diff --git a/.changeset/little-rivers-deny.md b/.changeset/little-rivers-deny.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8a6c60311e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/little-rivers-deny.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-test-utils': minor
+---
+
+Made it possible to construct `mockServices.database` with a given knex instance
diff --git a/docs/backend-system/building-plugins-and-modules/02-testing.md b/docs/backend-system/building-plugins-and-modules/02-testing.md
index 38107f0242..1ec100cff3 100644
--- a/docs/backend-system/building-plugins-and-modules/02-testing.md
+++ b/docs/backend-system/building-plugins-and-modules/02-testing.md
@@ -224,10 +224,7 @@ your test database.
 ```ts
 const { knex, subject } = await createSubject(databaseId);
 const { server } = await startTestBackend({
-  features: [
-    myPlugin(),
-    mockServices.database.mock({ getClient: async () => knex }),
-  ],
+  features: [myPlugin(), mockServices.database.factory({ knex })],
 });
 ```
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/auth/plugin/keys/DatabaseKeyStore.test.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/auth/plugin/keys/DatabaseKeyStore.test.ts
index 551cccaf73..feb253e7ed 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/auth/plugin/keys/DatabaseKeyStore.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/auth/plugin/keys/DatabaseKeyStore.test.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ describe('DatabaseKeyStore', () => {
       knex,
       logger,
       keyStore: await DatabaseKeyStore.create({
-        database: { getClient: async () => knex },
+        database: mockServices.database({ knex }),
         logger,
       }),
     };
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/scheduler/lib/DefaultSchedulerService.test.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/scheduler/lib/DefaultSchedulerService.test.ts
index 63b900fab2..199d25f2aa 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/scheduler/lib/DefaultSchedulerService.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/src/entrypoints/scheduler/lib/DefaultSchedulerService.test.ts
@@ -14,16 +14,11 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import {
-  TestDatabaseId,
-  TestDatabases,
-  mockServices,
-} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { TestDatabases, mockServices } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { Duration } from 'luxon';
 import waitForExpect from 'wait-for-expect';
 import { DefaultSchedulerService } from './DefaultSchedulerService';
 import { createTestScopedSignal } from './__testUtils__/createTestScopedSignal';
-import { DatabaseService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
 jest.setTimeout(60_000);
 
@@ -32,19 +27,12 @@ describe('TaskScheduler', () => {
   const databases = TestDatabases.create();
   const testScopedSignal = createTestScopedSignal();
 
-  async function createDatabase(
-    databaseId: TestDatabaseId,
-  ): Promise<DatabaseService> {
-    const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-    return {
-      getClient: async () => knex,
-    };
-  }
-
   it.each(databases.eachSupportedId())(
     'can return a working v1 plugin impl, %p',
     async databaseId => {
-      const database = await createDatabase(databaseId);
+      const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
+      const database = mockServices.database({ knex });
+
       const manager = DefaultSchedulerService.create({ database, logger });
       const fn = jest.fn();
 
@@ -65,7 +53,9 @@ describe('TaskScheduler', () => {
   it.each(databases.eachSupportedId())(
     'can return a working v2 plugin impl, %p',
     async databaseId => {
-      const database = await createDatabase(databaseId);
+      const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
+      const database = mockServices.database({ knex });
+
       const manager = DefaultSchedulerService.create({ database, logger });
       const fn = jest.fn();
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
index 263435c920..a79bd9d03c 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/report.api.md
@@ -175,14 +175,23 @@ export namespace mockServices {
         partialImpl?: Partial<CacheService> | undefined,
       ) => ServiceMock<CacheService>;
   }
+  export function database(options: {
+    knex: Knex;
+    migrations?: {
+      skip?: boolean;
+    };
+  }): DatabaseService;
   // (undocumented)
   export namespace database {
-    const // (undocumented)
-      factory: () => ServiceFactory<DatabaseService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
-    const // (undocumented)
-      mock: (
-        partialImpl?: Partial<DatabaseService> | undefined,
-      ) => ServiceMock<DatabaseService>;
+    const factory: (options?: {
+      knex: Knex;
+      migrations?: {
+        skip?: boolean;
+      };
+    }) => ServiceFactory<DatabaseService, 'plugin', 'singleton'>;
+    const mock: (
+      partialImpl?: Partial<DatabaseService> | undefined,
+    ) => ServiceMock<DatabaseService>;
   }
   // (undocumented)
   export function discovery(): DiscoveryService;
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
index 55632f4734..a2c3b34ead 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/services/mockServices.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   AuthService,
   BackstageCredentials,
   BackstageUserInfo,
+  DatabaseService,
   DiscoveryService,
   HttpAuthService,
   LoggerService,
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ import { MockHttpAuthService } from './MockHttpAuthService';
 import { MockRootLoggerService } from './MockRootLoggerService';
 import { MockUserInfoService } from './MockUserInfoService';
 import { mockCredentials } from './mockCredentials';
+import { Knex } from 'knex';
 
 /** @internal */
 function createLoggerMock() {
@@ -376,8 +378,45 @@ export namespace mockServices {
     }));
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a mock implementation of the
+   * {@link @backstage/backend-plugin-api#coreServices.database}. Just returns
+   * the given `knex` instance, which is useful in combination with the
+   * {@link TestDatabases} facility.
+   */
+  export function database(options: {
+    knex: Knex;
+    migrations?: { skip?: boolean };
+  }): DatabaseService {
+    return {
+      getClient: async () => options.knex,
+      migrations: options.migrations,
+    };
+  }
   export namespace database {
-    export const factory = () => databaseServiceFactory;
+    /**
+     * Creates a mock factory for the
+     * {@link @backstage/backend-plugin-api#coreServices.database}. Just returns
+     * the given `knex` instance if you supply one, which is useful in
+     * combination with the {@link TestDatabases} facility. Otherwise, it
+     * returns the regular default database factory which reads config settings.
+     */
+    export const factory = (options?: {
+      knex: Knex;
+      migrations?: { skip?: boolean };
+    }) =>
+      options
+        ? createServiceFactory({
+            service: coreServices.database,
+            deps: {},
+            factory: () => database(options),
+          })
+        : databaseServiceFactory;
+    /**
+     * Creates a mock of the
+     * {@link @backstage/backend-plugin-api#coreServices.database}, optionally
+     * with some given method implementations.
+     */
     export const mock = simpleMock(coreServices.database, () => ({
       getClient: jest.fn(),
     }));
diff --git a/plugins/app-backend/src/lib/assets/StaticAssetsStore.test.ts b/plugins/app-backend/src/lib/assets/StaticAssetsStore.test.ts
index 51b949a623..bd7a01e5e8 100644
--- a/plugins/app-backend/src/lib/assets/StaticAssetsStore.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/app-backend/src/lib/assets/StaticAssetsStore.test.ts
@@ -14,24 +14,9 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { Knex as KnexType } from 'knex';
 import { TestDatabases, mockServices } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { StaticAssetsStore } from './StaticAssetsStore';
 
-const logger = mockServices.logger.mock();
-
-function createDatabaseManager(
-  client: KnexType,
-  skipMigrations: boolean = false,
-) {
-  return {
-    getClient: async () => client,
-    migrations: {
-      skip: skipMigrations,
-    },
-  };
-}
-
 jest.setTimeout(60_000);
 
 describe('StaticAssetsStore', () => {
@@ -40,11 +25,11 @@ describe('StaticAssetsStore', () => {
   it.each(databases.eachSupportedId())(
     'should store and retrieve assets, %p',
     async databaseId => {
-      const client = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      const database = createDatabaseManager(client);
+      const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
+
       const store = await StaticAssetsStore.create({
-        logger,
-        database,
+        logger: mockServices.logger.mock(),
+        database: mockServices.database({ knex }),
       });
 
       await store.storeAssets([
@@ -82,11 +67,11 @@ describe('StaticAssetsStore', () => {
   it.each(databases.eachSupportedId())(
     'should update assets timestamps, but not contents, %p',
     async databaseId => {
-      const client = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      const database = createDatabaseManager(client);
+      const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
+
       const store = await StaticAssetsStore.create({
-        logger,
-        database,
+        logger: mockServices.logger.mock(),
+        database: mockServices.database({ knex }),
       });
 
       await store.storeAssets([
@@ -134,10 +119,10 @@ describe('StaticAssetsStore', () => {
     'should trim old assets, %p',
     async databaseId => {
       const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      const database = createDatabaseManager(knex);
+
       const store = await StaticAssetsStore.create({
-        logger,
-        database,
+        logger: mockServices.logger.mock(),
+        database: mockServices.database({ knex }),
       });
 
       await store.storeAssets([
@@ -179,10 +164,10 @@ describe('StaticAssetsStore', () => {
     'should isolate assets in namespace, %p',
     async databaseId => {
       const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      const database = createDatabaseManager(knex);
+
       const store = await StaticAssetsStore.create({
-        logger,
-        database,
+        logger: mockServices.logger.mock(),
+        database: mockServices.database({ knex }),
       });
       const otherStore = store.withNamespace('other');
 
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/getEntitiesPerformance.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/getEntitiesPerformance.test.ts
index 47fd664b71..5721fd8218 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/getEntitiesPerformance.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/getEntitiesPerformance.test.ts
@@ -14,22 +14,22 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { describePerformanceTest, performanceTraceEnabled } from './lib/env';
-import { startTestBackend, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { createBackendModule } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import {
+  TestDatabases,
+  mockServices,
+  startTestBackend,
+} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import { CatalogClient } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
+import { catalogProcessingExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-node/alpha';
+import { Knex } from 'knex';
 import { applyDatabaseMigrations } from '../../database/migrations';
 import {
   SyntheticLoadEntitiesProcessor,
   SyntheticLoadEntitiesProvider,
   SyntheticLoadOptions,
 } from './lib/catalogModuleSyntheticLoadEntities';
-import { CatalogClient } from '@backstage/catalog-client';
-import {
-  coreServices,
-  createBackendModule,
-  createServiceFactory,
-} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import { catalogProcessingExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-node/alpha';
-import { Knex } from 'knex';
+import { describePerformanceTest, performanceTraceEnabled } from './lib/env';
 
 jest.setTimeout(600_000);
 
@@ -85,11 +85,7 @@ describePerformanceTest('getEntitiesPerformanceTest', () => {
       const backend = await startTestBackend({
         features: [
           import('@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend/alpha'),
-          createServiceFactory({
-            service: coreServices.database,
-            deps: {},
-            factory: () => ({ getClient: async () => knex }),
-          }),
+          mockServices.database.factory({ knex }),
           createBackendModule({
             pluginId: 'catalog',
             moduleId: 'synthetic-load-entities',
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/stitchingPerformance.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/stitchingPerformance.test.ts
index e0d3f87124..9e515edb5d 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/stitchingPerformance.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/tests/performance/stitchingPerformance.test.ts
@@ -14,15 +14,11 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { createBackendModule } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import {
-  coreServices,
-  createBackendModule,
-  createServiceFactory,
-} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
-import {
+  TestDatabases,
   mockServices,
   startTestBackend,
-  TestDatabases,
 } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { catalogProcessingExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/plugin-catalog-node/alpha';
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
@@ -182,11 +178,7 @@ describePerformanceTest('stitchingPerformance', () => {
         features: [
           import('@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend/alpha'),
           mockServices.rootConfig.factory({ data: config }),
-          createServiceFactory({
-            service: coreServices.database,
-            deps: {},
-            factory: () => ({ getClient: async () => knex }),
-          }),
+          mockServices.database.factory({ knex }),
           createBackendModule({
             pluginId: 'catalog',
             moduleId: 'synthetic-load-entities',
@@ -239,11 +231,7 @@ describePerformanceTest('stitchingPerformance', () => {
         features: [
           import('@backstage/plugin-catalog-backend/alpha'),
           mockServices.rootConfig.factory({ data: config }),
-          createServiceFactory({
-            service: coreServices.database,
-            deps: {},
-            factory: () => ({ getClient: async () => knex }),
-          }),
+          mockServices.database.factory({ knex }),
           createBackendModule({
             pluginId: 'catalog',
             moduleId: 'synthetic-load-entities',
diff --git a/plugins/events-backend/src/service/EventsPlugin.test.ts b/plugins/events-backend/src/service/EventsPlugin.test.ts
index 2c0befe1fd..c14659573d 100644
--- a/plugins/events-backend/src/service/EventsPlugin.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/events-backend/src/service/EventsPlugin.test.ts
@@ -144,9 +144,7 @@ describe('eventsPlugin', () => {
 
     async function mockKnexFactory(databaseId: TestDatabaseId) {
       const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      return mockServices.database.mock({
-        getClient: async () => knex,
-      }).factory;
+      return mockServices.database.factory({ knex });
     }
 
     let backend: TestBackend | undefined = undefined;
diff --git a/plugins/notifications-backend/src/database/DatabaseNotificationsStore.test.ts b/plugins/notifications-backend/src/database/DatabaseNotificationsStore.test.ts
index 90dd3932d0..e0536c50ac 100644
--- a/plugins/notifications-backend/src/database/DatabaseNotificationsStore.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/notifications-backend/src/database/DatabaseNotificationsStore.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-import { TestDatabaseId, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import {
+  TestDatabaseId,
+  TestDatabases,
+  mockServices,
+} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { DatabaseNotificationsStore } from './DatabaseNotificationsStore';
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
 import {
@@ -28,15 +32,10 @@ const databases = TestDatabases.create();
 
 async function createStore(databaseId: TestDatabaseId) {
   const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-  const mgr = {
-    getClient: async () => knex,
-    migrations: {
-      skip: false,
-    },
-  };
+  const database = mockServices.database({ knex, migrations: { skip: false } });
   return {
     knex,
-    storage: await DatabaseNotificationsStore.create({ database: mgr }),
+    storage: await DatabaseNotificationsStore.create({ database }),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend-module-pg/src/database/DatabaseDocumentStore.test.ts b/plugins/search-backend-module-pg/src/database/DatabaseDocumentStore.test.ts
index c638ffc3f9..d68b36fb54 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend-module-pg/src/database/DatabaseDocumentStore.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend-module-pg/src/database/DatabaseDocumentStore.test.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,11 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { Knex as KnexType } from 'knex';
-import { TestDatabaseId, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import {
+  TestDatabaseId,
+  TestDatabases,
+  mockServices,
+} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { IndexableDocument } from '@backstage/plugin-search-common';
 import { PgSearchHighlightOptions } from '../PgSearchEngine';
 import { DatabaseDocumentStore } from './DatabaseDocumentStore';
@@ -32,18 +35,6 @@ const highlightOptions: PgSearchHighlightOptions = {
   fragmentDelimiter: ' ... ',
 };
 
-function createDatabaseManager(
-  client: KnexType,
-  skipMigrations: boolean = false,
-) {
-  return {
-    getClient: async () => client,
-    migrations: {
-      skip: skipMigrations,
-    },
-  };
-}
-
 jest.setTimeout(60_000);
 
 describe('DatabaseDocumentStore', () => {
@@ -66,8 +57,7 @@ describe('DatabaseDocumentStore', () => {
       'should fail to create, %p',
       async databaseId => {
         const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-        const databaseManager = createDatabaseManager(knex);
-
+        const databaseManager = mockServices.database({ knex });
         await expect(
           async () => await DatabaseDocumentStore.create(databaseManager),
         ).rejects.toThrow();
@@ -82,7 +72,7 @@ describe('DatabaseDocumentStore', () => {
 
     async function createStore(databaseId: TestDatabaseId) {
       const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-      const databaseManager = createDatabaseManager(knex);
+      const databaseManager = mockServices.database({ knex });
       const store = await DatabaseDocumentStore.create(databaseManager);
 
       return { store, knex };
diff --git a/plugins/user-settings-backend/src/database/DatabaseUserSettingsStore.test.ts b/plugins/user-settings-backend/src/database/DatabaseUserSettingsStore.test.ts
index eb50e26179..3b8b18e61c 100644
--- a/plugins/user-settings-backend/src/database/DatabaseUserSettingsStore.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/user-settings-backend/src/database/DatabaseUserSettingsStore.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,11 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { TestDatabaseId, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
+import {
+  TestDatabaseId,
+  TestDatabases,
+  mockServices,
+} from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
 import {
   DatabaseUserSettingsStore,
@@ -29,12 +33,7 @@ const databases = TestDatabases.create({
 
 async function createStore(databaseId: TestDatabaseId) {
   const knex = await databases.init(databaseId);
-  const databaseManager = {
-    getClient: async () => knex,
-    migrations: {
-      skip: false,
-    },
-  };
+  const databaseManager = mockServices.database({ knex });
 
   return {
     knex,