diff --git a/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/__snapshots__/help.e2e.test.ts.snap b/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/__snapshots__/help.e2e.test.ts.snap
index beb76af1f..90368b081 100644
--- a/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/__snapshots__/help.e2e.test.ts.snap
+++ b/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/__snapshots__/help.e2e.test.ts.snap
@@ -37,12 +37,14 @@ Global Options:
                                                  [array] [default: []]
 
 Persist Options:
-      --persist.outputDir  Directory for the produced reports
+      --persist.outputDir    Directory for the produced reports
                                                               [string]
-      --persist.filename   Filename for the produced reports.
+      --persist.filename     Filename for the produced reports.
                                                               [string]
-      --persist.format     Format of the report output. e.g. \`md\`, \`json\`
+      --persist.format       Format of the report output. e.g. \`md\`, \`json\`
                                                                [array]
+      --persist.skipReports  Skip generating report files. (useful in combinatio
+                             n with caching)            [boolean]
 
 Upload Options:
       --upload.organization  Organization slug from portal
diff --git a/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/collect.e2e.test.ts b/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/collect.e2e.test.ts
index b29f26471..f1f76ddfc 100644
--- a/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/collect.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/e2e/cli-e2e/tests/collect.e2e.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   TEST_OUTPUT_DIR,
   teardownTestFolder,
 } from '@code-pushup/test-utils';
-import { executeProcess, readTextFile } from '@code-pushup/utils';
+import { executeProcess, fileExists, readTextFile } from '@code-pushup/utils';
 
 describe('CLI collect', () => {
   const dummyPluginTitle = 'Dummy Plugin';
@@ -61,6 +61,28 @@ describe('CLI collect', () => {
     expect(md).toContain(dummyAuditTitle);
   });
 
+  it('should not create reports if --persist.skipReports is given', async () => {
+    const { code } = await executeProcess({
+      command: 'npx',
+      args: [
+        '@code-pushup/cli',
+        '--no-progress',
+        'collect',
+        '--persist.skipReports',
+      ],
+      cwd: dummyDir,
+    });
+
+    expect(code).toBe(0);
+
+    await expect(
+      fileExists(path.join(dummyOutputDir, 'report.md')),
+    ).resolves.toBeFalsy();
+    await expect(
+      fileExists(path.join(dummyOutputDir, 'report.json')),
+    ).resolves.toBeFalsy();
+  });
+
   it('should print report summary to stdout', async () => {
     const { code, stdout } = await executeProcess({
       command: 'npx',
diff --git a/packages/ci/src/lib/run-utils.ts b/packages/ci/src/lib/run-utils.ts
index 8c3fdd475..29db1dcbf 100644
--- a/packages/ci/src/lib/run-utils.ts
+++ b/packages/ci/src/lib/run-utils.ts
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ export function configFromPatterns(
       outputDir: interpolate(persist.outputDir, variables),
       filename: interpolate(persist.filename, variables),
       format: persist.format,
+      skipReports: persist.skipReports,
     },
     ...(upload && {
       upload: {
diff --git a/packages/cli/README.md b/packages/cli/README.md
index 0d09ad1ad..7bb2e8f90 100644
--- a/packages/cli/README.md
+++ b/packages/cli/README.md
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ Each example is fully tested to demonstrate best practices for plugin testing as
 | **`--persist.outputDir`**   | `string`             | n/a      | Directory for the produced reports.                                         |
 | **`--persist.filename`**    | `string`             | `report` | Filename for the produced reports without extension.                        |
 | **`--persist.format`**      | `('json' \| 'md')[]` | `json`   | Format(s) of the report file.                                               |
+| **`--persist.skipReports`** | `boolean`            | `false`  | Skip generating report files. (useful in combination with caching)          |
 | **`--upload.organization`** | `string`             | n/a      | Organization slug from portal.                                              |
 | **`--upload.project`**      | `string`             | n/a      | Project slug from portal.                                                   |
 | **`--upload.server`**       | `string`             | n/a      | URL to your portal server.                                                  |
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/collect/collect-command.unit.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/collect/collect-command.unit.test.ts
index 796fee62b..6765add61 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/collect/collect-command.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/collect/collect-command.unit.test.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ describe('collect-command', () => {
     expect(collectAndPersistReports).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.objectContaining({
         config: '/test/code-pushup.config.ts',
-        persist: expect.objectContaining<Required<PersistConfig>>({
+        persist: expect.objectContaining<PersistConfig>({
           filename: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
           outputDir: DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
           format: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/compare/compare-command.unit.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/compare/compare-command.unit.test.ts
index b2279fd80..69d78cfc7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/compare/compare-command.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/compare/compare-command.unit.test.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ describe('compare-command', () => {
           outputDir: DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
           filename: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
           format: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
+          skipReports: false,
         },
         upload: expect.any(Object),
       },
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.int.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.int.test.ts
index 5cca9ee80..0e9e57616 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.int.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.int.test.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ describe('parsing values from CLI and middleware', () => {
       filename: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
       format: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
       outputDir: DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
+      skipReports: false,
     });
   });
 
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ describe('parsing values from CLI and middleware', () => {
       filename: 'cli-filename',
       format: ['md'],
       outputDir: 'cli-outputDir',
+      skipReports: false,
     });
   });
 
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ describe('parsing values from CLI and middleware', () => {
       filename: 'rc-filename',
       format: ['json', 'md'],
       outputDir: 'rc-outputDir',
+      skipReports: false,
     });
   });
 
@@ -122,6 +125,7 @@ describe('parsing values from CLI and middleware', () => {
       filename: 'cli-filename',
       format: ['md'],
       outputDir: 'cli-outputDir',
+      skipReports: false,
     });
   });
 
@@ -141,6 +145,7 @@ describe('parsing values from CLI and middleware', () => {
       filename: 'rc-filename',
       format: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
       outputDir: 'cli-outputdir',
+      skipReports: false,
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.ts
index 0f2891178..f21ecf474 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,24 @@ export type CoreConfigMiddlewareOptions = GeneralCliOptions &
   CoreConfigCliOptions &
   FilterOptions;
 
+function buildPersistConfig(
+  cliPersist: CoreConfigCliOptions['persist'],
+  rcPersist: CoreConfig['persist'],
+): Required<CoreConfig['persist']> {
+  return {
+    outputDir:
+      cliPersist?.outputDir ??
+      rcPersist?.outputDir ??
+      DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
+    filename:
+      cliPersist?.filename ?? rcPersist?.filename ?? DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
+    format: normalizeFormats(
+      cliPersist?.format ?? rcPersist?.format ?? DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
+    ),
+    skipReports: cliPersist?.skipReports ?? rcPersist?.skipReports ?? false,
+  };
+}
+
 export async function coreConfigMiddleware<
   T extends CoreConfigMiddlewareOptions,
 >(processArgs: T): Promise<GeneralCliOptions & CoreConfig & FilterOptions> {
@@ -43,22 +61,23 @@ export async function coreConfigMiddleware<
         });
   return {
     ...(config != null && { config }),
-    persist: {
-      outputDir:
-        cliPersist?.outputDir ??
-        rcPersist?.outputDir ??
-        DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
-      filename:
-        cliPersist?.filename ?? rcPersist?.filename ?? DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
-      format: normalizeFormats(
-        cliPersist?.format ?? rcPersist?.format ?? DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
-      ),
-    },
+    persist: buildPersistConfig(cliPersist, rcPersist),
     ...(upload != null && { upload }),
     ...remainingRcConfig,
     ...remainingCliOptions,
   };
 }
 
+export const normalizeBooleanWithNegation = <T extends string>(
+  propertyName: T,
+  cliOptions?: Record<T, unknown>,
+  rcOptions?: Record<T, unknown>,
+): boolean =>
+  propertyName in (cliOptions ?? {})
+    ? (cliOptions?.[propertyName] as boolean)
+    : `no-${propertyName}` in (cliOptions ?? {})
+      ? false
+      : ((rcOptions?.[propertyName] as boolean) ?? true);
+
 export const normalizeFormats = (formats?: string[]): Format[] =>
   (formats ?? []).flatMap(format => format.split(',') as Format[]);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.unit.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.unit.test.ts
index 134b8f183..8c27e3abd 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.middleware.unit.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { autoloadRc, readRcByPath } from '@code-pushup/core';
 import {
   coreConfigMiddleware,
+  normalizeBooleanWithNegation,
   normalizeFormats,
 } from './core-config.middleware.js';
 import type { CoreConfigCliOptions } from './core-config.model.js';
@@ -19,6 +20,36 @@ vi.mock('@code-pushup/core', async () => {
   };
 });
 
+describe('normalizeBooleanWithNegation', () => {
+  it('should return true when CLI property is true', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBooleanWithNegation('report', { report: true }, {})).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should return false when CLI property is false', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBooleanWithNegation('report', { report: false }, {})).toBe(
+      false,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should return false when no-property exists in CLI persist', () => {
+    expect(
+      normalizeBooleanWithNegation('report', { 'no-report': true }, {}),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('should fallback to RC persist when no CLI property', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBooleanWithNegation('report', {}, { report: false })).toBe(
+      false,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should return default true when no property anywhere', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBooleanWithNegation('report', {}, {})).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('normalizeFormats', () => {
   it('should forward valid formats', () => {
     expect(normalizeFormats(['json', 'md'])).toEqual(['json', 'md']);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.model.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.model.ts
index ed011da56..a5f668bb5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.model.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.model.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ export type PersistConfigCliOptions = {
   'persist.outputDir'?: string;
   'persist.filename'?: string;
   'persist.format'?: Format;
+  'persist.skipReports'?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type UploadConfigCliOptions = {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.options.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.options.ts
index 79d62346a..bc97e98c7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.options.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/implementation/core-config.options.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ export function yargsPersistConfigOptionsDefinition(): Record<
       describe: 'Format of the report output. e.g. `md`, `json`',
       type: 'array',
     },
+    'persist.skipReports': {
+      describe:
+        'Skip generating report files. (useful in combination with caching)',
+      type: 'boolean',
+    },
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/merge-diffs/merge-diffs-command.unit.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/merge-diffs/merge-diffs-command.unit.test.ts
index aca98fb91..3313004c4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/merge-diffs/merge-diffs-command.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/merge-diffs/merge-diffs-command.unit.test.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ describe('merge-diffs-command', () => {
         outputDir: DEFAULT_PERSIST_OUTPUT_DIR,
         filename: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FILENAME,
         format: DEFAULT_PERSIST_FORMAT,
+        skipReports: false,
       },
     );
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.ts
index dfa48ba76..8445050d0 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   logStdoutSummary,
   scoreReport,
   sortReport,
+  ui,
 } from '@code-pushup/utils';
 import { collect } from './implementation/collect.js';
 import {
@@ -19,29 +20,40 @@ import type { GlobalOptions } from './types.js';
 export type CollectAndPersistReportsOptions = Pick<
   CoreConfig,
   'plugins' | 'categories'
-> & { persist: Required<PersistConfig> } & Partial<GlobalOptions>;
+> & {
+  persist: Required<Omit<PersistConfig, 'skipReports'>> &
+    Pick<PersistConfig, 'skipReports'>;
+} & Partial<GlobalOptions>;
 
 export async function collectAndPersistReports(
   options: CollectAndPersistReportsOptions,
 ): Promise<void> {
-  const report = await collect(options);
-  const sortedScoredReport = sortReport(scoreReport(report));
+  const logger = ui().logger;
+  const reportResult = await collect(options);
+  const sortedScoredReport = sortReport(scoreReport(reportResult));
 
-  const persistResults = await persistReport(
-    report,
-    sortedScoredReport,
-    options.persist,
-  );
+  const { persist } = options;
+  const { skipReports = false, ...persistOptions } = persist ?? {};
 
-  // terminal output
-  logStdoutSummary(sortedScoredReport);
+  if (skipReports === true) {
+    logger.info('Skipping saving reports as `persist.skipReports` is true');
+  } else {
+    const persistResults = await persistReport(
+      reportResult,
+      sortedScoredReport,
+      persistOptions,
+    );
 
-  if (isVerbose()) {
-    logPersistedResults(persistResults);
+    if (isVerbose()) {
+      logPersistedResults(persistResults);
+    }
   }
 
+  // terminal output
+  logStdoutSummary(sortedScoredReport);
+
   // validate report and throw if invalid
-  report.plugins.forEach(plugin => {
+  reportResult.plugins.forEach(plugin => {
     // Running checks after persisting helps while debugging as you can check the invalid output after the error is thrown
     pluginReportSchema.parse(plugin);
   });
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.unit.test.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.unit.test.ts
index 3a7ee4d43..49a22c3b1 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/collect-and-persist.unit.test.ts
@@ -115,6 +115,31 @@ describe('collectAndPersistReports', () => {
     expect(logPersistedResults).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it('should call collect and not persistReport if skipReports options is true in verbose mode', async () => {
+    const sortedScoredReport = sortReport(scoreReport(MINIMAL_REPORT_MOCK));
+
+    vi.stubEnv('CP_VERBOSE', 'true');
+
+    const verboseConfig: CollectAndPersistReportsOptions = {
+      ...MINIMAL_CONFIG_MOCK,
+      persist: {
+        outputDir: 'output',
+        filename: 'report',
+        format: ['md'],
+        skipReports: true,
+      },
+      progress: false,
+    };
+    await collectAndPersistReports(verboseConfig);
+
+    expect(collect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(verboseConfig);
+
+    expect(persistReport).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(logPersistedResults).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    expect(logStdoutSummary).toHaveBeenCalledWith(sortedScoredReport);
+  });
+
   it('should print a summary to stdout', async () => {
     await collectAndPersistReports(
       MINIMAL_CONFIG_MOCK as CollectAndPersistReportsOptions,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
index 915af9459..069b16c69 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export class PersistError extends Error {
 export async function persistReport(
   report: Report,
   sortedScoredReport: ScoredReport,
-  options: Required<PersistConfig>,
+  options: Required<Omit<PersistConfig, 'skipReports'>>,
 ): Promise<MultipleFileResults> {
   const { outputDir, filename, format } = options;
 
diff --git a/packages/models/src/lib/persist-config.ts b/packages/models/src/lib/persist-config.ts
index b349343ff..81cc80c0b 100644
--- a/packages/models/src/lib/persist-config.ts
+++ b/packages/models/src/lib/persist-config.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export const persistConfigSchema = z.object({
     .describe('Artifacts file name (without extension)')
     .optional(),
   format: z.array(formatSchema).optional(),
+  skipReports: z.boolean().optional(),
 });
 
 export type PersistConfig = z.infer<typeof persistConfigSchema>;
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/lib/file-system.ts b/packages/utils/src/lib/file-system.ts
index d97982bfe..268eed737 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/lib/file-system.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/lib/file-system.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export function createReportPath({
   filename,
   format,
   suffix,
-}: Omit<Required<PersistConfig>, 'format'> & {
+}: Pick<Required<PersistConfig>, 'filename' | 'outputDir'> & {
   format: Format;
   suffix?: string;
 }): string {