diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index de729c50ba..eccb96a625 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 /docs/build/
 Manifest.toml
+LocalPreferences.toml
 .DS_Store
diff --git a/src/AbstractAlgebra.jl b/src/AbstractAlgebra.jl
index eae2458e0f..199c6de967 100644
--- a/src/AbstractAlgebra.jl
+++ b/src/AbstractAlgebra.jl
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ const import_exclude = [:import_exclude, :QQ, :ZZ,
 # imported here and in Generic.jl, and exported below.
 # They should not be imported/exported anywhere else.
 
+import LinearAlgebra
+
 import LinearAlgebra: det
+import LinearAlgebra: dot
 import LinearAlgebra: hessenberg
 import LinearAlgebra: ishermitian
 import LinearAlgebra: issymmetric
diff --git a/src/NCRings.jl b/src/NCRings.jl
index d8f2953ec0..a95daf9f1e 100644
--- a/src/NCRings.jl
+++ b/src/NCRings.jl
@@ -290,3 +290,15 @@ Base.oftype(x::NCRingElem, y::Rational) = parent(x)(y)
 ###############################################################################
 
 Base.broadcastable(x::NCRingElem) = Ref(x)
+
+################################################################################
+#
+#   Dot
+#
+################################################################################
+
+dot(x::NCRingElem, y::NCRingElem) = x * y
+
+dot(x::NCRingElem, y::Union{Integer, Rational, AbstractFloat}) = x * y
+
+dot(x::Union{Integer, Rational, AbstractFloat}, y::NCRingElem) = x * y
diff --git a/src/NemoStuff.jl b/src/NemoStuff.jl
index 8a4052fda0..b6cb93fd99 100644
--- a/src/NemoStuff.jl
+++ b/src/NemoStuff.jl
@@ -398,9 +398,6 @@ end
 
 Random.gentype(::Type{T}) where {T<:FinField} = elem_type(T)
 
-import LinearAlgebra
-LinearAlgebra.dot(a::NCRingElem, b::NCRingElem) = a * b
-
 transpose!(A::MatrixElem) = transpose(A)
 
 function Base.div(f::PolyRingElem, g::PolyRingElem)
diff --git a/src/PrettyPrinting.jl b/src/PrettyPrinting.jl
index c4c98a6c96..c739462f89 100644
--- a/src/PrettyPrinting.jl
+++ b/src/PrettyPrinting.jl
@@ -1648,24 +1648,67 @@ end
 #
 ################################################################################
 
-# A non-compiletime preference
-function allow_unicode(flag::Bool)
-  old_flag = is_unicode_allowed()
-  @set_preferences!("unicode" => flag)
-  return old_flag
+const ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE = Ref{Union{Bool,Nothing}}(nothing)
+
+@doc """
+    allow_unicode(allowed::Bool; temporary::Bool=false) -> Bool
+
+Set whether unicode characters are allowed in pretty printing and returns the
+previous value.
+If `temporary` is `true`, then the change is only active for the current worker and session.
+Otherwise, the change is permanently saved in the preferences.
+A permanent change will always override a temporary change.
+
+This function may behave arbitrarily if called from within the scope of a
+`with_unicode` do-block.
+"""
+function allow_unicode(allowed::Bool; temporary::Bool=false)
+   if temporary
+      old_allowed = is_unicode_allowed()
+      ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[] = allowed
+      return old_allowed
+   else
+      old_allowed = is_unicode_allowed()
+      @set_preferences!("unicode" => allowed)
+      ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[] = nothing
+      return old_allowed
+   end
 end
 
+@doc """
+    is_unicode_allowed() -> Bool
+
+Return whether unicode characters are allowed in pretty printing.
+"""
 function is_unicode_allowed()
-  return @load_preference("unicode", default = false)
+   override = ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[]
+   !isnothing(override) && return override
+   return @load_preference("unicode", default = false)::Bool
 end
 
-function with_unicode(f::Function)
-  old_allow_unicode = allow_unicode(true)
-  try
-    f()
-  finally
-    allow_unicode(old_allow_unicode)
-  end
+@doc """
+    with_unicode(f::Function, allowed::Bool=true)
+
+Temporarily set whether unicode characters are allowed in pretty printing
+during the execution of `f`.
+This is useful for e.g. running doctests independently on the user preference.
+
+`with_unicode` is expected to be called in the following way:
+```julia
+with_unicode([allowed]) do
+   # code that should be executed with unicode allowed/disallowed
+end
+```
+"""
+function with_unicode(f::Function, allowed::Bool=true)
+   previous = ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[]
+   ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[] = allowed
+   try
+      f()
+   finally
+      @assert ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[] == allowed
+      ALLOW_UNICODE_OVERRIDE_VALUE[] = previous
+   end
 end
 
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/test/NCRings-test.jl b/test/NCRings-test.jl
index 530443fc5b..5f77883996 100644
--- a/test/NCRings-test.jl
+++ b/test/NCRings-test.jl
@@ -56,3 +56,22 @@ end
    M = matrix_space(ZZ, 2, rand(3:9))
    @test_throws DomainError powers(rand(M, 1:9), rand(1:9))
 end
+
+@testset "dot" begin
+  dot = AbstractAlgebra.LinearAlgebra.dot
+
+  Qx, x  = QQ["x"]
+  @test dot([x, x^2], [1, 1]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([x, x^2], Rational{BigInt}[1, 1]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([1, 1], [x, x^2]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot(Rational{BigInt}[1, 1], [x, x^2]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([x], [x^2]) == x^3
+
+  R = matrix_ring(QQ, 2)
+  x = R([1 2; 3 4])
+  @test dot([x, x^2], [1, 1]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([x, x^2], Rational{BigInt}[1, 1]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([1, 1], [x, x^2]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot(Rational{BigInt}[1, 1], [x, x^2]) == x + x^2
+  @test dot([x], [x^2]) == x^3
+end