diff --git a/packages/core/root/core-root-server-internal/src/bootstrap.ts b/packages/core/root/core-root-server-internal/src/bootstrap.ts
index 94ba97f1a0ce9..3f55b6493a6bd 100644
--- a/packages/core/root/core-root-server-internal/src/bootstrap.ts
+++ b/packages/core/root/core-root-server-internal/src/bootstrap.ts
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export async function bootstrap({ configs, cliArgs, applyConfigOverrides }: Boot
 
     env = Env.createDefault(REPO_ROOT, {
       configs: extendedConfigs,
-      cliArgs,
+      cliArgs: { ...cliArgs, serverless: true },
       repoPackages: getPackages(REPO_ROOT),
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts b/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
index dde77b26fa86f..3c256e8a95375 100644
--- a/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
+++ b/packages/kbn-config/src/env.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   disableOptimizer: boolean;
   cache: boolean;
   dist: boolean;
+  serverless?: boolean;
 }
 
 /** @internal */