diff --git a/scripts/cmake/vcpkg_from_github.cmake b/scripts/cmake/vcpkg_from_github.cmake
index 1c1b71679f95b8..f77d1b2e20f50a 100644
--- a/scripts/cmake/vcpkg_from_github.cmake
+++ b/scripts/cmake/vcpkg_from_github.cmake
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ function(vcpkg_from_github)
         set(VCPKG_USE_HEAD_VERSION OFF)
     endif()
 
+    if(VCPKG_MANIFEST_MODE AND NOT VCPKG_USE_HEAD_VERSION AND NOT DEFINED _vdud_REF)
+        message(STATUS "Package specifies HEAD_REF but not REF, and --head was not passed to vcpkg. Manifest mode is active, so HEAD_REF is being used.")
+        set(VCPKG_USE_HEAD_VERSION ON)
+    endif()
+
     # Handle --no-head scenarios
     if(NOT VCPKG_USE_HEAD_VERSION)
         if(NOT _vdud_REF)