diff --git a/hb_internal/build/build.py b/hb_internal/build/build.py
index 0305936e48cd3a7072a64329ecab31d821900ac7..ef984028cab040e97b01408fee2e3fa434263b52 100644
--- a/hb_internal/build/build.py
+++ b/hb_internal/build/build.py
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ def add_options(parser):
                         help='apply product patch before compiling',
                         action='store_true')
     parser.add_argument('--compact-mode',
+                        action='store_false',
                         help='compactiable with standard build system'
-                        'set to true if we use build.sh as build entrance',
-                        action='store_true',
-                        default=False)
+                        'set to false if we use build.sh as build entrance',
+                        default=True)
     parser.add_argument('--gn-args',
                         nargs=1,
                         default='',