diff --git a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
index a6b9d5340..be1ca8b2d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/desktop-build.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ name: Build Desktop
 permissions:
   actions: write    # needed to delete entries in GHA cache (update ccache)
   attestations: write    # needed to persist the attestation.
-  contents: write
+  contents: write    # needed for e.g. vcpkg dependency graph updates
   id-token: write    # needed for signing certificate in attestation
 
 on:
@@ -447,6 +447,7 @@ jobs:
           CMAKE_GENERATOR: ${{ matrix.cmake_generator }}
           CMAKE_GENERATOR_PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.cmake_generator_platform }}
           DEVELOPER_DIR: '/Applications/Xcode_${{ matrix.xcode }}.app/Contents/Developer'
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}    # needed for vcpkg dependency graph updates, see VCPKG_FEATURE_FLAGS
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE }}
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE_NAME: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE_NAME }}
           MACOS_CERTIFICATE_PWD: ${{ secrets.PROD_MACOS_CERTIFICATE_PWD }}
@@ -457,6 +458,7 @@ jobs:
           USE_CCACHE: ${{ matrix.use_ccache }}
           VCPKG_BINARY_SOURCES: 'clear;files,${{ steps.vcpkg-cache.outputs.path }},readwrite'
           VCPKG_DISABLE_METRICS: 1
+          VCPKG_FEATURE_FLAGS: dependencygraph
         run: .ci/compile.sh --server --test --vcpkg
 
       # Delete used cache to emulate a ccache update. See https://github.com/actions/cache/issues/342