diff --git a/utils/kata-manager.sh b/utils/kata-manager.sh
index fbc911ab43..fa3da62080 100755
--- a/utils/kata-manager.sh
+++ b/utils/kata-manager.sh
@@ -254,9 +254,14 @@ pre_checks()
 {
 	info "Running pre-checks"
 
+	local only_kata="${1:-}"
+	[ -z "$only_kata" ] && die "no only_kata value"
+
 	command -v "${kata_shim_v2}" &>/dev/null \
 		&& die "Please remove existing $kata_project installation"
 
+	[only_kata = "false" ] && return 0
+
 	local ret
 
 	{ containerd_installed; ret=$?; } || true
@@ -315,6 +320,9 @@ setup()
 	local force="${2:-}"
 	[ -z "$force" ] && die "no force value"
 
+	local only_kata="${3:-}"
+	[ -z "$only_kata" ] && die "no only_kata value"
+
 	[ "$cleanup" = "true" ] && trap cleanup EXIT
 
 	source /etc/os-release || source /usr/lib/os-release
@@ -324,7 +332,7 @@ setup()
 
 	[ "$force" = "true" ] && return 0
 
-	pre_checks
+	pre_checks "$only_kata"
 }
 
 # Download the requested version of the specified project.
@@ -691,7 +699,7 @@ handle_installation()
 
 	[ "$only_run_test" = "true" ] && test_installation && return 0
 
-	setup "$cleanup" "$force"
+	setup "$cleanup" "$force" "$only_kata"
 
 	handle_kata "$kata_version" "$enable_debug"