diff --git a/.changeset/beige-wolves-kneel.md b/.changeset/beige-wolves-kneel.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c768a3f03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/beige-wolves-kneel.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-test-utils': patch
+---
+
+Lazy-load `testcontainers` module in order to avoid side-effects.
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startMysqlContainer.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startMysqlContainer.ts
index 9601854cb3..fa99389cbc 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startMysqlContainer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startMysqlContainer.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 
 import createConnection, { Knex } from 'knex';
-import { GenericContainer } from 'testcontainers';
 import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';
 
 async function waitForMysqlReady(
@@ -50,6 +49,9 @@ export async function startMysqlContainer(image: string) {
   const user = 'root';
   const password = uuid();
 
+  // Lazy-load to avoid side-effect of importing testcontainers
+  const { GenericContainer } = await import('testcontainers');
+
   const container = await new GenericContainer(image)
     .withExposedPorts(3306)
     .withEnv('MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD', password)
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startPostgresContainer.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startPostgresContainer.ts
index 89a0417e22..81358e01d3 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startPostgresContainer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/startPostgresContainer.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 
 import createConnection, { Knex } from 'knex';
-import { GenericContainer } from 'testcontainers';
 import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';
 
 async function waitForPostgresReady(
@@ -50,6 +49,9 @@ export async function startPostgresContainer(image: string) {
   const user = 'postgres';
   const password = uuid();
 
+  // Lazy-load to avoid side-effect of importing testcontainers
+  const { GenericContainer } = await import('testcontainers');
+
   const container = await new GenericContainer(image)
     .withExposedPorts(5432)
     .withEnv('POSTGRES_PASSWORD', password)