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In this article we report from a case study of a software development organization and we study in particular the developers' and product managers' attitudes towards integrating usability work into software development. We offer explanations based on system justification theory illuminating what would-be integrators might be up against. The analysis shows how the developers only pay lip service to usability work and how they treat users superficially. It further shows how that leads to stereotyping of usability designers and users in order to preserve status quo, and how internalization of inequality between the developers and usability designers rationalizes the preservation of status quo. These findings will have significant implications for managers of software development.• Software developers may claim to adhere to the principles of usability design and evaluation while their practices show the contrary• Usability designers and users may become stereotyped and internalise a perception of inequality.• Developers may cling to status quo and seek to preserve it.• Managers of software development and usability work must pay attention to justification mechanisms to realise the challenges of integration.