diff --git a/conda_package/docs/testing_changes.rst b/conda_package/docs/testing_changes.rst
index a9aa5e83..b3434736 100644
--- a/conda_package/docs/testing_changes.rst
+++ b/conda_package/docs/testing_changes.rst
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ make them in your branch), run:
     cd conda_package
     conda env create -y -n mpas_tools_dev --file dev-spec.txt
     conda activate mpas_tools_dev
-    python -m pip install -e .
+    python -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -e .
 
 You should now find that ``mpas_tools`` can be imported in python codes and the
 various scripts and entry points are available in the path.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ use:
 
     conda env update -f ./dev_environment
     conda activate mpas_tools_dev
-    python -m pip install -e .
+    python -m pip install --no-deps --no-build-isolation -e .
 
 to update the existing environment and make sure ``mpas_tools`` in the
 environment points to your current branch.
diff --git a/conda_package/recipe/build.sh b/conda_package/recipe/build.sh
index cf69c237..f9a3f135 100644
--- a/conda_package/recipe/build.sh
+++ b/conda_package/recipe/build.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ set -e
 cp -r ocean landice visualization mesh_tools conda_package
 
 cd conda_package
-${PYTHON} -m pip install . --no-deps -vv
+${PYTHON} -m pip install . --no-deps --no-build-isolation -vv
 
 # build and install ocean topography smoothing tool
 cd ${SRC_DIR}/conda_package/ocean/smooth_topo