diff --git a/start-dev.bat b/start-dev.bat
index 36629e16a..76f3b8fcb 100644
--- a/start-dev.bat
+++ b/start-dev.bat
@@ -3,8 +3,13 @@ setlocal
 
 REM Stop any running Pulse Docker containers first
 echo Stopping any running Pulse Docker containers...
-for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse"') do (
-    docker stop %%i
+where docker >nul 2>&1
+if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
+    for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse"') do (
+        docker stop %%i
+    )
+) else (
+    echo Docker not found, skipping container cleanup...
 )
 
 REM Kill any existing servers
diff --git a/start-dev.sh b/start-dev.sh
index 860d75388..e79859a07 100755
--- a/start-dev.sh
+++ b/start-dev.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ chmod +x "$0"
 
 # Stop any running Pulse Docker containers first
 echo "Stopping any running Pulse Docker containers..."
-docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse" | xargs -r docker stop
+if command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
+  docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse" | xargs -r docker stop
+else
+  echo "Docker not found, skipping container cleanup..."
+fi
 
 # Kill any existing servers
 echo "Killing any existing servers..."
diff --git a/start-mock-dev.bat b/start-mock-dev.bat
index 1e1b288f6..b2097c43b 100644
--- a/start-mock-dev.bat
+++ b/start-mock-dev.bat
@@ -3,8 +3,13 @@ setlocal
 
 REM Stop any running Pulse Docker containers first
 echo Stopping any running Pulse Docker containers...
-for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse"') do (
-    docker stop %%i
+where docker >nul 2>&1
+if %ERRORLEVEL% EQU 0 (
+    for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse"') do (
+        docker stop %%i
+    )
+) else (
+    echo Docker not found, skipping container cleanup...
 )
 
 REM Kill any existing servers
diff --git a/start-mock-dev.sh b/start-mock-dev.sh
index ee01315be..e846abfa6 100755
--- a/start-mock-dev.sh
+++ b/start-mock-dev.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ chmod +x "$0"
 
 # Stop any running Pulse Docker containers first
 echo "Stopping any running Pulse Docker containers..."
-docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse" | xargs -r docker stop
+if command -v docker &> /dev/null; then
+  docker ps -q --filter "name=pulse" | xargs -r docker stop
+else
+  echo "Docker not found, skipping container cleanup..."
+fi
 
 # Kill any existing servers
 echo "Killing any existing servers..."