diff --git a/src/plugins/vcpkg/vcpkgsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/vcpkg/vcpkgsettings.cpp
index 160f57ef6ed..a6b43fdbdb3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcpkg/vcpkgsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/vcpkg/vcpkgsettings.cpp
@@ -35,10 +35,12 @@ VcpkgSettings::VcpkgSettings()
 
     vcpkgRoot.setSettingsKey("VcpkgRoot");
     vcpkgRoot.setExpectedKind(PathChooser::ExistingDirectory);
-    FilePath defaultPath = Environment::systemEnvironment().searchInPath(Constants::VCPKG_COMMAND)
-                               .parentDir();
+    FilePath defaultPath = FilePath::fromUserInput(
+        qtcEnvironmentVariable(Constants::ENVVAR_VCPKG_ROOT));
+
     if (!defaultPath.isDir())
-        defaultPath = FilePath::fromUserInput(qtcEnvironmentVariable(Constants::ENVVAR_VCPKG_ROOT));
+        defaultPath = Environment::systemEnvironment().searchInPath(Constants::VCPKG_COMMAND).parentDir();
+
     if (defaultPath.isDir())
         vcpkgRoot.setDefaultPathValue(defaultPath);