diff --git a/matlab/telemetry.m b/matlab/telemetry.m
index a17f270..650837c 100644
--- a/matlab/telemetry.m
+++ b/matlab/telemetry.m
@@ -49,8 +49,11 @@ function telemetry(telemetry_data, input_path, output_path)
     end
 
     disable_telemetry = strcmpi(getenv("TELEMETRY_ENABLED"), 'false');
+
+    % if running in CI don't run telemetry
+    running_in_ci = strcmpi(getenv("CI"), 'true');
     
-    if disable_telemetry | disable_telemetry_env
+    if disable_telemetry | disable_telemetry_env | running_in_ci
         e = false;
     else
         e = true;
diff --git a/pypet2bids/pypet2bids/telemetry.py b/pypet2bids/pypet2bids/telemetry.py
index f83d92d..6ae54a9 100644
--- a/pypet2bids/pypet2bids/telemetry.py
+++ b/pypet2bids/pypet2bids/telemetry.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def telemetry_enabled(config_path=None):
         load_dotenv(dotenv_path=config_file)
 
     # check to see if telemetry is disabled
-    if os.getenv("PET2BIDS_TELEMETRY_ENABLED", "").lower() == "false":
+    if os.getenv("PET2BIDS_TELEMETRY_ENABLED", "").lower() == "false" or os.getenv("CI", "false") == "true":
         return False
     else:
         return True