diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/README.md b/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
index abb25079e3..e98c997af0 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/README.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import { TaskManager } from '@backstage/backend-tasks';
 
 const manager = TaskManager.fromConfig(rootConfig).forPlugin('my-plugin');
 
-const { unschedule } = await manager.scheduleTask({
+await manager.scheduleTask({
   id: 'refresh-things',
   frequency: Duration.fromObject({ minutes: 10 }),
   fn: async () => {
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md b/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
index 68c4358348..8f7209b9ed 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/api-report.md
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ import { Logger as Logger_2 } from 'winston';
 
 // @public
 export interface PluginTaskManager {
-  scheduleTask(task: TaskDefinition): Promise<{
-    unschedule: () => Promise<void>;
-  }>;
+  scheduleTask(task: TaskDefinition): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 // @public
@@ -22,6 +20,7 @@ export interface TaskDefinition {
   frequency: Duration;
   id: string;
   initialDelay?: Duration;
+  signal?: AbortSignal_2;
   timeout: Duration;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/migrations/20210928160613_init.js b/packages/backend-tasks/migrations/20210928160613_init.js
index c5028e2e93..cd812b59e8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/migrations/20210928160613_init.js
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/migrations/20210928160613_init.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ exports.up = async function up(knex) {
       .comment('JSON serialized object with properties for this task');
     table
       .dateTime('next_run_start_at')
-      .nullable()
+      .notNullable()
       .comment('The next time that the task should be started');
     table
       .text('current_run_ticket')
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/database/tables.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/database/tables.ts
index 4777c4e60c..63aad6e42a 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/database/tables.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/database/tables.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const DB_TASKS_TABLE = 'backstage_backend_tasks__tasks';
 export type DbTasksRow = {
   id: string;
   settings_json: string;
-  next_run_start_at?: Date | string;
+  next_run_start_at: Date;
   current_run_ticket?: string;
   current_run_started_at?: Date | string;
   current_run_expires_at?: Date | string;
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.test.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.test.ts
index bbb54a2aa0..27fd1f9f3b 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.test.ts
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ describe('PluginTaskManagerImpl', () => {
         const { manager } = await init(databaseId);
 
         const fn = jest.fn();
-        const { unschedule } = await manager.scheduleTask({
+        await manager.scheduleTask({
           id: 'task1',
           timeout: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
           frequency: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ describe('PluginTaskManagerImpl', () => {
         await waitForExpect(() => {
           expect(fn).toBeCalled();
         });
-
-        await unschedule();
       },
     );
   });
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.ts
index fd543cf828..497a58b348 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerImpl.ts
@@ -29,25 +29,22 @@ export class PluginTaskManagerImpl implements PluginTaskManager {
     private readonly logger: Logger,
   ) {}
 
-  async scheduleTask(
-    task: TaskDefinition,
-  ): Promise<{ unschedule: () => Promise<void> }> {
+  async scheduleTask(task: TaskDefinition): Promise<void> {
     validateId(task.id);
 
     const knex = await this.databaseFactory();
 
     const worker = new TaskWorker(task.id, task.fn, knex, this.logger);
-    await worker.start({
-      version: 1,
-      initialDelayDuration: task.initialDelay?.toISO(),
-      recurringAtMostEveryDuration: task.frequency.toISO(),
-      timeoutAfterDuration: task.timeout.toISO(),
-    });
-
-    return {
-      async unschedule() {
-        await worker.stop();
+    await worker.start(
+      {
+        version: 1,
+        initialDelayDuration: task.initialDelay?.toISO(),
+        recurringAtMostEveryDuration: task.frequency.toISO(),
+        timeoutAfterDuration: task.timeout.toISO(),
       },
-    };
+      {
+        signal: task.signal,
+      },
+    );
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerJanitor.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerJanitor.ts
index ec65eadf1e..6594243243 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerJanitor.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/PluginTaskManagerJanitor.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
-import { AbortController, AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
+import { AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { DbTasksRow, DB_TASKS_TABLE } from '../database/tables';
 import { sleep } from './util';
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ export class PluginTaskManagerJanitor {
   private readonly knex: Knex;
   private readonly waitBetweenRuns: Duration;
   private readonly logger: Logger;
-  private readonly abortController: AbortController;
-  private readonly abortSignal: AbortSignal;
 
   constructor(options: {
     knex: Knex;
@@ -40,26 +38,20 @@ export class PluginTaskManagerJanitor {
     this.knex = options.knex;
     this.waitBetweenRuns = options.waitBetweenRuns;
     this.logger = options.logger;
-    this.abortController = new AbortController();
-    this.abortSignal = this.abortController.signal;
   }
 
-  async start() {
-    while (!this.abortSignal.aborted) {
+  async start(abortSignal?: AbortSignal) {
+    while (!abortSignal?.aborted) {
       try {
         await this.runOnce();
       } catch (e) {
         this.logger.warn(`Error while performing janitorial tasks, ${e}`);
       }
 
-      await sleep(this.waitBetweenRuns, this.abortSignal);
+      await sleep(this.waitBetweenRuns, abortSignal);
     }
   }
 
-  async stop() {
-    this.abortController.abort();
-  }
-
   private async runOnce() {
     // SQLite currently (Oct 1 2021) returns a number for returning()
     // statements, effectively ignoring them and instead returning the outcome
@@ -68,9 +60,15 @@ export class PluginTaskManagerJanitor {
     // https://github.com/knex/knex/issues/4370
     // https://github.com/mapbox/node-sqlite3/issues/1453
 
+    const dbNull = this.knex.raw('null');
+
     const tasksQuery = this.knex<DbTasksRow>(DB_TASKS_TABLE)
       .where('current_run_expires_at', '<', this.knex.fn.now())
-      .delete();
+      .update({
+        current_run_ticket: dbNull,
+        current_run_started_at: dbNull,
+        current_run_expires_at: dbNull,
+      });
 
     if (this.knex.client.config.client === 'sqlite3') {
       const tasks = await tasksQuery;
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskManager.test.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskManager.test.ts
index c81cfc8ee9..43fe79709c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskManager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskManager.test.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { DatabaseManager, getVoidLogger } from '@backstage/backend-common';
 import { TestDatabaseId, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import { TaskManager } from './TaskManager';
+import waitForExpect from 'wait-for-expect';
 
 describe('TaskManager', () => {
   const logger = getVoidLogger();
@@ -42,14 +43,18 @@ describe('TaskManager', () => {
     async databaseId => {
       const database = await createDatabase(databaseId);
       const manager = new TaskManager(database, logger).forPlugin('test');
+      const fn = jest.fn();
 
-      const task = await manager.scheduleTask({
+      await manager.scheduleTask({
         id: 'task1',
         timeout: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
         frequency: Duration.fromMillis(5000),
-        fn: () => {},
+        fn,
+      });
+
+      await waitForExpect(() => {
+        expect(fn).toBeCalled();
       });
-      expect(task.unschedule).toBeDefined();
     },
   );
 });
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskWorker.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskWorker.ts
index 9be1f2c1dc..991d97b956 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskWorker.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskWorker.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
-import { AbortController } from 'node-abort-controller';
+import { AbortSignal } from 'node-abort-controller';
 import { v4 as uuid } from 'uuid';
 import { Logger } from 'winston';
 import { DbTasksRow, DB_TASKS_TABLE } from '../database/tables';
@@ -35,17 +35,15 @@ export class TaskWorker {
   private readonly fn: TaskFunction;
   private readonly knex: Knex;
   private readonly logger: Logger;
-  private readonly abortController: AbortController;
 
   constructor(taskId: string, fn: TaskFunction, knex: Knex, logger: Logger) {
     this.taskId = taskId;
     this.fn = fn;
     this.knex = knex;
     this.logger = logger;
-    this.abortController = new AbortController();
   }
 
-  async start(settings: TaskSettingsV1) {
+  async start(settings: TaskSettingsV1, options?: { signal?: AbortSignal }) {
     try {
       await this.persistTask(settings);
     } catch (e) {
@@ -58,13 +56,13 @@ export class TaskWorker {
 
     (async () => {
       try {
-        while (!this.abortController.signal.aborted) {
-          const runResult = await this.runOnce();
+        while (!options?.signal?.aborted) {
+          const runResult = await this.runOnce(options?.signal);
           if (runResult.result === 'abort') {
             break;
           }
 
-          await sleep(WORK_CHECK_FREQUENCY, this.abortController.signal);
+          await sleep(WORK_CHECK_FREQUENCY, options?.signal);
         }
         this.logger.info(`Task worker finished: ${this.taskId}`);
       } catch (e) {
@@ -73,16 +71,14 @@ export class TaskWorker {
     })();
   }
 
-  stop() {
-    this.abortController.abort();
-  }
-
   /**
    * Makes a single attempt at running the task to completion, if ready.
    *
    * @returns The outcome of the attempt
    */
-  async runOnce(): Promise<
+  async runOnce(
+    signal?: AbortSignal,
+  ): Promise<
     | { result: 'not-ready-yet' }
     | { result: 'abort' }
     | { result: 'failed' }
@@ -106,9 +102,7 @@ export class TaskWorker {
 
     // Abort the task execution either if the worker is stopped, or if the
     // task timeout is hit
-    const taskAbortController = delegateAbortController(
-      this.abortController.signal,
-    );
+    const taskAbortController = delegateAbortController(signal);
     const timeoutHandle = setTimeout(() => {
       taskAbortController.abort();
     }, Duration.fromISO(taskSettings.timeoutAfterDuration).as('milliseconds'));
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
index 3be6591887..4cd33fd3e1 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/types.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ export interface TaskDefinition {
    */
   fn: TaskFunction;
 
+  /**
+   * An abort signal that, when triggered, will stop the recurring execution of
+   * the task.
+   */
+  signal?: AbortSignal;
+
   /**
    * The maximum amount of time that a single task invocation can take, before
    * it's considered timed out and gets "released" such that a new invocation
@@ -93,13 +99,8 @@ export interface PluginTaskManager {
    * continue from there.
    *
    * @param definition - The task definition
-   * @returns An `unschedule` function that can be used to stop the task
-   *          invocations later on. This removes the task entirely from storage
-   *          and stops its invocations across all workers.
    */
-  scheduleTask(
-    task: TaskDefinition,
-  ): Promise<{ unschedule: () => Promise<void> }>;
+  scheduleTask(task: TaskDefinition): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 function isValidOptionalDurationString(d: string | undefined): boolean {
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/util.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/util.ts
index 378224ed57..0509f29363 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/util.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/util.ts
@@ -83,22 +83,24 @@ export async function sleep(
  *
  * @param parent - The "parent" signal that can trigger the delegate
  */
-export function delegateAbortController(parent: AbortSignal): AbortController {
+export function delegateAbortController(parent?: AbortSignal): AbortController {
   const delegate = new AbortController();
 
-  if (parent.aborted) {
-    delegate.abort();
-  } else {
-    const onParentAborted = () => {
+  if (parent) {
+    if (parent.aborted) {
       delegate.abort();
-    };
+    } else {
+      const onParentAborted = () => {
+        delegate.abort();
+      };
 
-    const onChildAborted = () => {
-      parent.removeEventListener('abort', onParentAborted);
-    };
+      const onChildAborted = () => {
+        parent.removeEventListener('abort', onParentAborted);
+      };
 
-    parent.addEventListener('abort', onParentAborted, { once: true });
-    delegate.signal.addEventListener('abort', onChildAborted, { once: true });
+      parent.addEventListener('abort', onParentAborted, { once: true });
+      delegate.signal.addEventListener('abort', onChildAborted, { once: true });
+    }
   }
 
   return delegate;