diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c86b5b0053..69558d097f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ jobs:
         tar -xf panda3d-1.10.16-tools-mac.tar.gz
         mv panda3d-1.10.16/thirdparty thirdparty
         rmdir panda3d-1.10.16
-        (cd thirdparty/darwin-libs-a && rm -rf rocket openal)
+        (cd thirdparty/darwin-libs-a && rm -rf rocket)
 
     - name: Set up XCode (macOS)
       if: runner.os == 'macOS'
diff --git a/panda/src/audio/config_audio.cxx b/panda/src/audio/config_audio.cxx
index de128896e6..5f2708cfae 100644
--- a/panda/src/audio/config_audio.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/audio/config_audio.cxx
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ ConfigVariableInt audio_preload_threshold
           "time - the hard drive seek time makes it stutter."));
 
 ConfigVariableBool audio_want_hrtf
-("audio-want-hrtf", true,
+("audio-want-hrtf", false,
  PRC_DESC("This determines whether OpenAL-Soft should activate HRTF in "
           "certain hardware configurations. Set it to true to cause "
           "OpenAL to automatically apply HRTF processing to all output "