diff --git a/.github/workflows/cygwin-test.yml b/.github/workflows/cygwin-test.yml
index 80912dfde..bc1c34e1d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cygwin-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cygwin-test.yml
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ jobs:
         include:
         - python-version: "3.9"
           python-cygwin: python39
-          python-command: python3.9
+          venv-args: ''
         - python-version: "3.12"
           python-cygwin: python312
-          python-command: python3.12
+          venv-args: --without-pip
 
       fail-fast: false
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up Cygwin
       uses: egor-tensin/setup-cygwin@v4
       with:
-        packages: ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }} ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }}-pip ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }}-virtualenv git
+        packages: ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }} ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }}-pip ${{ matrix.python-cygwin }}-virtualenv git wget
 
     - name: Arrange for verbose output
       run: |
@@ -67,9 +67,14 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Set up virtualenv
       run: |
-        ${{ matrix.python-command }} -m venv .venv
+        python${{ matrix.python-version }} -m venv ${{ matrix.venv-args }} .venv
         echo 'BASH_ENV=.venv/bin/activate' >>"$GITHUB_ENV"
 
+    - name: Bootstrap pip in virtualenv
+      if: contains(matrix.venv-args, '--without-pip')
+      run: |
+        wget -qO- https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py | python
+
     - name: Update PyPA packages
       run: |
         # Get the latest pip, wheel, and prior to Python 3.12, setuptools.