diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a81f81597..f8fbca69b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ MARK_AS_ADVANCED(OSG_DISABLE_MSVC_WARNINGS)
 
 OPTION(OSG_PROVIDE_READFILE "Set to ON for include/osgDB/ReadFile to provide the osgDB::read*File(() methods. " ON)
 OPTION(OSG_USE_REF_PTR_IMPLICIT_OUTPUT_CONVERSION "Set to ON to use the ref_ptr<> T* operator() output conversion. " ON)
-OPTION(OSG_USE_REF_PTR_SAFE_DEREFERENCE "Set to ON to throw an exception whenever ref_ptr<> is dereferenced or called. " ON)
+OPTION(OSG_USE_REF_PTR_SAFE_DEREFERENCE "Set to ON to throw an exception whenever ref_ptr<> is dereferenced or called. " OFF)
 
 # Map the OPENGL_PROFILE to OSG_GL*_AVAILABLE settings
 SET(OPENGL_PROFILE "GL2" CACHE STRING "OpenGL Profile to use, choose from GL1, GL2, GL3, GLES1, GLES2, GLES3")