diff --git a/app-config.yaml b/app-config.yaml
index de920ee1df..22ca1fcaff 100644
--- a/app-config.yaml
+++ b/app-config.yaml
@@ -276,10 +276,6 @@ scaffolder:
   #   email: scaffolder@backstage.io
   # Use to customize the default commit message when new components are created
   # defaultCommitMessage: 'Initial commit'
-  # Use to customize when will stale tasks be marked as closed
-  # taskTimeout:
-  #   seconds: 120
-  #   taskTimeoutMessage: 'This task was canceled as it timed out'
 
 auth:
   ### Add auth.keyStore.provider to more granularly control how to store JWK data when running
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
index 7793b131b9..02a6f0d664 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/api-report.md
@@ -500,10 +500,7 @@ export class DatabaseTaskStore implements TaskStore {
     }[];
   }>;
   // (undocumented)
-  shutdownTask({
-    taskId,
-    message,
-  }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
+  shutdownTask({ taskId }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 // @public
@@ -546,6 +543,8 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   // (undocumented)
   database: PluginDatabaseManager;
   // (undocumented)
+  databaseTaskStore?: DatabaseTaskStore;
+  // (undocumented)
   identity?: IdentityApi;
   // (undocumented)
   logger: Logger;
@@ -620,8 +619,6 @@ export interface TaskBroker {
   // (undocumented)
   claim(): Promise<TaskContext>;
   // (undocumented)
-  closeStaleTasks(): Promise<void>;
-  // (undocumented)
   dispatch(
     options: TaskBrokerDispatchOptions,
   ): Promise<TaskBrokerDispatchResult>;
@@ -749,10 +746,7 @@ export interface TaskStore {
     }[];
   }>;
   // (undocumented)
-  shutdownTask({
-    taskId,
-    message,
-  }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
+  shutdownTask?({ taskId }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 // @public
@@ -782,7 +776,6 @@ export type TaskStoreListEventsOptions = {
 // @public
 export type TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions = {
   taskId: string;
-  message?: string | undefined;
 };
 
 // @public
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/config.d.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/config.d.ts
index 51add2288d..7883284165 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/config.d.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/config.d.ts
@@ -28,12 +28,5 @@ export interface Config {
      * The commit message used when new components are created.
      */
     defaultCommitMessage?: string;
-    /**
-     * To mark stale tasks as closed
-     */
-    taskTimeout?: {
-      seconds?: number;
-      message?: string;
-    };
   };
 }
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/DatabaseTaskStore.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/DatabaseTaskStore.ts
index 27e399b762..b61c3d2676 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/DatabaseTaskStore.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/DatabaseTaskStore.ts
@@ -381,12 +381,8 @@ export class DatabaseTaskStore implements TaskStore {
     return { events };
   }
 
-  async shutdownTask({
-    taskId,
-    message,
-  }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void> {
-    const errorMessage =
-      message || `This task was marked as stale as it exceeded its timeout`;
+  async shutdownTask({ taskId }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void> {
+    const message = `This task was marked as stale as it exceeded its timeout`;
 
     const statusStepEvents = (await this.listEvents({ taskId })).events.filter(
       ({ body }) => body?.stepId,
@@ -407,7 +403,7 @@ export class DatabaseTaskStore implements TaskStore {
       await this.emitLogEvent({
         taskId,
         body: {
-          message: errorMessage,
+          message,
           stepId: step,
           status: 'failed',
         },
@@ -418,7 +414,7 @@ export class DatabaseTaskStore implements TaskStore {
       taskId,
       status: 'failed',
       eventBody: {
-        message: errorMessage,
+        message,
       },
     });
   }
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.test.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.test.ts
index 8275f77a17..4fc142a991 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.test.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ async function createStore(): Promise<DatabaseTaskStore> {
 describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   let storage: DatabaseTaskStore;
   const fakeSecrets = { backstageToken: 'secret' } as TaskSecrets;
-  const config = new ConfigReader({ scaffolder: { title: 'Blah' } });
 
   beforeAll(async () => {
     storage = await createStore();
@@ -49,13 +48,13 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
 
   const logger = getVoidLogger();
   it('should claim a dispatched work item', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
     await expect(broker.claim()).resolves.toEqual(expect.any(TaskManager));
   });
 
   it('should wait for a dispatched work item', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const promise = broker.claim();
 
     await expect(Promise.race([promise, 'waiting'])).resolves.toBe('waiting');
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should dispatch multiple items and claim them in order', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     await broker.dispatch({ spec: { steps: [{ id: 'a' }] } as TaskSpec });
     await broker.dispatch({ spec: { steps: [{ id: 'b' }] } as TaskSpec });
     await broker.dispatch({ spec: { steps: [{ id: 'c' }] } as TaskSpec });
@@ -82,14 +81,14 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should store secrets', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec, secrets: fakeSecrets });
     const task = await broker.claim();
     expect(task.secrets).toEqual(fakeSecrets);
   }, 10000);
 
   it('should complete a task', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const dispatchResult = await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
     const task = await broker.claim();
     await task.complete('completed');
@@ -98,7 +97,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   }, 10000);
 
   it('should remove secrets after picking up a task', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const dispatchResult = await broker.dispatch({
       spec: {} as TaskSpec,
       secrets: fakeSecrets,
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   }, 10000);
 
   it('should fail a task', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const dispatchResult = await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
     const task = await broker.claim();
     await task.complete('failed');
@@ -119,8 +118,8 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('multiple brokers should be able to observe a single task', async () => {
-    const broker1 = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
-    const broker2 = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker1 = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
+    const broker2 = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
 
     const { taskId } = await broker1.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
 
@@ -162,7 +161,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should heartbeat', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const { taskId } = await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
     const task = await broker.claim();
 
@@ -180,7 +179,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be update the status to failed if heartbeat fails', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const { taskId } = await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
     const task = await broker.claim();
 
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should list all tasks', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const { taskId } = await broker.dispatch({ spec: {} as TaskSpec });
 
     const promise = broker.list();
@@ -220,7 +219,7 @@ describe('StorageTaskBroker', () => {
   });
 
   it('should list only tasks createdBy a specific user', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const { taskId } = await broker.dispatch({
       spec: {} as TaskSpec,
       createdBy: 'user:default/foo',
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.ts
index 2c0a77173f..9e60bc7727 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/StorageTaskBroker.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ import {
   SerializedTask,
 } from './types';
 import { TaskBrokerDispatchOptions } from '.';
-import { Config } from '@backstage/config';
 
 /**
  * TaskManager
@@ -150,7 +149,6 @@ export class StorageTaskBroker implements TaskBroker {
   constructor(
     private readonly storage: TaskStore,
     private readonly logger: Logger,
-    private readonly config: Config,
   ) {}
 
   async list(options?: {
@@ -264,20 +262,6 @@ export class StorageTaskBroker implements TaskBroker {
     );
   }
 
-  /**
-   * {@inheritdoc TaskBroker.closeStaleTasks}
-   */
-  async closeStaleTasks(): Promise<void> {
-    const timeoutS =
-      this.config.getOptionalNumber('scaffolder.taskTimeout.seconds') || 300;
-    const { tasks } = await this.storage.listStaleTasks({ timeoutS });
-
-    for (const task of tasks) {
-      this.logger.info(`Successfully closed stale task ${task.taskId}`);
-      await this.storage.shutdownTask(task);
-    }
-  }
-
   private waitForDispatch() {
     return this.deferredDispatch.promise;
   }
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/TaskWorker.test.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/TaskWorker.test.ts
index d856052b59..ee8ae400c4 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/TaskWorker.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/TaskWorker.test.ts
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ describe('TaskWorker', () => {
   const actionRegistry: TemplateActionRegistry = {} as TemplateActionRegistry;
   const workingDirectory = '/tmp/scaffolder';
 
-  const config = new ConfigReader({ scaffolder: {} });
-
   const workflowRunner: NunjucksWorkflowRunner = {
     execute: jest.fn(),
   } as unknown as NunjucksWorkflowRunner;
@@ -70,7 +68,7 @@ describe('TaskWorker', () => {
   const logger = getVoidLogger();
 
   it('should call the default workflow runner when the apiVersion is beta3', async () => {
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const taskWorker = await TaskWorker.create({
       logger,
       workingDirectory,
@@ -101,7 +99,7 @@ describe('TaskWorker', () => {
       output: { testOutput: 'testmockoutput' },
     });
 
-    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger, config);
+    const broker = new StorageTaskBroker(storage, logger);
     const taskWorker = await TaskWorker.create({
       logger,
       workingDirectory,
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/types.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/types.ts
index 4ac515055e..5d3f8113ee 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/types.ts
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ export interface TaskBroker {
     options: TaskBrokerDispatchOptions,
   ): Promise<TaskBrokerDispatchResult>;
   vacuumTasks(options: { timeoutS: number }): Promise<void>;
-  closeStaleTasks(): Promise<void>;
   event$(options: {
     taskId: string;
     after: number | undefined;
@@ -164,7 +163,6 @@ export type TaskStoreListEventsOptions = {
  */
 export type TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions = {
   taskId: string;
-  message?: string | undefined;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -212,10 +210,7 @@ export interface TaskStore {
     taskId,
     after,
   }: TaskStoreListEventsOptions): Promise<{ events: SerializedTaskEvent[] }>;
-  shutdownTask({
-    taskId,
-    message,
-  }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
+  shutdownTask?({ taskId }: TaskStoreShutDownTaskOptions): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 export type WorkflowResponse = { output: { [key: string]: JsonValue } };
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.test.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
index 3848e8801d..b13e955c15 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,16 @@ import express from 'express';
 import request from 'supertest';
 import ObservableImpl from 'zen-observable';
 
+jest.mock('@backstage/backend-tasks', () => ({
+  TaskScheduler: {
+    fromConfig: () => ({
+      forPlugin: () => ({
+        scheduleTask: jest.fn(),
+      }),
+    }),
+  },
+}));
+
 /**
  * TODO: The following should import directly from the router file.
  * Due to a circular dependency between this plugin and the
@@ -137,11 +147,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
       const databaseTaskStore = await DatabaseTaskStore.create({
         database: createDatabase(),
       });
-      taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(
-        databaseTaskStore,
-        logger,
-        new ConfigReader({ scaffolder: {} }),
-      );
+      taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(databaseTaskStore, logger);
 
       jest.spyOn(taskBroker, 'dispatch');
       jest.spyOn(taskBroker, 'get');
@@ -155,6 +161,7 @@ describe('createRouter', () => {
         database: createDatabase(),
         catalogClient,
         reader: mockUrlReader,
+        databaseTaskStore,
         taskBroker,
       });
       app = express().use(router);
@@ -721,11 +728,7 @@ data: {"id":1,"taskId":"a-random-id","type":"completion","createdAt":"","body":{
       const databaseTaskStore = await DatabaseTaskStore.create({
         database: createDatabase(),
       });
-      taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(
-        databaseTaskStore,
-        logger,
-        new ConfigReader({}),
-      );
+      taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(databaseTaskStore, logger);
 
       jest.spyOn(taskBroker, 'dispatch');
       jest.spyOn(taskBroker, 'get');
@@ -756,6 +759,7 @@ data: {"id":1,"taskId":"a-random-id","type":"completion","createdAt":"","body":{
         database: createDatabase(),
         catalogClient,
         reader: mockUrlReader,
+        databaseTaskStore,
         taskBroker,
         identity: { getIdentity },
       });
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.ts
index a1e938a8dd..4abea52027 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/service/router.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export interface RouterOptions {
   actions?: TemplateAction<any>[];
   taskWorkers?: number;
   taskBroker?: TaskBroker;
+  databaseTaskStore?: DatabaseTaskStore;
   additionalTemplateFilters?: Record<string, TemplateFilter>;
   identity?: IdentityApi;
 }
@@ -167,11 +168,17 @@ export async function createRouter(
 
   const workingDirectory = await getWorkingDirectory(config, logger);
   const integrations = ScmIntegrations.fromConfig(config);
-  let taskBroker: TaskBroker;
 
+  let databaseTaskStore: DatabaseTaskStore;
+  if (!options.databaseTaskStore) {
+    databaseTaskStore = await DatabaseTaskStore.create({ database });
+  } else {
+    databaseTaskStore = options.databaseTaskStore;
+  }
+
+  let taskBroker: TaskBroker;
   if (!options.taskBroker) {
-    const databaseTaskStore = await DatabaseTaskStore.create({ database });
-    taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(databaseTaskStore, logger, config);
+    taskBroker = new StorageTaskBroker(databaseTaskStore, logger);
   } else {
     taskBroker = options.taskBroker;
   }
@@ -204,15 +211,24 @@ export async function createRouter(
   actionsToRegister.forEach(action => actionRegistry.register(action));
   workers.forEach(worker => worker.start());
 
-  const scheduler = TaskScheduler.fromConfig(config).forPlugin('scaffolder');
-  await scheduler.scheduleTask({
-    id: 'close_stale_tasks',
-    frequency: { cron: '*/5 * * * *' }, // every 5 minutes, also supports Duration
-    timeout: { minutes: 15 },
-    fn: async () => {
-      await taskBroker.closeStaleTasks();
-    },
-  });
+  if (databaseTaskStore.shutdownTask) {
+    const scheduler = TaskScheduler.fromConfig(config).forPlugin('scaffolder');
+    await scheduler.scheduleTask({
+      id: 'close_stale_tasks',
+      frequency: { cron: '*/5 * * * *' }, // every 5 minutes, also supports Duration
+      timeout: { minutes: 15 },
+      fn: async () => {
+        const { tasks } = await databaseTaskStore.listStaleTasks({
+          timeoutS: 3600,
+        });
+
+        for (const task of tasks) {
+          logger.info(`Successfully closed stale task ${task.taskId}`);
+          await databaseTaskStore.shutdownTask(task);
+        }
+      },
+    });
+  }
 
   const dryRunner = createDryRunner({
     actionRegistry,