diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 77971ec6c..b0474d573 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ machine:
   environment:
     TEST_NO_FUSE: 1
     TEST_VERBOSE: 1
+    TEST_NO_DOCKER: 1
     TRAVIS: 1
     CIRCLE: 1
     IMPORT_PATH: "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs"
diff --git a/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh b/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
index ec28d6d77..d177bc65b 100644
--- a/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/lib/test-lib.sh
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ SHARNESS_LIB="lib/sharness/sharness.sh"
 # grab + output options
 test "$TEST_NO_FUSE" != 1 && test_set_prereq FUSE
 test "$TEST_EXPENSIVE" = 1 && test_set_prereq EXPENSIVE
-type docker && test_set_prereq DOCKER
+test "$TEST_NO_DOCKER" != 1 && type docker && test_set_prereq DOCKER
 
 if test "$TEST_VERBOSE" = 1; then
 	echo '# TEST_VERBOSE='"$TEST_VERBOSE"