diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
index 050bed2da..18a3737d7 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@ from ..globals import LAZY_EXTRACTORS
 from ..globals import extractors as _extractors_context
 
 _CLASS_LOOKUP = None
-if not os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_LAZY_EXTRACTORS'):
+if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_LAZY_EXTRACTORS'):
+    LAZY_EXTRACTORS.value = False
+else:
     try:
         from .lazy_extractors import _CLASS_LOOKUP
         LAZY_EXTRACTORS.value = True
     except ImportError:
-        LAZY_EXTRACTORS.value = False
+        LAZY_EXTRACTORS.value = None
 
 if not _CLASS_LOOKUP:
     from . import _extractors
diff --git a/yt_dlp/globals.py b/yt_dlp/globals.py
index e1c189d5a..0cf276cc9 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/globals.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/globals.py
@@ -27,4 +27,4 @@ plugin_ies_overrides = Indirect(defaultdict(list))
 
 # Misc
 IN_CLI = Indirect(False)
-LAZY_EXTRACTORS = Indirect(False)  # `False`=force, `None`=disabled, `True`=enabled
+LAZY_EXTRACTORS = Indirect(None)  # `False`=force, `None`=disabled, `True`=enabled