diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 9c186d2310..0e0c81403e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -25,28 +25,13 @@ jobs:
           override: true
           components: rustfmt, clippy
 
-      # Exclude validator API on Windows
       - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.os == 'windows-latest' }}
-        with:
-          command: build
-          args: --all --exclude nym-validator-api
-
-      - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.os != 'windows-latest' }}
         with:
           command: build
           args: --all
 
-      # Exclude validator API on Windows
-      - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.os == 'windows-latest' }}
-        with:
-          command: test
-          args: --all --exclude nym-validator-api
 
       - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.os != 'windows-latest' }}
         with:
           command: test
           args: --all
@@ -56,15 +41,8 @@ jobs:
           command: fmt
           args: --all -- --check
 
-      # Exclude validator API on Windows
       - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.rust != 'nightly' && matrix.os == 'windows-latest' }}
-        with:
-          command: clippy
-          args: --all --exclude nym-validator-api -- -D warnings
-
-      - uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
-        if: ${{ matrix.rust != 'nightly' && matrix.os != 'windows-latest' }}
+        if: ${{ matrix.rust != 'nightly' }}
         with:
           command: clippy
           args: -- -D warnings
diff --git a/validator-api/build.rs b/validator-api/build.rs
index 506d7ad7e9..a46399c281 100644
--- a/validator-api/build.rs
+++ b/validator-api/build.rs
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ use std::env;
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() {
     let out_dir = env::var("OUT_DIR").unwrap();
-    let database_path = format!("sqlite://{}/validator-api-example.sqlite", out_dir);
+    let database_path = format!("{}/validator-api-example.sqlite", out_dir);
 
-    let mut conn = SqliteConnection::connect(&*format!("{}?mode=rwc", database_path))
+    let mut conn = SqliteConnection::connect(&*format!("sqlite://{}?mode=rwc", database_path))
         .await
         .expect("Failed to create SQLx database connection");
 
@@ -15,5 +15,11 @@ async fn main() {
         .await
         .expect("Failed to perform SQLx migrations");
 
-    println!("cargo:rustc-env=DATABASE_URL={}", &database_path);
+    #[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
+    println!("cargo:rustc-env=DATABASE_URL=sqlite://{}", &database_path);
+
+    #[cfg(target_family = "windows")]
+    // for some strange reason we need to add a leading `/` to the windows path even though it's
+    // not a valid windows path... but hey, it works...
+    println!("cargo:rustc-env=DATABASE_URL=sqlite:///{}", &database_path);
 }