diff --git a/invenio_cli/cli/services.py b/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
index 722615fa..a3f7cb68 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/cli/services.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import click
 
 from ..commands import ServicesCommands
+from ..helpers.docker_helper import NoOpDockerHelper
 from .utils import pass_cli_config, run_steps
 
 
@@ -61,7 +62,14 @@ def setup(cli_config, force, no_demo_data, stop_services, services):
     """Setup local services."""
     # no_demo_data = False (default) means "YES to demo_data"
     demo_data = not no_demo_data
-    commands = ServicesCommands(cli_config)
+    if services:
+        # use the default docker helper
+        docker_helper = None
+    else:
+        # create a no-op docker helper as services are disabled
+        docker_helper = NoOpDockerHelper()
+
+    commands = ServicesCommands(cli_config, docker_helper=docker_helper)
     steps = commands.setup(force, demo_data, stop_services, services)
     on_fail = "Failed to setup services."
     on_success = "Successfully setup all services."
diff --git a/invenio_cli/helpers/docker_helper.py b/invenio_cli/helpers/docker_helper.py
index 31932df3..319461c1 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/helpers/docker_helper.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/helpers/docker_helper.py
@@ -137,3 +137,30 @@ def execute_cli_command(self, project_shortname, command):
                 output="Web UI container not found. Is it up and running?",
                 status_code=1,
             )
+
+
+class NoOpDockerHelper:
+    """A no-op implementation of DockerHelper that does nothing.
+
+    It is used when services can not be started with docker (e.g. in CI/CD environments)
+    and has the same interface as DockerHelper.
+    """
+
+    def build_images(self, pull=False, cache=True):
+        """Build images action. Not implemented in NoOpDockerHelper."""
+        raise NotImplementedError("Build images is not implemented in NoOpDockerHelper")
+
+    def start_containers(self, app_only=False):
+        """Start containers according to the specified environment.
+
+        :param app_only: Boot up only ui and api containers.
+        """
+        return ProcessResponse()
+
+    def stop_containers(self):
+        """Stop currently running containers."""
+        return ProcessResponse()
+
+    def destroy_containers(self):
+        """Stop and remove all containers, volumes and images."""
+        return ProcessResponse()