diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 7771f2ff9d..4b0d576f13 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1877,7 +1877,7 @@ custom_target('authors.md',
     '-o', '@OUTPUT@',
     '@INPUT@',
   ],
-  build_by_default: true,
+  build_by_default: false,
 )
 
 if xmllint.found()