diff --git a/torch/csrc/distributed/c10d/socket.h b/torch/csrc/distributed/c10d/socket.h
index 81659f11f049f3..45543b298ae17a 100644
--- a/torch/csrc/distributed/c10d/socket.h
+++ b/torch/csrc/distributed/c10d/socket.h
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ class SocketOptions {
   }
 
  private:
-  bool prefer_ipv6_ = true;
+  // XXX: keeping this here for now, addressing separately upstream
+  bool prefer_ipv6_ = false;
   std::chrono::milliseconds connect_timeout_{std::chrono::seconds{30}};
   std::shared_ptr<Backoff> connect_backoff_{
       std::make_shared<FixedBackoff>(std::chrono::milliseconds(1000))};