diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index c51afb0e7..e194b317a 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 
 * New `extract_fit_time()` method has been added that returns the time it took to train the model (#853).
 
+* Ensure that `knit_engine_docs()` has the required packages installed (#1156).
+
 
 # parsnip 1.2.1
 
diff --git a/R/engine_docs.R b/R/engine_docs.R
index 4806f2754..9355edd3a 100644
--- a/R/engine_docs.R
+++ b/R/engine_docs.R
@@ -4,9 +4,16 @@
 #' @return A tibble with column `file` for the file name and `result` (a
 #' character vector that echos the output file name or, when there is
 #' a failure, the error message).
+#' @details
+#' This function will check whether the known parsnip extension packages,
+#' engine specific packages, and a few other ancillary packages are installed.
+#' Users will be prompted to install anything required to create the engine
+#' documentation.
+#'
 #' @keywords internal
 #' @export
 knit_engine_docs <- function(pattern = NULL) {
+  install_engine_packages()
   old_cli_opt <- options()$cli.unicode
   on.exit(options(cli.unicode = old_cli_opt))
   options(cli.unicode = FALSE)
diff --git a/R/install_packages.R b/R/install_packages.R
index 81885bb2f..fdd682634 100644
--- a/R/install_packages.R
+++ b/R/install_packages.R
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# Installs packages needed to run `knit_engine_docs()`.
 install_engine_packages <- function(extension = TRUE, extras = TRUE,
                                     ignore_pkgs = c("stats", "liquidSVM",
                                                     "parsnip")) {
@@ -5,12 +6,7 @@ install_engine_packages <- function(extension = TRUE, extras = TRUE,
 
   if (extension) {
     extensions_packages <- extensions()
-    repositories <- glue::glue("tidymodels/{extensions_packages}")
-
-    remotes::install_github(repositories)
-
-    extensions_packages <- extensions()
-    purrr::walk(extensions_packages, library, character.only = TRUE)
+    rlang::check_installed(extensions_packages)
     bio_pkgs <- c(bio_pkgs, "mixOmics")
   }
 
@@ -35,7 +31,6 @@ install_engine_packages <- function(extension = TRUE, extras = TRUE,
     engine_packages <- unique(c(engine_packages, rmd_pkgs))
   }
 
-  remotes::install_cran(engine_packages)
-
-  remotes::install_bioc(bio_pkgs)
+  rlang::check_installed(engine_packages)
+  rlang::check_installed(bio_pkgs)
 }
diff --git a/man/knit_engine_docs.Rd b/man/knit_engine_docs.Rd
index 3315d0eb2..5340c0d31 100644
--- a/man/knit_engine_docs.Rd
+++ b/man/knit_engine_docs.Rd
@@ -18,4 +18,10 @@ a failure, the error message).
 \description{
 Knit engine-specific documentation
 }
+\details{
+This function will check whether the known parsnip extension packages,
+engine specific packages, and a few other ancillary packages are installed.
+Users will be prompted to install anything required to create the engine
+documentation.
+}
 \keyword{internal}