diff --git a/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat b/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
index c985c413fc..89255b25b9 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
+++ b/.gitlab-ci/test-msvc.bat
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ call "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\BuildTools\VC\Auxiliar
 
 :: FIXME: make warnings fatal
 pip3 install --upgrade --user meson~=0.64 || goto :error
-meson -Ddebug=false -Dmedia-gstreamer=disabled _build || goto :error
+meson setup -Dbackend_max_links=1 -Ddebug=false -Dmedia-gstreamer=disabled _build || goto :error
 ninja -C _build || goto :error
 
 goto :EOF