diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 7c0b92ec..e0398fee 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ jobs:
           - --all-features
           - --no-default-features
           - --no-default-features --features alloc,std,aws_lc_rs
+          - --no-default-features --features alloc,std,ring
 
         mode:
           - # debug
@@ -128,6 +129,7 @@ jobs:
           - features: --no-default-features
           - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std
           - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std,aws_lc_rs
+          - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std,ring
           - features: --all-features
             mode: --release
           - features: --all-features
@@ -204,6 +206,22 @@ jobs:
             rust_channel: stable
             host_os: ubuntu-latest
 
+          # check ring alone
+          - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std,ring
+            mode: # debug
+            rust_channel: stable
+            host_os: macos-latest
+
+          - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std,ring
+            mode: # debug
+            rust_channel: stable
+            host_os: windows-latest
+
+          - features: --no-default-features --features alloc,std,ring
+            mode: # debug
+            rust_channel: stable
+            host_os: ubuntu-latest
+
     steps:
       - name: Checkout sources
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index eb235049..52762f8c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ allowed_external_types = [
 name = "webpki"
 
 [features]
-default = ["std", "ring"]
+default = ["std"]
 alloc = ["ring?/alloc", "pki-types/alloc"]
 aws_lc_rs = ["dep:aws-lc-rs"]
 ring = ["dep:ring"]