diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1c6bad6..fee4184 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,36 @@ jobs:
           LS_VERSION=$(docker ps | grep localstack | cut -d " " -f4 | cut -d ":" -f2)
           exit $(test "x${LS_VERSION}" = "x3.2.0")
 
+  skip-pull-test:
+    name: 'Test skip-pull uses a locally present image'
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6
+
+      - name: Pre-pull the image locally
+        run: docker pull localstack/localstack-pro:3.2.0
+        env:
+          LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Start LocalStack with skip-pull
+        uses: jenseng/dynamic-uses@8bc24f0360175e710da532c4d19eafdbed489a06 # v1
+        with:
+          uses: LocalStack/setup-localstack@${{ env.GH_ACTION_VERSION }}
+          with: |-
+            {
+              "image-tag": "3.2.0",
+              "install-awslocal": "true",
+              "skip-pull": "true"
+            }
+        env:
+          LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN }}
+          GH_ACTION_VERSION: ${{ (github.event_name == 'pull_request' && github.event.pull_request.head.sha) || github.ref_name }}
+
+      - name: Assert LocalStack is running from the local image
+        run: |
+          LS_VERSION=$(docker ps | grep localstack | cut -d " " -f4 | cut -d ":" -f2)
+          exit $(test "x${LS_VERSION}" = "x3.2.0")
+
   cloud-pods-save-test:
     name: 'Test Cloud Pods Action'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 243ef2a..a3e7eb8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -48,6 +48,30 @@ A GitHub Action to setup [LocalStack](https://github.com/localstack/localstack)
     LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN }}
 ```
 
+### Use a locally cached image (skip the pull)
+If you restore the LocalStack image from a CI cache (or bake it into a
+self-hosted runner), set `skip-pull: 'true'` to avoid re-pulling it from the
+registry. The image must already be present locally — otherwise LocalStack
+start will pull it as usual.
+```yml
+- name: Restore cached LocalStack image
+  uses: actions/cache@v4
+  with:
+    path: /tmp/localstack-image.tar
+    key: localstack-pro-3.2.0
+
+- name: Load the cached image
+  run: docker load -i /tmp/localstack-image.tar
+
+- name: Start LocalStack without pulling
+  uses: LocalStack/setup-localstack@v0.3.2
+  with:
+    image-tag: '3.2.0'
+    skip-pull: 'true'
+  env:
+    LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.LOCALSTACK_AUTH_TOKEN }}
+```
+
 ### Save a state later on in the pipeline
 ```yml
 - name: Save LocalStack State
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index edff1c5..47839f9 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Skip wait for LocalStack'
     required: false
     default: 'false'
+  skip-pull:
+    description: 'Skip pulling the LocalStack Docker image. Use when the image is already present locally (e.g. restored from a CI cache via `docker load`).'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
   skip-ephemeral-stop:
     description: 'Skip stopping LocalStack Ephemeral Instance'
     required: false
@@ -122,7 +126,8 @@ runs:
             "use-pro": ${{ toJSON(inputs.use-pro) }},
             "configuration": ${{ toJSON(inputs.configuration) }},
             "ci-project": ${{ toJSON(inputs.ci-project) }},
-            "skip-wait": ${{ toJSON(inputs.skip-wait) }}
+            "skip-wait": ${{ toJSON(inputs.skip-wait) }},
+            "skip-pull": ${{ toJSON(inputs.skip-pull) }}
           }
 
     - name: Create Ephemeral Instance
diff --git a/startup/action.yml b/startup/action.yml
index 740fccc..c890e2c 100644
--- a/startup/action.yml
+++ b/startup/action.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Skip wait for LocalStack'
     required: false
     default: 'false'
+  skip-pull:
+    description: 'Skip pulling the LocalStack Docker image. Use when the image is already present locally (e.g. restored from a CI cache via `docker load`). LocalStack start still pulls the image if it is genuinely missing.'
+    required: false
+    default: 'false'
 
 runs:
   using: "composite"
@@ -75,7 +79,9 @@ runs:
         fi
 
         CONFIGURATION="IMAGE_NAME=${IMAGE_NAME} ${CONFIGURATION}"
-        docker pull ${IMAGE_NAME} &
+        if [ "$SKIP_PULL" != "true" ]; then
+          docker pull ${IMAGE_NAME} &
+        fi
         export CI_PROJECT=${{ inputs.ci-project }}
         eval "${CONFIGURATION} localstack start -d"
 
@@ -90,4 +96,5 @@ runs:
         USE_PRO: ${{ inputs.use-pro }}
         CONFIGURATION: ${{ inputs.configuration }}
         SKIP_WAIT: ${{ inputs.skip-wait }}
+        SKIP_PULL: ${{ inputs.skip-pull }}