diff --git a/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml b/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
index 6e06bfacc..6406a7fb8 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/build_conda/action.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ runs:
         miniforge-version: latest # ensures conda-forge channel is used.
         channels: conda-forge
         conda-remove-defaults: 'true'
+        activate-environment: 'base'
         # Set to runner.arch=aarch64 if we're on arm64 because
         # there's no miniforge ARM64 package, just aarch64.
         # They are the same thing, just named differently.
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ runs:
       run: |
         # Ensure starting packages are from conda-forge.
         conda list --show-channel-urls
-        conda install -y -q "conda!=24.11.0,<=25.07"
+        conda install -y -q "conda!=24.11.0,<25.7"
         conda install -y -q "conda-build=25.3.1" "liblief=0.14.1"
     - name: Enable anaconda uploads
       if: inputs.label != ''
diff --git a/conda/faiss/meta.yaml b/conda/faiss/meta.yaml
index 70486ca3c..be09a017c 100644
--- a/conda/faiss/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda/faiss/meta.yaml
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ outputs:
       requires:
         - numpy >=2.0,<3.0
         - scipy
-        - pytorch-cpu >=2.7
+        - pytorch-cpu >=2.7  # [not win]
+        - pytorch >=2.7      # [win]
         {% if PY_VER == '3.10' or PY_VER == '3.11' %}
         - mkl >=2024.2.2  # [x86_64]
         - python_abi <3.12