diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9c6bb89d3..274d07272 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([mining],
   [enable_mining=yes])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([proton],
-  [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-proton],
-  [disable Proton (AMQP messaging)])],
+  [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-proton],
+  [enable Proton (AMQP messaging) (default is no)])],
   [use_proton=$enableval],
-  [use_proton=yes])
+  [use_proton=no])
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(tests,
     AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-tests],[do not compile tests (default is to compile)]),
diff --git a/depends/Makefile b/depends/Makefile
index fbd735287..bb353182c 100644
--- a/depends/Makefile
+++ b/depends/Makefile
@@ -77,7 +77,9 @@ include builders/default.mk
 include packages/packages.mk
 
 wallet_packages_$(NO_WALLET) = $(wallet_packages)
-proton_packages_$(NO_PROTON) = $(proton_packages)
+
+NO_PROTON_$(WITH_PROTON) = 1
+proton_packages_$(NO_PROTON_) = $(proton_packages)
 
 packages += $($(host_arch)_$(host_os)_packages) $($(host_os)_packages) $(rust_packages) $(proton_packages_) $(wallet_packages_)
 native_packages += $($(host_arch)_$(host_os)_native_packages) $($(host_os)_native_packages)
diff --git a/zcutil/build.sh b/zcutil/build.sh
index d73ce9a85..2aac3f62d 100755
--- a/zcutil/build.sh
+++ b/zcutil/build.sh
@@ -65,10 +65,10 @@ fi
 set -x
 
 # If --enable-proton is the next argument, enable building Proton code:
-PROTON_ARG='--enable-proton=no'
+PROTON_ARG=''
 if [ "x${1:-}" = 'x--enable-proton' ]
 then
-    PROTON_ARG=''
+    PROTON_ARG='--enable-proton'
     shift
 fi
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ eval "$MAKE" --version
 as --version
 ld -v
 
-HOST="$HOST" BUILD="$BUILD" NO_PROTON="$PROTON_ARG" "$MAKE" "$@" -C ./depends/ V=1
+HOST="$HOST" BUILD="$BUILD" WITH_PROTON="$PROTON_ARG" "$MAKE" "$@" -C ./depends/ V=1
 ./autogen.sh
 CONFIG_SITE="$PWD/depends/$HOST/share/config.site" ./configure "$PROTON_ARG" $CONFIGURE_FLAGS CXXFLAGS='-g'
 "$MAKE" "$@" V=1