diff --git a/win/build-deps-ifcmax.cmd b/win/build-deps-ifcmax.cmd
index 359fa5e802..2f5fe04efb 100644
--- a/win/build-deps-ifcmax.cmd
+++ b/win/build-deps-ifcmax.cmd
@@ -324,6 +324,10 @@ powershell -c "get-content %~dp0patches\mpir.patch | %%{$_ -replace \"sdk\",\"%U
 IF NOT %ERRORLEVEL%==0 GOTO :Error
 if NOT "%USE_STATIC_RUNTIME%"=="FALSE" git apply "%~dp0patches\mpir_runtime.patch" --unidiff-zero --ignore-whitespace
 IF NOT %ERRORLEVEL%==0 GOTO :Error
+REM patch to force build using VS2022, in case VS2026 is installed, which currently fails to build mpir
+git apply "%~dp0patches\mpir_build.patch" --unidiff-zero --ignore-whitespace
+IF NOT %ERRORLEVEL%==0 GOTO :Error
+
 cd msvc
 cd vs%VS_VER:~2,2%
 call .\msbuild.bat gc LIB %VS_PLATFORM% %DEBUG_OR_RELEASE%
diff --git a/win/patches/mpir_build.patch b/win/patches/mpir_build.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6f7cfbea43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/win/patches/mpir_build.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+diff --git a/msvc/vs22/msbuild.bat b/msvc/vs22/msbuild.bat
+index f119c3e9..35e46217 100644
+--- a/msvc/vs22/msbuild.bat
++++ b/msvc/vs22/msbuild.bat
+@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ set vs_version=2019
+ 
+ set vsw_exe="%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe"
+ 
+-for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%i in (`"!vsw_exe!" -latest -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath`) do (
++rem limit to VS2022, as VS2026 does not build currently
++for /f "usebackq tokens=*" %%i in (`"!vsw_exe! -version [17,18)" -sort -products * -requires Microsoft.Component.MSBuild -property installationPath`) do (
+   set InstallDir=%%i
+ )
+