diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 17624eb8..2523ab49 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake")
 
 set(projectPrefix MP_UNITS_)
 
-option(${projectPrefix}DEV_BUILD_LA "Build code depending on the linear algebra library" ON)
+option(${projectPrefix}DEV_BUILD_LA "Build code depending on the linear algebra library" OFF)
 option(${projectPrefix}DEV_IWYU "Enables include-what-you-use" OFF)
 option(${projectPrefix}DEV_CLANG_TIDY "Enables clang-tidy" OFF)
 
diff --git a/conanfile.py b/conanfile.py
index cc559918..e944fdc1 100644
--- a/conanfile.py
+++ b/conanfile.py
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ class MPUnitsConan(ConanFile):
 
     @property
     def _skip_la(self):
-        return bool(self.conf.get("user.mp-units.build:skip_la", default=False))
+        # broken until https://github.com/BobSteagall/wg21/issues/77 is fixed
+        return bool(self.conf.get("user.mp-units.build:skip_la", default=True))
 
     @property
     def _run_clang_tidy(self):
diff --git a/docs/getting_started/installation_and_usage.md b/docs/getting_started/installation_and_usage.md
index 05c43fec..eb283fdc 100644
--- a/docs/getting_started/installation_and_usage.md
+++ b/docs/getting_started/installation_and_usage.md
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ tools.build:compiler_executables={"c": "gcc-12", "cpp": "g++-12"}
 
 [`user.mp-units.build:skip_la`](#user-skip-la){ #user-skip-la }
 
-:   [:octicons-tag-24: 2.2.0][conan skip la support] · :octicons-milestone-24: `True`/`False` (Default: `False`)
+:   [:octicons-tag-24: 2.2.0][conan skip la support] · :octicons-milestone-24: `True`/`False` (Default: `True`)
 
     If `user.mp-units.build:all` is enabled, among others, Conan installs the external
     [wg21-linear_algebra](https://conan.io/center/recipes/wg21-linear_algebra)