diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
index 94eda56cf5ad1..80e576dd073f9 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/bin/cdk.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ async function parseCommandLineArguments() {
     .command('deploy [STACKS..]', 'Deploys the stack(s) named STACKS into your AWS account', yargs => yargs
       .option('exclusively', { type: 'boolean', alias: 'e', desc: 'only deploy requested stacks, don\'t include dependencies' })
       .option('require-approval', { type: 'string', choices: [RequireApproval.Never, RequireApproval.AnyChange, RequireApproval.Broadening], desc: 'what security-sensitive changes need manual approval' }))
-      .option('ci', { type: 'boolean', desc: 'Force CI detection. Use --no-ci to disable CI autodetection.', default: undefined })
+      .option('ci', { type: 'boolean', desc: 'Force CI detection. Use --no-ci to disable CI autodetection.', default: process.env.CI !== undefined })
     .command('destroy [STACKS..]', 'Destroy the stack(s) named STACKS', yargs => yargs
       .option('exclusively', { type: 'boolean', alias: 'x', desc: 'only deploy requested stacks, don\'t include dependees' })
       .option('force', { type: 'boolean', alias: 'f', desc: 'Do not ask for confirmation before destroying the stacks' }))
diff --git a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/docker.ts b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/docker.ts
index 8e6548e5304d5..d9a092120e13f 100644
--- a/packages/aws-cdk/lib/docker.ts
+++ b/packages/aws-cdk/lib/docker.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export async function prepareContainerAsset(asset: ContainerImageAssetMetadataEn
     let loggedIn = false;
 
     // In CI we try to pull latest first
-    if (ci === true || (process.env.CI && ci !== false)) {
+    if (ci) {
       await dockerLogin(toolkitInfo);
       loggedIn = true;
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export async function prepareContainerAsset(asset: ContainerImageAssetMetadataEn
       'build',
       '--quiet',
       asset.path];
-    const command = process.env.CI
+    const command = ci
       ? [...baseCommand, '--cache-from', latest] // This does not fail if latest is not available
       : baseCommand;
     const imageId = (await shell(command, { quiet: true })).trim();