diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 2458a71dcf..a2f5d627fa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -442,7 +442,8 @@ jobs:
     needs:
       - docker_build_setup
       - docker_build
-
+    env:
+      RUN_SETUP_CONFIG: "False"  # Disable running the setup_configuration
     name: Simulate upgrading instances
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
diff --git a/bin/setup_configuration.sh b/bin/setup_configuration.sh
index 319d2e08c6..fe1a1edf58 100755
--- a/bin/setup_configuration.sh
+++ b/bin/setup_configuration.sh
@@ -5,10 +5,18 @@
 
 set -e
 
-# wait for required services
-${SCRIPTPATH}/wait_for_db.sh
+if [[ "${RUN_SETUP_CONFIG,,}" =~ ^(true|1|yes)$ ]]; then
+    # wait for required services
+    ${SCRIPTPATH}/wait_for_db.sh
 
-src/manage.py migrate
-src/manage.py setup_configuration \
-                --yaml-file data/services.yaml \
-                --yaml-file data/objects_api.yaml
+    if [[ "${SKIP_SELFTEST,,}" =~ ^(true|1|yes)$ ]]; then
+        NO_SELFTEST_FLAG="--no-selftest"
+    else
+        NO_SELFTEST_FLAG=""
+    fi
+
+    src/manage.py migrate
+    src/manage.py setup_configuration $NO_SELFTEST_FLAG \
+                    --yaml-file data/services.yaml \
+                    --yaml-file data/objects_api.yaml
+fi
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e3b1630814..6d808a0157 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ services:
       - ENVIRONMENT_LABEL=docker-compose
       - ENVIRONMENT_BACKGROUND_COLOR=#1d63ed
       - ENVIRONMENT_FOREGROUND_COLOR=white
+      # Django-setup-configuration
+      - RUN_SETUP_CONFIG=${RUN_SETUP_CONFIG:-True}
+      - SKIP_SELFTEST=${SKIP_SELFTEST:-False}
     volumes: &web_volumes
       - media:/app/media
       - private_media:/app/private_media