diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 84ad181fec..64307bfcaf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: GitHub Actions CI
+name: Windows CMake build
 
 # TODO: change branch name
 on:
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ on:
 env:
   # openssl: 1.1.1g#1
   # boost: 1.73.0
-  VCPKG_COMMIT: 76a7e9248fb3c57350b559966dcaa2d52a5e4458
+  VCPKG_COMMIT: 27a2418e91179d8607862348d7b498558e98a0ab
   VCPKG_DEST_WIN: C:\libt_tools\vcpkg
   VCPKG_TRIPLET: "x64-windows"
   BUILD_VARIANT: "shared"
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ env:
   LIBT_BSL: "ON"
   LIBT_TESTS: "ON"
   LIBT_DEPR_FUN: "ON"
-  LIBT_PY_BINDINGS: "OFF"
+  LIBT_PY_BINDINGS: "ON"
 
 defaults:
   run:
@@ -27,15 +27,31 @@ defaults:
 
 jobs:
 
-  ci_windows_static:
-    name: Windows + vcpkg
+  ci_windows_cmake:
+    name: Windows CMake build (w/ vcpkg)
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
+        build_config: [Release, Debug]
         build_variant: [shared, static]
-        deprecated_functions: [depr_fun, no_depr_fun]
+        deprecated_functions: [yes_depr_fun, no_depr_fun]
+        build_tests: [yes_tests, no_tests]
         python_bindings: [py_bindings, no_py_bindings]
-        build_config: [Release, Debug]
+        exclude:
+          # python bindings require building with shared libs
+          - build_variant: static
+            python_bindings: py_bindings
+          # FIXME: non-static build with python bindings is failing, presumably due to a boost port bug in vcpkg
+          - build_variant: shared
+            build_config: Debug
+            python_bindings: py_bindings
+          # tests require deprecated functions
+          - deprecated_functions: no_depr_fun
+            build_tests: yes_tests
+          # static debug build with tests is too big
+          - build_variant: static
+            build_config: Debug
+            build_tests: yes_tests
       fail-fast: false
 
     runs-on: windows-2019
@@ -52,16 +68,20 @@ jobs:
         echo "::set-env name=VCPKG_TRIPLET::x64-windows-static"
         echo "::set-env name=BUILD_VARIANT::static"
 
-    - name: setup environment - build with no deprecated functions
+    - name: setup environment - don't build with deprecated functions
       if: matrix.deprecated_functions == 'no_depr_fun'
       run: |
-        echo "::set-env name=LIBT_TESTS::OFF"
         echo "::set-env name=LIBT_DEPR_FUN::OFF"
 
-    - name: setup environment - build with python bindings
-      if: matrix.python_bindings == 'py_bindings'
+    - name: setup environment - don't build tests
+      if: matrix.build_tests == 'no_tests'
+      run: |
+        echo "::set-env name=LIBT_TESTS::OFF"
+
+    - name: setup environment - don't build with python bindings
+      if: matrix.python_bindings == 'no_py_bindings'
       run: |
-        echo "::set-env name=LIBT_PY_BINDINGS::ON"
+        echo "::set-env name=LIBT_PY_BINDINGS::OFF"
 
     # NOTE: MSVC tools must be in the path for the Ninja generator. Caveat: must use cmd
     - name: setup MSVC dev cmd
@@ -115,13 +135,14 @@ jobs:
           --graphviz=cmake-build-dir\target_graph.dot
         cmake --build cmake-build-dir
 
-    - name: run libtorrent tests
+    - name: run ctest
+      if: matrix.build_tests == 'yes_tests'
       run: |
         ctest
 
     - name: upload artifact as zip
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2.2.0
       with:
-        name: libtorrent_RC_1_2-CI-Windows_x64-${{ matrix.build_variant }}-${{ matrix.deprecated_functions }}-${{ matrix.build_config }}
+        name: libtorrent_RC_1_2-CI-Windows_x64-${{ matrix.build_variant }}-${{ matrix.build_config }}-${{ matrix.deprecated_functions }}-${{ matrix.deprecated_functions }}-${{ matrix.build_tests }}-${{ matrix.python_bindings }}
         path: |
           cmake-build-dir