diff --git a/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller.go b/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller.go
index f4f92761..3d293d23 100644
--- a/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller.go
@@ -787,6 +787,10 @@ func CreatePod(svcOpts *serviceOptions, job *lmesv1alpha1.LMEvalJob, log logr.Lo
 			Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 			Value: "1",
 		},
+		{
+			Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+			Value: "True",
+		},
 	}
 
 	// Enforce offline mode by default
diff --git a/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller_test.go b/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller_test.go
index 38ff8355..6d1ae428 100644
--- a/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller_test.go
+++ b/controllers/lmes/lmevaljob_controller_test.go
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ func Test_SimplePod(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -373,6 +377,10 @@ func Test_WithCustomPod(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 				},
 				{
@@ -575,6 +583,10 @@ func Test_EnvSecretsPod(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					Command:         generateCmd(svcOpts, job),
 					Args:            generateArgs(svcOpts, job, log),
@@ -741,6 +753,10 @@ func Test_FileSecretsPod(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -1206,6 +1222,10 @@ func Test_ManagedPVC(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
@@ -1361,6 +1381,10 @@ func Test_ExistingPVC(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -1533,6 +1557,10 @@ func Test_PVCPreference(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -1736,6 +1764,10 @@ func Test_OfflineMode(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -1940,6 +1972,10 @@ func Test_ProtectedVars(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -2123,6 +2159,10 @@ func Test_OnlineModeDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -2632,6 +2672,10 @@ func Test_AllowCodeOfflineMode(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{
@@ -2812,6 +2856,10 @@ func Test_OfflineModeWithOutput(t *testing.T) {
 							Name:  "HF_EVALUATE_OFFLINE",
 							Value: "1",
 						},
+						{
+							Name:  "UNITXT_USE_ONLY_LOCAL_CATALOGS",
+							Value: "True",
+						},
 					},
 					VolumeMounts: []corev1.VolumeMount{
 						{