diff --git a/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/main_test.go b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3253aa433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package testutils
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestMain skips the entire testutils test suite when integration prerequisites
+// (Docker daemon for testcontainers) are unavailable. The testutils package's own
+// tests exercise SetupTestDB and CleanupDatabaseWithOptions which require a real
+// Postgres container, so there is nothing meaningful to run without it.
+//
+// CI sets VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1 on runners without /var/run/docker.sock.
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	if os.Getenv("VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION") == "1" {
+		fmt.Println("testutils: skipping package (VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1)")
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/setup.go b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/setup.go
index e162c74a6..fefd02795 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/setup.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/setup.go
@@ -26,9 +26,17 @@ var (
 
 // GetTestContainerDB ensures the postgres container is running and returns the DSN.
 // It uses a singleton pattern to start the container only once per test run.
-// If DATABASE_URL is set (e.g. CI with real PostgreSQL), uses it instead of testcontainer.
+//
+// Resolution order:
+//  1. VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1 → return an error immediately (CI runners w/o Docker)
+//  2. DATABASE_URL set → use it directly (CI with a sidecar Postgres service)
+//  3. Otherwise → start a postgres testcontainer (local dev / nightly job)
 func GetTestContainerDB(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
 	containerOnce.Do(func() {
+		if os.Getenv("VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION") == "1" {
+			pgErr = fmt.Errorf("integration tests skipped: VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1")
+			return
+		}
 		if dsn := os.Getenv("DATABASE_URL"); dsn != "" {
 			pgDSN = dsn
 			pgErr = nil
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/skip.go b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/skip.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6546d566a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veza-backend-api/internal/testutils/skip.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package testutils
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// SkipIfNoIntegration skips the current test when integration prerequisites
+// (notably a running Docker daemon for testcontainers-go) are unavailable.
+//
+// It honors:
+//   - `go test -short` (testing.Short())
+//   - VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1 environment variable (set by CI runners
+//     without Docker socket access)
+//
+// Call this at the very top of any test helper that relies on
+// GetTestContainerDB or otherwise spins up Postgres via testcontainers.
+func SkipIfNoIntegration(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Helper()
+	if testing.Short() || os.Getenv("VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION") == "1" {
+		t.Skip("integration test requires Docker; skipped (-short or VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1)")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/tests/integration/main_test.go b/veza-backend-api/tests/integration/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eec63ff4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veza-backend-api/tests/integration/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package integration
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestMain skips the entire integration test suite when Docker is unavailable
+// (no /var/run/docker.sock). Integration tests rely on testcontainers for
+// Postgres, Redis, etc., and have no meaningful behavior without them.
+//
+// Set by CI: VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1 on Forgejo runners that don't expose
+// the Docker socket. Local dev / nightly jobs leave it unset.
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	if os.Getenv("VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION") == "1" {
+		fmt.Println("integration: skipping package (VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1)")
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/main_test.go b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86e4117f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package transactions
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// TestMain skips the entire transactions test suite when Docker is unavailable.
+// All tests in this package rely on testcontainers-go to spin up a real Postgres
+// container so transactional rollback semantics can be validated.
+//
+// Set by CI: VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1 on Forgejo runners that don't expose
+// the Docker socket. Local dev / nightly jobs leave it unset.
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	if os.Getenv("VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION") == "1" {
+		fmt.Println("transactions: skipping package (VEZA_SKIP_INTEGRATION=1)")
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/playlist_duplicate_transaction_test.go b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/playlist_duplicate_transaction_test.go
index 939076d34..7d0d254db 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/playlist_duplicate_transaction_test.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/playlist_duplicate_transaction_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 // setupTestDB crée une DB de test avec testcontainers
 func setupTestDBForPlaylist(t *testing.T) *gorm.DB {
+	testutils.SkipIfNoIntegration(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	dsn, err := testutils.GetTestContainerDB(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to setup test database")
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/rbac_transaction_test.go b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/rbac_transaction_test.go
index 37c220cd8..d89a4a170 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/rbac_transaction_test.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/rbac_transaction_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 // setupTestDB crée une DB de test avec testcontainers
 func setupTestDB(t *testing.T) *gorm.DB {
+	testutils.SkipIfNoIntegration(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	dsn, err := testutils.GetTestContainerDB(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to setup test database")
diff --git a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/social_transaction_test.go b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/social_transaction_test.go
index 2ccdf3dba..bfe8c3b3e 100644
--- a/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/social_transaction_test.go
+++ b/veza-backend-api/tests/transactions/social_transaction_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 // setupTestDB crée une DB de test avec testcontainers
 func setupTestDBForSocial(t *testing.T) *gorm.DB {
+	testutils.SkipIfNoIntegration(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	dsn, err := testutils.GetTestContainerDB(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err, "Failed to setup test database")