diff --git a/.github/workflows/steam.yml b/.github/workflows/steam.yml
index aae1621af..a89249eab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/steam.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/steam.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ jobs:
             ccache-win64-cross-msvc
       - name: Cross-compile win64 artifacts
         env:
-          CMAKE_EXTRA_ARGS: '-DBUILD_STONESENSE:BOOL=1'
+          CMAKE_EXTRA_ARGS: '-DBUILD_STONESENSE:BOOL=1 -DBUILD_DFLAUNCH:BOOL=1'
+          steam_username: ${{ secrets.STEAM_USERNAME }}
+          steam_password: ${{ secrets.STEAM_PASSWORD }}
         run: |
           cd build
           bash -x build-win64-from-linux.sh
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cf5586dfd..fca548ccf 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -313,18 +313,6 @@ if(WIN32)
             "5a09604daca6b2b5ce049d79af935d6a")
     endif()
 
-    # download Steam SDK
-    set (STEAMAPI_DIR ${dfhack_SOURCE_DIR}/depends/steam)
-    file(DOWNLOAD "https://partner.steamgames.com/downloads/steamworks_sdk_156.zip"
-            ${STEAMAPI_DIR}/steamworks_sdk_156.zip
-            EXPECTED_HASH MD5=af5a579990dbe5ae4c1b0689260d001b)
-    file(ARCHIVE_EXTRACT
-            INPUT ${STEAMAPI_DIR}/steamworks_sdk_156.zip
-            DESTINATION ${STEAMAPI_DIR})
-    set(STEAMAPI_LIBRARY "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/redistributable_bin/win64/steam_api64.lib")
-    set(STEAMAPI_SOURCE_DIR "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/public/steam")
-    set(STEAMAPI_SHARED_LIBRARY "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/redistributable_bin/win64/steam_api64.dll")
-
 endif()
 
 if(APPLE)
diff --git a/build/win64/generate-MSVC-steam.bat b/build/win64/generate-MSVC-steam.bat
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..007bb1c08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/win64/generate-MSVC-steam.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+IF EXIST DF_PATH.txt SET /P _DF_PATH=<DF_PATH.txt
+IF NOT EXIST DF_PATH.txt SET _DF_PATH=%CD%\DF
+echo generating a build folder
+cmake ..\.. -G"Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64 -B VC2022 -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="%_DF_PATH%" -DBUILD_DEVEL=1 -DBUILD_DEV_PLUGINS=1 -DBUILD_STONESENSE=1 -DBUILD_DFLAUNCH=1
diff --git a/package/windows/CMakeLists.txt b/package/windows/CMakeLists.txt
index 309613f2e..b74cdfec5 100644
--- a/package/windows/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/package/windows/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,29 @@
 project(package_windows)
 
 if(WIN32)
-    include_directories(${STEAMAPI_SOURCE_DIR})
-    link_libraries(${STEAMAPI_LIBRARY})
-    add_executable(launchdf WIN32 launchdf.cpp)
-    install(TARGETS launchdf DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION})
-    install(FILES ${STEAMAPI_SHARED_LIBRARY} DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION})
+    if (BUILD_DFLAUNCH)
+        if ((DEFINED ENV{steam_username}) AND (DEFINED ENV{steam_password}))
+            # download Steam SDK
+            set (STEAMAPI_DIR ${dfhack_SOURCE_DIR}/depends/steam)
+            file(DOWNLOAD "https://partner.steamgames.com/downloads/steamworks_sdk_156.zip"
+                    ${STEAMAPI_DIR}/steamworks_sdk_156.zip
+                    EXPECTED_HASH MD5=af5a579990dbe5ae4c1b0689260d001b
+                    USERPWD $ENV{steam_username}:$ENV{steam_password}
+            )
+            file(ARCHIVE_EXTRACT
+                    INPUT ${STEAMAPI_DIR}/steamworks_sdk_156.zip
+                    DESTINATION ${STEAMAPI_DIR})
+            set(STEAMAPI_LIBRARY "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/redistributable_bin/win64/steam_api64.lib")
+            set(STEAMAPI_SOURCE_DIR "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/public/steam")
+            set(STEAMAPI_SHARED_LIBRARY "${STEAMAPI_DIR}/sdk/redistributable_bin/win64/steam_api64.dll")
+        else()
+            message(SEND_ERROR "Need to set steam_username and steam_password in environment to download Steamworks SDK")
+        endif()
+
+        include_directories(${STEAMAPI_SOURCE_DIR})
+        link_libraries(${STEAMAPI_LIBRARY})
+        add_executable(launchdf WIN32 launchdf.cpp)
+        install(TARGETS launchdf DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION})
+        install(FILES ${STEAMAPI_SHARED_LIBRARY} DESTINATION ${DFHACK_DATA_DESTINATION})
+    endif()
 endif()