diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.agent.alpine.multiarch b/docker/Dockerfile.agent.alpine.multiarch
index c15d113f81..d873a683e4 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.agent.alpine.multiarch
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.agent.alpine.multiarch
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.cache/go-build \
 FROM docker.io/alpine:3.20
 RUN apk add -U --no-cache ca-certificates
 ENV GODEBUG=netdns=go
+# Internal setting do NOT change! Signals that woodpecker is running inside a container
+ENV WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER=true
 EXPOSE 3000
 
 COPY --from=build /src/dist/woodpecker-agent /bin/
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.agent.multiarch b/docker/Dockerfile.agent.multiarch
index 6349a3d508..52a58a0cf0 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.agent.multiarch
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.agent.multiarch
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ RUN mkdir -p /etc/woodpecker
 
 FROM scratch
 ENV GODEBUG=netdns=go
+# Internal setting do NOT change! Signals that woodpecker is running inside a container
+ENV WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER=true
 EXPOSE 3000
 
 # copy certs from build image
diff --git a/pipeline/backend/local/local.go b/pipeline/backend/local/local.go
index 3ea42ba0f2..fc7c0420ad 100644
--- a/pipeline/backend/local/local.go
+++ b/pipeline/backend/local/local.go
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ func (e *local) Name() string {
 }
 
 func (e *local) IsAvailable(context.Context) bool {
-	return true
+	_, inContainer := os.LookupEnv("WOODPECKER_IN_CONTAINER")
+	// note: we don't need to check by args as this would indicate we are not in an container anyway ...
+	backend := os.Getenv("WOODPECKER_BACKEND")
+	return backend == "local" || !inContainer
 }
 
 func (e *local) Flags() []cli.Flag {