diff --git a/extensions/vertx-http/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/vertx/http/runtime/VertxHttpRecorder.java b/extensions/vertx-http/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/vertx/http/runtime/VertxHttpRecorder.java
index ee2e615a09fb4..c48c57a71e37c 100644
--- a/extensions/vertx-http/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/vertx/http/runtime/VertxHttpRecorder.java
+++ b/extensions/vertx-http/runtime/src/main/java/io/quarkus/vertx/http/runtime/VertxHttpRecorder.java
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ public void startServer(Supplier<Vertx> vertx, ShutdownContext shutdown,
         if (startVirtual) {
             initializeVirtual(vertx.get());
         }
-        if (startSocket) {
+        if (startSocket && (httpConfiguration.hostEnabled || httpConfiguration.domainSocketEnabled)) {
             // Start the server
             if (closeTask == null) {
                 doServerStart(vertx.get(), httpBuildTimeConfig, httpConfiguration, launchMode, ioThreads,