint,$(WORKDIR_FOR_BUILD)/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/$(if $(filter MSC,$(COM)),$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release))/xmllint$(gb_Executable_EXT_for_build),libxml2)
+$(call gb_ExternalExecutable_set_internal,xmllint,$(WORKDIR_FOR_BUILD)/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/xmllint$(gb_Executable_EXT_for_build),libxml2)
 $(call gb_ExternalExecutable_add_dependencies,xmllint,\
 	$(if $(filter WNT,$(OS)),$(call gb_Package_get_target,icu_ure)) \
 	$(call gb_Package_get_target,libxml2) \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6d18b249cb8c..71c80781dc9c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1108,8 +1108,6 @@ cygwin*|wsl*)
 
     DLLPOST=".dll"
     LINKFLAGSNOUNDEFS=
-    # bypass check for ninja, it is not in default path, but it can be used nevertheless by default
-    NINJA="assumed to be available from Visual Studio"
 
     if test "$host_cpu" = "aarch64"; then
         build_skia=yes
@@ -4737,6 +4735,10 @@ if test "$_os" = "WINNT"; then
     PathFormat "$VC_PRODUCT_DIR/../Common7/IDE/CommonExtensions/Microsoft/CMake/CMake/bin/cmake.exe"
     CMAKE="$formatted_path"
 
+    # Find the ninja that ships with Visual Studio, beside that cmake.
+    PathFormat "$VC_PRODUCT_DIR/../Common7/IDE/CommonExtensions/Microsoft/CMake/Ninja/ninja.exe"
+    NINJA="$formatted_path"
+
     # Find the version of devenv.exe
     PathFormat "$VC_PRODUCT_DIR/../Common7/IDE/devenv.exe"
     DEVENV="$formatted_path"
@@ -10620,9 +10622,9 @@ else
     fi
     if test "$COM" = "MSC"; then
         if test "$MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME" = TRUE; then
-            LIBXML_LIBS="${WORKDIR}/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/Debug/libxml2d.lib"
+            LIBXML_LIBS="${WORKDIR}/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/libxml2d.lib"
         else
-            LIBXML_LIBS="${WORKDIR}/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/Release/libxml2.lib"
+            LIBXML_LIBS="${WORKDIR}/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/libxml2.lib"
         fi
     else
         LIBXML_LIBS="-L${WORKDIR}/UnpackedTarball/libxml2/.libs -lxml2"
@@ -14999,7 +15001,7 @@ if test "$need_meson" = "yes"; then
     fi
 fi
 
-if test -z "$NINJA" || test "$NINJA" = 'assumed to be available from Visual Studio'; then
+if test -z "$NINJA"; then
     x_NINJA=[\#]
 else
     x_NINJA=
diff --git a/external/libxml2/ExternalPackage_libxml2.mk b/external/libxml2/ExternalPackage_libxml2.mk
index d9546820afe5..be13e1964e50 100644
--- a/external/libxml2/ExternalPackage_libxml2.mk
+++ b/external/libxml2/ExternalPackage_libxml2.mk
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ ifeq ($(OS),MACOSX)
 $(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2.16.dylib,.libs/libxml2.16.dylib))
 else ifeq ($(OS),WNT)
 ifeq ($(COM),GCC)
-$(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll,$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll))
+$(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll,libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll))
 else # COM=MSC
-$(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll,$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll))
+$(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll,libxml2$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),d).dll))
 endif
 else # OS!=WNT
 $(eval $(call gb_ExternalPackage_add_file,libxml2,$(LIBO_URE_LIB_FOLDER)/libxml2.so.16,.libs/libxml2.so.16.1.$(LIBXML_VERSION_MICRO)))
diff --git a/external/libxml2/ExternalProject_libxml2.mk b/external/libxml2/ExternalProject_libxml2.mk
index da3511f301c9..6ebbf714e570 100644
--- a/external/libxml2/ExternalProject_libxml2.mk
+++ b/external/libxml2/ExternalProject_libxml2.mk
@@ -25,11 +25,15 @@ $(call gb_ExternalProject_use_external_project,libxml2,icu)
 # workdir\UnpackedTarball\libxml2\version(1): error C2059: syntax error: 'constant
 $(call gb_ExternalProject_get_state_target,libxml2,build):
 	$(call gb_Trace_StartRange,libxml2,EXTERNAL)
-	$(call gb_ExternalProject_run,build,\
-		$(CMAKE) . \
-			$(if $(filter 17.%,$(VCVER)),-G "Visual Studio 17 2022") \
-			$(if $(filter 18.%,$(VCVER)),-G "Visual Studio 18 2026") \
-			-A $(gb_MSBUILD_PLATFORM) \
+	+$(call gb_ExternalProject_run,build,\
+		export INCLUDE="$(gb_ExternalProject_INCLUDE)" \
+		&& export LIB="$(ILIB)" \
+		&& $(CMAKE) . \
+			-G Ninja \
+			-DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM=$(NINJA) \
+			-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release) \
+			-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=$(lastword $(filter-out -%,$(CC))) \
+			$(if $(CCACHE),-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$(CCACHE)) \
 			-DLIBXML2_WITH_TESTS=OFF \
 			-DLIBXML2_WITH_ICONV=OFF \
 			-DLIBXML2_WITH_PYTHON=OFF \
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ $(call gb_ExternalProject_get_state_target,libxml2,build):
 			$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME), \
 				-DICU_UC_LIBRARY_DEBUG=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/icu/source/lib/icuucd.lib, \
 				-DICU_UC_LIBRARY_RELEASE=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/icu/source/lib/icuuc.lib) \
-		&& $(CMAKE) --build . --config $(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release) \
+		&& $(CMAKE) --build . \
 		&& rm VERSION \
 	)
 	$(call gb_Trace_EndRange,libxml2,EXTERNAL)
diff --git a/external/libxslt/ExternalProject_libxslt.mk b/external/libxslt/ExternalProject_libxslt.mk
index dfbda70f4d0e..863553aa1ead 100644
--- a/external/libxslt/ExternalProject_libxslt.mk
+++ b/external/libxslt/ExternalProject_libxslt.mk
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ $(call gb_ExternalProject_get_state_target,libxslt,build):
 			$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),cruntime=/MDd) \
 			$(if $(filter TRUE,$(ENABLE_DBGUTIL)),debug=yes) \
 			vcmanifest=yes \
-			lib=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/libxml2/$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release) \
+			lib=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/libxml2 \
 		&& nmake \
 	,win32)
 	$(call gb_Trace_EndRange,libxslt,EXTERNAL)
diff --git a/external/xmlsec/ExternalProject_xmlsec.mk b/external/xmlsec/ExternalProject_xmlsec.mk
index f7ec898166de..04fd5e3ceda2 100644
--- a/external/xmlsec/ExternalProject_xmlsec.mk
+++ b/external/xmlsec/ExternalProject_xmlsec.mk
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ $(call gb_ExternalProject_get_state_target,xmlsec,build) :
 	$(call gb_Trace_StartRange,xmlsec,EXTERNAL)
 	$(call gb_ExternalProject_run,build,\
 		cscript /e:javascript configure.js crypto=mscng xslt=no iconv=no static=no \
-			lib=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/libxml2/$(if $(MSVC_USE_DEBUG_RUNTIME),Debug,Release) \
+			lib=$(gb_UnpackedTarball_workdir)/libxml2 \
 			$(if $(filter TRUE,$(ENABLE_DBGUTIL)),debug=yes cruntime=/MDd) \
 			cflags="$(SOLARINC) $(LIBXML_CFLAGS)" \
 		&& nmake \