diff --git a/demo/README.md b/demo/README.md
index 49ae532..983b2d0 100644
--- a/demo/README.md
+++ b/demo/README.md
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ followed by the deployment of the PostgreSQL clusters.
 |----------|---------|-------------|
 | `LEGACY=true` | `false` | Use the legacy in-tree Barman Cloud code instead of the Barman Cloud Plugin |
 | `TRUNK=true` | `false` | Deploy from the `main` branch of both CloudNativePG and the Barman Cloud Plugin |
+| `REQUIREMENTS_ONLY=true` | `false` | Deploy only CloudNativePG, cert-manager, and the Barman Cloud Plugin; skip ObjectStores/Clusters. A later plain run automatically detects and skips already-installed requirements |
 | `DRY_RUN=true` | `false` | Print the generated YAML to stdout without applying it |
 | `OUTPUT_DIR=<path>` | _(unset)_ | Save the generated YAML to `<path>/<region>.yaml` (one file per region) and apply it |
 | `DRY_RUN=true OUTPUT_DIR=<path>` | | Save the generated YAML to files only, without applying |
diff --git a/demo/funcs_requirements.sh b/demo/funcs_requirements.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..211ca3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demo/funcs_requirements.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+##
+## Copyright © contributors to CloudNativePG, established as
+## CloudNativePG a Series of LF Projects, LLC.
+##
+## Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+## you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+## You may obtain a copy of the License at
+##
+##     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+##
+## Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+## distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+## WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+## See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+## limitations under the License.
+##
+## SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+##
+
+#
+# Deployment of the CloudNativePG demo requirements: the CNPG operator,
+# cert-manager, and the Barman Cloud Plugin. Sourced by demo/setup.sh.
+#
+
+# Check whether a CRD exists in the given cluster context
+check_crd_existence() {
+    local context="$1"
+    local crd="$2"
+    kubectl --context "${context}" get crd "${crd}" &>/dev/null
+}
+
+# Deploy CloudNativePG, cert-manager, and the Barman Cloud Plugin into a
+# single region, unless they are already installed there.
+# Globals used: trunk, CERT_MANAGER_VERSION, CNPG_RELEASE_BRANCH,
+# CNPG_VERSION_BARE, BARMAN_CLOUD_PLUGIN_VERSION (set by scripts/common.sh
+# and demo/setup.sh).
+deploy_cnpg_requirements() {
+    local region="$1"
+    local context="$2"
+
+    if check_crd_existence "${context}" clusters.postgresql.cnpg.io; then
+        echo "ℹ️  CloudNativePG requirements already installed in region '${region}' (context: ${context});" \
+            "skipping operator/cert-manager/Barman Cloud Plugin installation."
+        return
+    fi
+
+    if [ "${trunk}" -eq 1 ]; then
+        # Deploy CloudNativePG operator (trunk - main branch)
+        curl -sSfL \
+            https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/artifacts/main/manifests/operator-manifest.yaml | \
+            kubectl --context "${context}" apply -f - --server-side
+    else
+        # Deploy CloudNativePG operator (latest stable release)
+        kubectl apply --server-side \
+            --context "${context}" \
+            -f "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg/release-${CNPG_RELEASE_BRANCH}/releases/cnpg-${CNPG_VERSION_BARE}.yaml"
+    fi
+
+    # Pin the operator to the control-plane node. The playground taints the
+    # postgres nodes and reserves infra/app nodes for workloads, so the
+    # control-plane is the natural home for the operator in this demo.
+    kubectl --context "${context}" -n cnpg-system \
+        patch deployment cnpg-controller-manager \
+        --type='merge' \
+        --patch='{"spec":{"template":{"spec":{"affinity":{"nodeAffinity":{"requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution":{"nodeSelectorTerms":[{"matchExpressions":[{"key":"node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane","operator":"Exists"}]}]}}},"tolerations":[{"key":"node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane","operator":"Exists"}]}}}}'
+
+    # Wait for CNPG deployment to complete
+    kubectl --context "${context}" rollout status deployment \
+        -n cnpg-system cnpg-controller-manager
+    echo "📦 CloudNativePG: $(kubectl --context "${context}" get deployment cnpg-controller-manager \
+        -n cnpg-system -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
+
+    # Deploy cert-manager
+    kubectl apply --context "${context}" -f \
+        "https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/releases/download/${CERT_MANAGER_VERSION}/cert-manager.yaml"
+
+    # Wait for cert-manager deployment to complete
+    kubectl rollout --context "${context}" status deployment \
+        -n cert-manager
+    cmctl check api --wait=2m --context "${context}"
+    echo "📦 cert-manager: $(kubectl --context "${context}" get deployment cert-manager \
+        -n cert-manager -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
+
+    if [ "${trunk}" -eq 1 ]; then
+        # Deploy Barman Cloud Plugin (trunk)
+        kubectl apply --context "${context}" -f \
+            https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/refs/heads/main/manifest.yaml
+    else
+        # Deploy Barman Cloud Plugin (latest stable)
+        kubectl apply --context "${context}" -f \
+            "https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/releases/download/${BARMAN_CLOUD_PLUGIN_VERSION}/manifest.yaml"
+    fi
+
+    # Wait for Barman Cloud Plugin deployment to complete
+    kubectl rollout --context "${context}" status deployment \
+        -n cnpg-system barman-cloud
+    echo "📦 Barman Cloud Plugin: $(kubectl --context "${context}" get deployment barman-cloud \
+        -n cnpg-system -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
+}
diff --git a/demo/setup.sh b/demo/setup.sh
index c601d20..43a5419 100755
--- a/demo/setup.sh
+++ b/demo/setup.sh
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@
 # State synchronization is managed via S3 object storage backed by RustFS.
 #
 # Usage:
-#   ./demo/setup.sh [regions...]    # specify regions (auto-detects running clusters if omitted)
-#   LEGACY=true ./demo/setup.sh     # use in-tree Barman backup instead of plugin
-#   TRUNK=true  ./demo/setup.sh     # deploy from main branch (CNPG + Barman plugin)
-#   DEBUG=true  ./demo/setup.sh     # enable shell trace output (set -x)
+#   ./demo/setup.sh [regions...]        # specify regions (auto-detects running clusters if omitted)
+#   LEGACY=true ./demo/setup.sh         # use in-tree Barman backup instead of plugin
+#   TRUNK=true  ./demo/setup.sh         # deploy from main branch (CNPG + Barman plugin)
+#   REQUIREMENTS_ONLY=true ./demo/setup.sh  # deploy CNPG + cert-manager + Barman plugin only
+#   DEBUG=true  ./demo/setup.sh         # enable shell trace output (set -x)
 #
 # Note: This environment is for learning purposes only and should not be
 # used in production.
@@ -40,6 +41,9 @@ set -eu
 # Source the common setup script
 source "$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)/scripts/common.sh"
 
+# Source the CNPG operator/cert-manager/Barman Cloud Plugin deployment function
+source "${REPO_ROOT}/demo/funcs_requirements.sh"
+
 kube_config_path="${KUBE_CONFIG_PATH}"
 templates_dir="${TEMPLATES_DIR:-${REPO_ROOT}/demo/templates}"
 legacy_templates_dir="${templates_dir}/legacy"
@@ -62,13 +66,6 @@ tmpl_cluster_legacy_params="${CLUSTER_LEGACY_PARAMS_TEMPLATE:-${legacy_templates
 tmpl_external_cluster_legacy="${EXTERNAL_CLUSTER_LEGACY_TEMPLATE:-${legacy_templates_dir}/external-cluster-legacy.yaml}"
 tmpl_scheduledbackup_legacy="${SCHEDULEDBACKUP_LEGACY_TEMPLATE:-${legacy_templates_dir}/scheduledbackup-legacy.yaml}"
 
-# Check whether a CRD exists in the given cluster context
-check_crd_existence() {
-    local context="$1"
-    local crd="$2"
-    kubectl --context "${context}" get crd "${crd}" &>/dev/null
-}
-
 legacy=false
 if [ "${LEGACY:-}" = "true" ]; then
     legacy=true
@@ -79,6 +76,11 @@ if [ "${TRUNK:-}" = "true" ]; then
     trunk=1
 fi
 
+requirements_only=false
+if [ "${REQUIREMENTS_ONLY:-}" = "true" ]; then
+    requirements_only=true
+fi
+
 dry_run=false
 if [ "${DRY_RUN:-}" = "true" ]; then
     dry_run=true
@@ -265,66 +267,15 @@ for region in "${REGIONS[@]}"; do
     fi
 
     if ! ${dry_run}; then
-        if check_crd_existence "${CONTEXT_NAME}" clusters.postgresql.cnpg.io; then
-            echo "❌ CloudNativePG is already deployed in region '${region}' (context: ${CONTEXT_NAME})."
-            echo "   Run './demo/teardown.sh' first if you want to redeploy."
-            exit 1
-        fi
+        deploy_cnpg_requirements "${region}" "${CONTEXT_NAME}"
     fi
 
-    if ! ${dry_run}; then
-        if [ "${trunk}" -eq 1 ]; then
-            # Deploy CloudNativePG operator (trunk - main branch)
-            curl -sSfL \
-                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/artifacts/main/manifests/operator-manifest.yaml | \
-                kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" apply -f - --server-side
-        else
-            # Deploy CloudNativePG operator (latest stable release)
-            kubectl apply --server-side \
-                --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" \
-                -f "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg/release-${CNPG_RELEASE_BRANCH}/releases/cnpg-${CNPG_VERSION_BARE}.yaml"
+    # REQUIREMENTS_ONLY stops here, before any cluster-specific resources are generated
+    if ${requirements_only}; then
+        if ! ${dry_run}; then
+            echo "✅ Requirements deployment for '${region}' complete in $(format_duration $((SECONDS - region_start)))."
         fi
-
-        # Pin the operator to the control-plane node. The playground taints the
-        # postgres nodes and reserves infra/app nodes for workloads, so the
-        # control-plane is the natural home for the operator in this demo.
-        kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" -n cnpg-system \
-            patch deployment cnpg-controller-manager \
-            --type='merge' \
-            --patch='{"spec":{"template":{"spec":{"affinity":{"nodeAffinity":{"requiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution":{"nodeSelectorTerms":[{"matchExpressions":[{"key":"node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane","operator":"Exists"}]}]}}},"tolerations":[{"key":"node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane","operator":"Exists"}]}}}}'
-
-        # Wait for CNPG deployment to complete
-        kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" rollout status deployment \
-            -n cnpg-system cnpg-controller-manager
-        echo "📦 CloudNativePG: $(kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" get deployment cnpg-controller-manager \
-            -n cnpg-system -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
-
-        # Deploy cert-manager
-        kubectl apply --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" -f \
-            "https://github.com/cert-manager/cert-manager/releases/download/${CERT_MANAGER_VERSION}/cert-manager.yaml"
-
-        # Wait for cert-manager deployment to complete
-        kubectl rollout --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" status deployment \
-            -n cert-manager
-        cmctl check api --wait=2m --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}"
-        echo "📦 cert-manager: $(kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" get deployment cert-manager \
-            -n cert-manager -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
-
-        if [ "${trunk}" -eq 1 ]; then
-            # Deploy Barman Cloud Plugin (trunk)
-            kubectl apply --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" -f \
-                https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/refs/heads/main/manifest.yaml
-        else
-            # Deploy Barman Cloud Plugin (latest stable)
-            kubectl apply --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" -f \
-                "https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/plugin-barman-cloud/releases/download/${BARMAN_CLOUD_PLUGIN_VERSION}/manifest.yaml"
-        fi
-
-        # Wait for Barman Cloud Plugin deployment to complete
-        kubectl rollout --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" status deployment \
-            -n cnpg-system barman-cloud
-        echo "📦 Barman Cloud Plugin: $(kubectl --context "${CONTEXT_NAME}" get deployment barman-cloud \
-            -n cnpg-system -o jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].image}')"
+        continue
     fi
 
     # Create the Barman ObjectStore CRs for all regions (plugin mode only)