diff --git a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/functional_test_runner.ts b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/functional_test_runner.ts
index 85ff59632bc75..e902ad5d9f6cf 100644
--- a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/functional_test_runner.ts
+++ b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/functional_test_runner.ts
@@ -44,13 +44,12 @@ export class FunctionalTestRunner {
 
   async run(abortSignal?: AbortSignal) {
     const testStats = await this.getTestStats();
+    const realServices =
+      !testStats || (testStats.testCount > 0 && testStats.nonSkippedTestCount > 0);
 
-    return await this.runHarness(async (lifecycle, coreProviders) => {
+    return await this.runHarness({ realServices }, async (lifecycle, coreProviders) => {
       SuiteTracker.startTracking(lifecycle, this.config.path);
 
-      const realServices =
-        !testStats || (testStats.testCount > 0 && testStats.nonSkippedTestCount > 0);
-
       const providers = realServices
         ? new ProviderCollection(this.log, [
             ...coreProviders,
@@ -113,10 +112,12 @@ export class FunctionalTestRunner {
         return;
       }
 
-      await lifecycle.beforeTests.trigger(mocha.suite);
-      if (abortSignal?.aborted) {
-        this.log.warning('run aborted');
-        return;
+      if (realServices) {
+        await lifecycle.beforeTests.trigger(mocha.suite);
+        if (abortSignal?.aborted) {
+          this.log.warning('run aborted');
+          return;
+        }
       }
 
       this.log.info('Starting tests');
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ export class FunctionalTestRunner {
   }
 
   async getTestStats() {
-    return await this.runHarness(async (lifecycle, coreProviders) => {
+    return await this.runHarness({ realServices: false }, async (lifecycle, coreProviders) => {
       if (this.config.get('testRunner')) {
         return;
       }
@@ -222,6 +223,11 @@ export class FunctionalTestRunner {
   }
 
   private async runHarness<T = any>(
+    {
+      realServices,
+    }: {
+      realServices: boolean;
+    },
     handler: (lifecycle: Lifecycle, coreProviders: Providers) => Promise<T>
   ): Promise<T> {
     let runErrorOccurred = false;
@@ -239,7 +245,8 @@ export class FunctionalTestRunner {
       const dockerServers = new DockerServersService(
         this.config.get('dockerServers'),
         this.log,
-        lifecycle
+        lifecycle,
+        !realServices
       );
 
       // base level services that functional_test_runner exposes
diff --git a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/lib/docker_servers/docker_servers_service.ts b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/lib/docker_servers/docker_servers_service.ts
index 60f398d1fa5d0..916381b3c45c6 100644
--- a/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/lib/docker_servers/docker_servers_service.ts
+++ b/src/platform/packages/shared/kbn-test/src/functional_test_runner/lib/docker_servers/docker_servers_service.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ export class DockerServersService {
       [name: string]: DockerServerSpec;
     },
     private log: ToolingLog,
-    private lifecycle: Lifecycle
+    private lifecycle: Lifecycle,
+    private disabled?: boolean
   ) {
     this.servers = Object.entries(configs).map(([name, config]) => ({
       ...config,
@@ -208,6 +209,10 @@ export class DockerServersService {
   }
 
   private async startServers() {
+    if (this.disabled) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     await Promise.all(
       this.servers.map(async (server) => {
         if (server.enabled) {