diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index e618f8d86..395302d62 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def doc_redirect_include(file_path):
 })
 
 # generate openapi
-config = Configurator(settings={"weaver.wps": False, "weaver.wps_restapi": True})
+config = Configurator(settings={"weaver.wps": False, "weaver.wps_restapi": True, "weaver.build_docs": True})
 config.include("weaver")  # need to include package to apply decorators and parse routes
 api_spec_file = os.path.join(DOC_BLD_ROOT, "api.json")
 api_spec_json = get_swagger_json(http_host="example", http_scheme="https")
diff --git a/weaver/database/__init__.py b/weaver/database/__init__.py
index d95755ab6..e9774ece0 100644
--- a/weaver/database/__init__.py
+++ b/weaver/database/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import logging
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
-from weaver.utils import get_registry
+from pyramid.settings import asbool
+
+from weaver.utils import get_registry, get_settings
 
 LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -16,6 +18,11 @@ def get_db(container):
 
 
 def includeme(config):
+    settings = get_settings(config)
+    if asbool(settings.get("weaver.build_docs", True)):
+        LOGGER.info("Skipping database when building docs...")
+        return
+
     LOGGER.info("Adding database...")
     from weaver.database.mongodb import MongoDatabase
     config.registry.db = MongoDatabase(config.registry)