diff --git a/cadquery/occ_impl/exporters/vtk.py b/cadquery/occ_impl/exporters/vtk.py
index dd0638720..d13133c80 100644
--- a/cadquery/occ_impl/exporters/vtk.py
+++ b/cadquery/occ_impl/exporters/vtk.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def toString(
 
     writer = vtkXMLPolyDataWriter()
     writer.SetWriteToOutputString(True)
-    writer.SetInputData(shape.toVtkPolyData(tolerance, angularTolerance))
+    writer.SetInputData(shape.toVtkPolyData(tolerance, angularTolerance, True))
     writer.Write()
 
     return writer.GetOutputString()
diff --git a/cadquery/occ_impl/shapes.py b/cadquery/occ_impl/shapes.py
index d70474774..14a9e72d7 100644
--- a/cadquery/occ_impl/shapes.py
+++ b/cadquery/occ_impl/shapes.py
@@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ def toVtkPolyData(
         self,
         tolerance: Optional[float] = None,
         angularTolerance: Optional[float] = None,
-        normals: bool = True,
+        normals: bool = False,
     ) -> vtkPolyData:
         """
         Convert shape to vtkPolyData