diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index f621ae93..5cc16399 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -104,16 +104,29 @@ for:
        - cmd: echo %PATH%
 
     install:
+       - cmd: git clone https://github.com/NHERI-SimCenter/SimCenterBackendApplications.git    
        - git clone https://github.com/NHERI-SimCenter/SimCenterCommon.git
        - git clone https://github.com/NHERI-SimCenter/quoFEM.git
        - cmd: dir
 
     build_script:
+
+      # build simcenter backend
+      - cmd: dir
+      - cmd: cd SimCenterBackendApplications
+      - cmd: mkdir build
+      - cmd: cd build
+      - cmd: conan install .. --build missing
+      - cmd: cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019"
+      - cmd: cmake --build . --config Release
+      - cmd: cmake --install .
+      - cmd: cd ..
+      - cmd: cd ..
+      
       #
       # build quoFEM
       #
 
-      # first UI
       - cmd: cd quoFEM
       - cmd: mkdir build
       - cmd: cd build
@@ -122,19 +135,6 @@ for:
       - cmd: nmake
       - cmd: cd ..
       
-      # now quoFEM backend
-      - cmd: cd backend
-      - cmd: mkdir build
-      - cmd: dir
-      - cmd: cd build
-      - cmd: conan install .. --build missing
-      - cmd: cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 16 2019"
-      - cmd: cmake --build . --config Release
-      - cmd: cmake --install .
-      - cmd: cd ..
-      - cmd: cd ..
-
-      - cmd: cd ..
 
     test_script:
       -cmd: python --version