diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config.go
index 1558f183b..04de1a49f 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func DefaultCatalogerConfig() CatalogerConfig {
 		UsePackagesLib:    true,
 		MainModuleVersion: DefaultMainModuleVersionConfig(),
 		LocalModCacheDir:  defaultGoModDir(),
-		CaptureSymbols:    true,
+		CaptureSymbols:    false,
 	}
 
 	// first process the proxy settings
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config_test.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config_test.go
index 9d76e9d3b..aa3e7a712 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config_test.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/golang/config_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func Test_Config(t *testing.T) {
 				NoProxy:                     []string{"my.private", "no.proxy"},
 				MainModuleVersion:           DefaultMainModuleVersionConfig(),
 				UsePackagesLib:              true,
-				CaptureSymbols:              true,
+				CaptureSymbols:              false,
 			},
 		},
 		{
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func Test_Config(t *testing.T) {
 				NoProxy:                     []string{"alt.no.proxy"},
 				MainModuleVersion:           DefaultMainModuleVersionConfig(),
 				UsePackagesLib:              true,
-				CaptureSymbols:              true,
+				CaptureSymbols:              false,
 			},
 		},
 	}