diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index fd98570b..b197c3d4 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ AC_REVISION($Id$)
 AC_INIT(conf/confbase.Y)
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR(tools)
 
-AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,[  --enable-debug          enable internal debugging routines (default: enabled)],,enable_debug=yes)
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(debug,[  --enable-debug          enable internal debugging routines (default: disabled)],,enable_debug=no)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(warnings,[  --enable-warnings       enable extra warnings (default: disabled)],,enable_warnings=no)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(client,[  --enable-client         enable building of BIRD client (default: enabled)],,enable_client=yes)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(ipv6,[  --enable-ipv6           enable building of IPv6 version (default: disabled)],,enable_ipv6=no)