diff --git a/vcl/README.vars b/vcl/README.vars
index 10e6356951d1..d50a03b11a7e 100644
--- a/vcl/README.vars
+++ b/vcl/README.vars
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ SAL_USE_VCLPLUGIN - use a VCL plugin
 SAL_NO_NWF - disable native widgets
 SAL_FORCEDPI - force a specific DPI (gtk & gtk3 plugins only)
 SAL_FORCE_HC - force high-contrast mode
-SAL_USE_COMMON_LAYOUT - use CommonSalLayout layout engine for text layout
+SAL_NO_COMMON_LAYOUT - disable CommonSalLayout layout engine for text layout
 
 VCL_DOUBLEBUFFERING_AVOID_PAINT - don't paint the buffer, useful to see where we do direct painting
 VCL_DOUBLEBUFFERING_FORCE_ENABLE - enable double buffered painting
diff --git a/vcl/source/gdi/sallayout.cxx b/vcl/source/gdi/sallayout.cxx
index b865ff917a6e..2e09aaf45436 100644
--- a/vcl/source/gdi/sallayout.cxx
+++ b/vcl/source/gdi/sallayout.cxx
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ bool SalLayout::IsSpacingGlyph( sal_GlyphId nGlyph )
 
 bool SalLayout::UseCommonLayout()
 {
-    static bool bUse = getenv("SAL_USE_COMMON_LAYOUT") != nullptr;
+    static bool bUse = getenv("SAL_NO_COMMON_LAYOUT") == nullptr;
     return bUse;
 }