diff --git a/cmake/externals/bullet/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/bullet/CMakeLists.txt
index 125432002c..799306d8e5 100644
--- a/cmake/externals/bullet/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/externals/bullet/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,11 +66,15 @@ if (DEFINED BULLET_LIB_EXT)
     list(GET _LIB_PAIR 0 _LIB_VAR_NAME)
     list(GET _LIB_PAIR 1 _LIB_NAME)
 
-    set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_${_LIB_VAR_NAME}_RELEASE ${BULLET_LIB_DIR}/${LIB_PREFIX}${_LIB_NAME}.${BULLET_LIB_EXT} CACHE FILEPATH "${_LIB_NAME} release library location")
+
 
     if (WIN32)
+      # on windows, we might end up with a library that ends with RelWithDebInfo if Visual Studio is building for that configuration
+      set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_${_LIB_VAR_NAME}_RELEASE "${BULLET_LIB_DIR}/${LIB_PREFIX}${_LIB_NAME}$<$<OR:$<CONFIG:RelWithDebInfo>>:_RelWithDebugInfo>.${BULLET_LIB_EXT}" CACHE FILEPATH "${_LIB_NAME} release library location")
+
       set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_${_LIB_VAR_NAME}_DEBUG ${BULLET_LIB_DIR}/${LIB_PREFIX}${_LIB_NAME}_Debug.${BULLET_LIB_EXT} CACHE FILEPATH "${_LIB_NAME} debug library location")
     else ()
+      set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_${_LIB_VAR_NAME}_RELEASE ${BULLET_LIB_DIR}/${LIB_PREFIX}${_LIB_NAME}.${BULLET_LIB_EXT} CACHE FILEPATH "${_LIB_NAME} release library location")
       set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_${_LIB_VAR_NAME}_DEBUG "" CACHE FILEPATH "${_LIB_NAME} debug library location")
     endif ()
   endforeach()