diff --git a/includes/plugins/co-authors-plus/class-guest-contributor-role.php b/includes/plugins/co-authors-plus/class-guest-contributor-role.php
index 79d57ec3ad..322b7aac1c 100644
--- a/includes/plugins/co-authors-plus/class-guest-contributor-role.php
+++ b/includes/plugins/co-authors-plus/class-guest-contributor-role.php
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ public static function early_init() {
 		if ( defined( 'NEWSPACK_ENABLE_CAP_GUEST_AUTHORS' ) && NEWSPACK_ENABLE_CAP_GUEST_AUTHORS ) {
 			return;
 		}
+		if ( defined( 'WP_CLI' ) && WP_CLI ) {
+			return;
+		}
 		if ( ! self::site_has_cap_guest_authors() ) {
 			add_filter( 'coauthors_guest_authors_enabled', '__return_false' );
 			add_action( 'admin_menu', [ __CLASS__, 'guest_author_menu_replacement' ] );