diff --git a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.makim.yaml b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.makim.yaml
index 722141a5..cf6cdb75 100644
--- a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.makim.yaml
+++ b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/.makim.yaml
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ groups:
           {%- elif cookiecutter.build_system == "pybind11" %}
           python -m build
           {%- elif cookiecutter.build_system == "pixi" %}
-          python -m build
+          pixi install
           {%- endif %}
 
   release:
diff --git a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/Makefile b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/Makefile
index dc600915..2749bb2c 100644
--- a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/Makefile
+++ b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/Makefile
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ build:
 	{%- elif cookiecutter.build_system == "pybind11" %}
 	python -m build
 	{%- elif cookiecutter.build_system == "pixi" %}
-	python -m build
+	pixi install
 	{%- endif %}
 
 .PHONY:release-ci