diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index aa60ef7..a30c623 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ skip_commits:
 
 install:
 # fetch submodules (like ci-scripts)
-  - cmd: git submodule update --init --recursive
+  - git submodule update --init --recursive
 # for the sequencer
-  - cinst re2c
+  - choco install re2c
 
 #---------------------------------#
 #   build matrix configuration    #
diff --git a/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-full b/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-full
index 6224a78..8c917f9 100644
--- a/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-full
+++ b/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-full
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ skip_commits:
 
 install:
 # fetch submodules (like ci-scripts)
-  - cmd: git submodule update --init --recursive
+  - git submodule update --init --recursive
 # for the sequencer
-  - cinst re2c
+  - choco install re2c
 
 #---------------------------------#
 #   build matrix configuration    #
diff --git a/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-mini b/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-mini
index f7506ae..5e36be8 100644
--- a/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-mini
+++ b/appveyor/.appveyor.yml.example-mini
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ skip_commits:
     - '.travis.yml'
 
 install:
-  - cmd: git submodule update --init --recursive
+  - git submodule update --init --recursive
 
 image: Visual Studio 2022