--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
             help_str = 'build documentation (auto)',
             help_disable_str = 'do not build documentation')
 
-    add_option_enable_disable(ctx, 'tests', default = True,
+    add_option_enable_disable(ctx, 'tests', default = False,
             help_str = 'build tests (true)',
             help_disable_str = 'do not build or run tests')
 
