diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 1dc0143a8e..6c721986ba 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -299,9 +299,16 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	//+kubebuilder:scaffold:builder
 
-	// Add CLI download setup runnable
-	// Only add if watchNamespace is set (skip for cluster-scoped mode)
-	if watchNamespace != "" {
+	// Add CLI/VMDP download setup runnables.
+	// Skip when namespace-scoped mode is off or the ConsoleCLIDownload CRD
+	// is absent (clusters without Console capability, e.g. SNO).
+	if watchNamespace == "" {
+		setupLog.Info("Skipping CLI and VMDP download setup - watchNamespace not set")
+	} else if available, err := controller.IsConsoleCRDAvailable(mgr.GetRESTMapper(), setupLog); !available {
+		if err != nil {
+			setupLog.Error(err, "unable to check ConsoleCLIDownload CRD availability, skipping CLI/VMDP download setup")
+		}
+	} else {
 		if err := mgr.Add(&controller.CLIDownloadSetup{
 			Client:            mgr.GetClient(),
 			Namespace:         watchNamespace,
@@ -320,8 +327,6 @@ func main() {
 			setupLog.Error(err, "unable to add VMDP download setup")
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
-	} else {
-		setupLog.Info("Skipping CLI and VMDP download setup - watchNamespace not set")
 	}
 
 	if err := mgr.AddHealthzCheck("healthz", healthz.Ping); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/controller/console.go b/internal/controller/console.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0eb98625ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controller/console.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+package controller
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
+	consolev1 "github.com/openshift/api/console/v1"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+)
+
+// IsConsoleCRDAvailable checks whether the ConsoleCLIDownload CRD is registered
+// with the API server. Returns false when the Console capability is not enabled
+// (e.g. SNO clusters).
+func IsConsoleCRDAvailable(mapper meta.RESTMapper, log logr.Logger) (bool, error) {
+	_, err := mapper.RESTMapping(
+		schema.GroupKind{Group: consolev1.GroupVersion.Group, Kind: "ConsoleCLIDownload"},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		if meta.IsNoMatchError(err) {
+			log.Info("ConsoleCLIDownload CRD not available (Console capability not enabled), skipping setup")
+			return false, nil
+		}
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("failed to check ConsoleCLIDownload CRD availability: %w", err)
+	}
+	return true, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/controller/console_test.go b/internal/controller/console_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7f097cd281
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/controller/console_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package controller
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	consolev1 "github.com/openshift/api/console/v1"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	ctrl "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime"
+)
+
+func TestIsConsoleCRDAvailable(t *testing.T) {
+	log := ctrl.Log.WithName("test")
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name              string
+		includeConsoleCRD bool
+		wantAvailable     bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:              "returns false when ConsoleCLIDownload CRD is not registered",
+			includeConsoleCRD: false,
+			wantAvailable:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:              "returns true when ConsoleCLIDownload CRD is registered",
+			includeConsoleCRD: true,
+			wantAvailable:     true,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var groupVersions []schema.GroupVersion
+			if tt.includeConsoleCRD {
+				groupVersions = append(groupVersions, consolev1.GroupVersion)
+			}
+			mapper := meta.NewDefaultRESTMapper(groupVersions)
+			if tt.includeConsoleCRD {
+				mapper.Add(consolev1.GroupVersion.WithKind("ConsoleCLIDownload"), meta.RESTScopeRoot)
+			}
+
+			available, err := IsConsoleCRDAvailable(mapper, log)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantAvailable, available)
+		})
+	}
+}