diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/build-managers/cmake/setup-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/tools/build-managers/cmake/setup-hook.sh
index 331f907ae612..37c067169dd4 100755
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/build-managers/cmake/setup-hook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/build-managers/cmake/setup-hook.sh
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ cmakeConfigurePhase() {
     # And build always Release, to ensure optimisation flags
     cmakeFlags="-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${cmakeBuildType:-Release} -DCMAKE_SKIP_BUILD_RPATH=ON $cmakeFlags"
 
+    if [ "$buildPhase" = ninjaBuildPhase ]; then
+        cmakeFlags="-GNinja $cmakeFlags"
+    fi
+
     echo "cmake flags: $cmakeFlags ${cmakeFlagsArray[@]}"
 
     cmake ${cmakeDir:-.} $cmakeFlags "${cmakeFlagsArray[@]}"