diff --git a/.github/workflows/buildkit.yml b/.github/workflows/buildkit.yml
index c4bb8de2ab..4281d800ff 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/buildkit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/buildkit.yml
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ jobs:
         name: Prepare
         run: |
           disabledFeatures="cache_backend_azblob,cache_backend_s3"
+          if [ "${{ matrix.worker }}" = "dockerd" ]; then
+            disabledFeatures="${disabledFeatures},merge_diff"
+          fi
           echo "BUILDKIT_TEST_DISABLE_FEATURES=${disabledFeatures}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       -
         name: Checkout
diff --git a/builder/builder-next/controller.go b/builder/builder-next/controller.go
index 915ff758b7..5bf69b1d84 100644
--- a/builder/builder-next/controller.go
+++ b/builder/builder-next/controller.go
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"go.etcd.io/bbolt"
 	bolt "go.etcd.io/bbolt"
+
+	"github.com/moby/buildkit/solver/pb"
+	"github.com/moby/buildkit/util/apicaps"
 )
 
 func newController(ctx context.Context, rt http.RoundTripper, opt Opt) (*control.Controller, error) {
@@ -165,6 +168,18 @@ func newGraphDriverController(ctx context.Context, rt http.RoundTripper, opt Opt
 	dist := opt.Dist
 	root := opt.Root
 
+	pb.Caps.Init(apicaps.Cap{
+		ID:                pb.CapMergeOp,
+		Enabled:           false,
+		DisabledReasonMsg: "only enabled with containerd image store backend",
+	})
+
+	pb.Caps.Init(apicaps.Cap{
+		ID:                pb.CapDiffOp,
+		Enabled:           false,
+		DisabledReasonMsg: "only enabled with containerd image store backend",
+	})
+
 	var driver graphdriver.Driver
 	if ls, ok := dist.LayerStore.(interface {
 		Driver() graphdriver.Driver