diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index eb39c3e4e70..5b1409ea701 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -355,12 +355,6 @@ if(BUILD_DOCUMENTATION)
     endif()
 
     if(NOT CHECK_DOCUMENTATION)
-        find_program(CURL_EXE curl)
-        if(CURL_EXE)
-            message(STATUS "Found cURL: ${CURL_EXE}")
-        else()
-            message(FATAL_ERROR "curl is needed to build the documentation. Please install it correctly")
-        endif()
         find_program(UNZIP_EXE unzip)
         if(UNZIP_EXE)
             message(STATUS "Found Unzip: ${UNZIP_EXE}")
@@ -405,12 +399,23 @@ if(BUILD_DOCUMENTATION)
 
     ### ReadTheDocs ########################
     if(NOT CHECK_DOCUMENTATION)
+
+        file(WRITE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/readthedocs_custom_template.cmake [=[
+
+            file(DOWNLOAD "https://fast-dds.docs.eprosima.com/_/downloads/en/v${PROJECT_VERSION}/htmlzip/" "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip")
+            # TODO: when windows ci CMake version surpasses 17 favor file() instead of UNZIP as in the next line
+            # file(ARCHIVE_EXTRACT INPUT "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip" DESTINATION  "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/")
+            execute_process(COMMAND "${UNZIP_EXE}" "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip" -d "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/")
+            file(REMOVE_RECURSE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/manual")
+            file(RENAME "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/eprosima-fast-rtps-v${PROJECT_VERSION}" "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/manual")
+            file(REMOVE  "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip")
+
+            ]=])
+
+        configure_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/readthedocs_custom_template.cmake  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/readthedocs_custom.cmake)
+
         add_custom_target(readthedocs
-            COMMAND "${CURL_EXE}" "https://fast-dds.docs.eprosima.com/_/downloads/en/v${PROJECT_VERSION}/htmlzip/" "--silent" "--output" "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip"
-            COMMAND "${UNZIP_EXE}" "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip" -d "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/"
-            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove_directory "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/manual"
-            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E rename "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/eprosima-fast-rtps-v${PROJECT_VERSION}" "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/doc/manual"
-            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E remove "eprosima-fast-rtps.zip"
+            COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -P ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/readthedocs_custom.cmake 
             )
 
         add_dependencies(readthedocs docdirs)