diff --git a/default.context b/default.context
index 18c8429f3..03d260921 100644
--- a/default.context
+++ b/default.context
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ $endif$
 \setupitemize[autointro]    % prevent orphan list intro
 \setupitemize[indentnext=no]
 
+\setupcaption[figure][number=no]  % don't number figures
+
 \setupthinrules[width=15em] % width of horizontal rules
 
 \setupdelimitedtext