diff --git a/.github/workflows/common.yml b/.github/workflows/common.yml
index b3b7e3456..0d5e27422 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/common.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/common.yml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test the container project
         run: |
           launchctl setenv HTTP_PROXY $HTTP_PROXY
-          make test integration
+          make test cleancontent install-kernel integration
         env:
           CONTAINER_REGISTRY_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
           CONTAINER_REGISTRY_USER: ${{ github.actor }}
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 782779d3f..769580d55 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -128,13 +128,18 @@ dsym:
 test:
 	@$(SWIFT) test -c $(BUILD_CONFIGURATION) $(CURRENT_SDK_ARGS) --skip TestCLI
 
+.PHONY: install-kernel
+install-kernel:
+	@bin/container system stop || true
+	@bin/container system start --enable-kernel-install  
+
 .PHONY: integration
-integration: cleancontent init-block
+integration: init-block
 	@echo Ensuring apiserver stopped before the CLI integration tests...
 	@bin/container system stop
 	@scripts/ensure-container-stopped.sh
 	@echo Running the integration tests...
-	@bin/container system start --install-dependencies
+	@bin/container system start
 	@echo "Removing any existing containers"
 	@bin/container rm --all
 	@echo "Starting CLI integration tests"
diff --git a/Sources/CLI/System/SystemStart.swift b/Sources/CLI/System/SystemStart.swift
index 168300a6f..acce91391 100644
--- a/Sources/CLI/System/SystemStart.swift
+++ b/Sources/CLI/System/SystemStart.swift
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ extension Application {
         @Flag(name: .long, help: "Enable debug logging for the runtime daemon.")
         var debug = false
 
-        @Flag(name: .long, help: "Do not prompt for confirmation before installing runtime dependencies")
-        var installDependencies: Bool = false
+        @Flag(
+            name: .long, inversion: .prefixedEnableDisable,
+            help: "Specify whether the default kernel should be installed or not. The default behavior is to prompt the user for a response.")
+        var kernelInstall: Bool?
 
         func run() async throws {
             // Without the true path to the binary in the plist, `container-apiserver` won't launch properly.
@@ -110,9 +112,10 @@ extension Application {
             let defaultKernelURL = kernelDependency.source
             let defaultKernelBinaryPath = ClientDefaults.get(key: .defaultKernelBinaryPath)
 
-            print("No default kernel configured.")
-            print("Install the recommended default kernel from [\(kernelDependency.source)]? [Y/n]: ", terminator: "")
-            if !installDependencies {
+            var shouldInstallKernel = false
+            if kernelInstall == nil {
+                print("No default kernel configured.")
+                print("Install the recommended default kernel from [\(kernelDependency.source)]? [Y/n]: ", terminator: "")
                 guard let read = readLine(strippingNewline: true) else {
                     throw ContainerizationError(.internalError, message: "Failed to read user input")
                 }
@@ -120,6 +123,12 @@ extension Application {
                     print("Please use the `container system kernel set --recommended` command to configure the default kernel")
                     return
                 }
+                shouldInstallKernel = true
+            } else {
+                shouldInstallKernel = kernelInstall ?? false
+            }
+            guard shouldInstallKernel else {
+                return
             }
             print("Installing kernel...")
             try await KernelSet.downloadAndInstallWithProgressBar(tarRemoteURL: defaultKernelURL, kernelFilePath: defaultKernelBinaryPath)