diff --git a/.ci/start_fluent.py b/.ci/start_fluent.py
index 26650d19ddfd..2c783bceda71 100644
--- a/.ci/start_fluent.py
+++ b/.ci/start_fluent.py
@@ -16,26 +16,30 @@ def start_fluent_container(args):
     license_server = os.environ["ANSYSLMD_LICENSE_FILE"]
     port = os.environ["PYFLUENT_FLUENT_PORT"]
 
-    subprocess.run(["docker", "run", "--name", "fluent_server", "-d", "--rm",
-                    "-p", f"{port}:{port}",
-                    "-v", f"{EXAMPLES_PATH}:{EXAMPLES_PATH}",
-                    "-e", f"ANSYSLMD_LICENSE_FILE={license_server}",
-                    "-e", f"REMOTING_PORTS={port}/portspan=2",
-                    "-e", "FLUENT_LAUNCHED_FROM_PYFLUENT=1",
-                    "ghcr.io/pyansys/pyfluent",
-                    "-g", f"-sifile={sifile}"] + args)
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(["docker", "run", "--name", "fluent_server", "-d",
+                        "--rm", "-p", f"{port}:{port}",
+                        "-v", f"{EXAMPLES_PATH}:{EXAMPLES_PATH}",
+                        "-e", f"ANSYSLMD_LICENSE_FILE={license_server}",
+                        "-e", f"REMOTING_PORTS={port}/portspan=2",
+                        "-e", "FLUENT_LAUNCHED_FROM_PYFLUENT=1",
+                        "ghcr.io/pyansys/pyfluent",
+                        "-g", f"-sifile={sifile}"] + args)
 
-    sifile_last_mtime = os.stat(sifile).st_mtime
-    while True:
-        if os.stat(sifile).st_mtime > sifile_last_mtime:
+        sifile_last_mtime = os.stat(sifile).st_mtime
+        while True:
+            if os.stat(sifile).st_mtime > sifile_last_mtime:
+                time.sleep(1)
+                break
+            if timeout == 0:
+                break
             time.sleep(1)
-            break
-        if timeout == 0:
-            break
-        time.sleep(1)
-        timeout -= 1
-    if os.path.exists(sifile):
-        os.remove(sifile)
+            timeout -= 1
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    finally:
+        if os.path.exists(sifile):
+            os.remove(sifile)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/.ci/stop_fluent.py b/.ci/stop_fluent.py
index ff6fa5f74358..e46c114e217d 100644
--- a/.ci/stop_fluent.py
+++ b/.ci/stop_fluent.py
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 
 
 def stop_fluent_container():
-    subprocess.run(["docker", "stop", "fluent_server"])
+    try:
+        subprocess.run(["docker", "stop", "fluent_server"])
+    except OSError:
+        pass
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index b7db6a1aafc5..577fa34ba7bd 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -106,13 +106,15 @@
 
 
 def _start_or_stop_fluent_container(gallery_conf, fname, when):
-    if when == "before":
-        if fname in ["mixing_elbow_settings_api.py",
-                     "mixing_elbow_tui_api.py"]:
-            args = ["3ddp", "-t4", "-meshing"]
-        subprocess.run([sys.executable, _START_FLUENT_FILE] + args)
-    elif when == "after":
-        subprocess.run([sys.executable, _STOP_FLUENT_FILE])
+    start_instance = bool(int(os.getenv("PYFLUENT_START_INSTANCE", "1")))
+    if not start_instance:
+        if when == "before":
+            if fname in ["mixing_elbow_settings_api.py",
+                         "mixing_elbow_tui_api.py"]:
+                args = ["3ddp", "-t4", "-meshing"]
+            subprocess.run([sys.executable, _START_FLUENT_FILE] + args)
+        elif when == "after":
+            subprocess.run([sys.executable, _STOP_FLUENT_FILE])
 
 
 # -- Sphinx Gallery Options ---------------------------------------------------