diff --git a/src/core/conf.cpp b/src/core/conf.cpp
index 0ae09de..82b38f1 100644
--- a/src/core/conf.cpp
+++ b/src/core/conf.cpp
@@ -509,9 +509,7 @@ namespace mob {
         set_path_if_empty("pf_x86", find_program_files_x86);
         set_path_if_empty("pf_x64", find_program_files_x64);
         set_path_if_empty("vs", find_vs);
-        set_path_if_empty("vcpkg", []() {
-            return this_env::get().get("VCPKG_ROOT");
-        });
+        set_path_if_empty("vcpkg", find_vcpkg);  // set after vs as it will use the VS
         set_path_if_empty("qt_install", find_qt);
         set_path_if_empty("temp_dir", find_temp_dir);
         set_path_if_empty("patches", find_in_root("patches"));
diff --git a/src/core/paths.cpp b/src/core/paths.cpp
index 8652459..9248a64 100644
--- a/src/core/paths.cpp
+++ b/src/core/paths.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,24 @@ namespace mob {
         }
     }
 
+    fs::path find_vcpkg()
+    {
+        const auto env_path = this_env::get().get("VCPKG_ROOT");
+
+        if (!env_path.empty()) {
+            return fs::absolute(env_path);
+        }
+
+        const auto vs_path       = conf().path().vs();
+        const auto vcpkg_vs_path = vs_path / "VC" / "vcpkg";
+        if (!exists(vcpkg_vs_path)) {
+            gcx().bail_out(context::conf, "vcpkg is not part of VS installation at {}",
+                           vs_path);
+        }
+
+        return vcpkg_vs_path;
+    }
+
     fs::path find_qt()
     {
         // check from the ini first
diff --git a/src/core/paths.h b/src/core/paths.h
index 597823a..b36d806 100644
--- a/src/core/paths.h
+++ b/src/core/paths.h
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ namespace mob {
     //
     fs::path find_vs();
 
+    // returns the absolute path to VCPKG root directory to be used as VCPKG_ROOT when
+    // building
+    //
+    fs::path find_vcpkg();
+
     // returns the absolute path to Qt's root directory, the one that contains
     // bin, include, etc.; bails if not found
     //