diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py b/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
index cb673c5..128ca27 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
@@ -649,6 +649,8 @@ def __getattr__(name: str) -> Any:
 
 def get_bottle_backend(
     name: str | None = None,
+    *,
+    prompt: bool = True,
 ) -> BottleBackend[Any, Any]:
     """Resolve the bottle backend.
 
@@ -657,11 +659,16 @@ def get_bottle_backend(
       2. BOT_BOTTLE_BACKEND env var
       3. auto-selection: VM backend first, docker fallback with prompt
 
+    `prompt` controls whether auto-selection may block on an interactive
+    [i/d/q] prompt when falling back to docker. Pass `prompt=False` in
+    non-interactive contexts (headless launches, CI) so the call dies
+    with an actionable message instead of hanging.
+
     Dies with a pointer at the known backends if the chosen name
     isn't implemented."""
     resolved = name or os.environ.get("BOT_BOTTLE_BACKEND")
     if resolved is None:
-        resolved = _auto_select_backend()
+        resolved = _auto_select_backend(prompt=prompt)
     backends = _get_backends()
     if resolved not in backends:
         known = ", ".join(sorted(backends))
@@ -685,7 +692,7 @@ def _print_vm_install_instructions() -> None:
         info("Configure the host:  ./cli.py backend setup")
 
 
-def _auto_select_backend() -> str:
+def _auto_select_backend(prompt: bool = True) -> str:
     """Tier-1 / tier-2 backend auto-selection.
 
     Tier 1: VM backend — macos-container on macOS when Apple Container is
@@ -693,7 +700,9 @@ def _auto_select_backend() -> str:
     present (its preflight prints an install pointer).
 
     Tier 2: docker, with a security warning and an interactive prompt.
-    When docker is also absent, prints VM install instructions and exits.
+    When `prompt=False` (headless / CI), dies with an actionable message
+    instead of blocking on a TTY read. When docker is also absent, prints
+    VM install instructions and exits.
     """
     # --- Tier 1: VM backend -----------------------------------------
     if has_backend("macos-container"):
@@ -717,6 +726,11 @@ def _auto_select_backend() -> str:
         "docker is less secure than VM backends — "
         "containers share the host kernel."
     )
+    if not prompt:
+        die(
+            f"no VM backend available; set BOT_BOTTLE_BACKEND=docker to proceed "
+            f"with docker, or install the {vm!r} backend."
+        )
     sys.stderr.write(
         f"bot-bottle: For better isolation, install the {vm!r} backend.\n"
         f"  [i] show {vm} install instructions and exit\n"
diff --git a/bot_bottle/cli/start.py b/bot_bottle/cli/start.py
index c2f57c8..b70328c 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/cli/start.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/cli/start.py
@@ -254,15 +254,18 @@ def prepare_with_preflight(
     injected callable, prompt y/N via the injected callable.
 
     `backend_name` selects which backend prepares the plan
-    (`None` → `$BOT_BOTTLE_BACKEND` → host auto-selection). The CLI
-    passes whatever `--backend` resolved to.
+    (`None` → `$BOT_BOTTLE_BACKEND` → host auto-selection).
+
+    When `spec.headless` is True the docker-fallback prompt is suppressed:
+    auto-selection dies with an actionable message rather than blocking
+    on a TTY read (which would hang CI, webhook dispatch, and orchestrators).
 
     Returns `(plan, identity)`. `plan` is None on dry-run or
     operator-N, but `identity` is set as soon as `backend.prepare`
     returns so callers can reap the prepare-time state dir via
     `settle_state(identity)` in their finally — exactly the existing
     semantics."""
-    backend = get_bottle_backend(backend_name)
+    backend = get_bottle_backend(backend_name, prompt=not spec.headless)
     plan = backend.prepare(spec, stage_dir=stage_dir)
     identity = _identity_from_plan(plan)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_backend_selection.py b/tests/unit/test_backend_selection.py
index 7fb8cd9..a5a4c18 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_backend_selection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_backend_selection.py
@@ -142,6 +142,27 @@ class TestGetBottleBackend(unittest.TestCase):
                 get_bottle_backend()
 
 
+    def test_docker_fallback_non_interactive_dies(self):
+        # prompt=False: headless/CI contexts must not block on a TTY read.
+        class _FakeBackend:
+            def __init__(self, name: str, available: bool) -> None:
+                self.name = name
+                self._available = available
+
+            def is_available(self) -> bool:
+                return self._available
+
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {}, clear=True), \
+             patch.object(backend_mod.FirecrackerBottleBackend,
+                          "is_host_capable", classmethod(lambda cls: False)), \
+             patch.object(backend_mod, "_backends", {
+                 "macos-container": _FakeBackend("macos-container", False),
+                 "docker": _FakeBackend("docker", True),
+             }), \
+             patch.object(backend_mod, "die", side_effect=SystemExit("die")):
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                get_bottle_backend(prompt=False)
+
     def test_docker_fallback_user_picks_install(self):
         # User picks [i] → print install instructions then die.
         class _FakeBackend: