diff --git a/mingw_smoketests.py b/mingw_smoketests.py
index 4f81c68803199c9..d664166ff8e2f1f 100644
--- a/mingw_smoketests.py
+++ b/mingw_smoketests.py
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ def test_c_ext_build(self):
                     "wheel",
                 ],
             )
+            # setuptools only looks for gcc and not clang
+            env = os.environ.copy()
+            env["CC"] = "cc"
             subprocess.check_call(
                 [
                     sys.executable,
@@ -361,6 +364,7 @@ def test_c_ext_build(self):
                     "install",
                     tmppro,
                 ],
+                env=env,
             )
             subprocess.check_call(
                 [sys.executable, "-c", "import cwrapper"],