diff --git a/.changeset/shy-boats-admire.md b/.changeset/shy-boats-admire.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..904fde9d1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/shy-boats-admire.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Root scoped services are now always initialized, regardless of whether they're used by any features.
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8fd7441c37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2022 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import {
+  createServiceRef,
+  createServiceFactory,
+} from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { BackendInitializer } from './BackendInitializer';
+import { ServiceRegistry } from './ServiceRegistry';
+
+const rootRef = createServiceRef<{ x: number }>({
+  id: '1',
+  scope: 'root',
+});
+
+const pluginRef = createServiceRef<{ x: number }>({
+  id: '2',
+});
+
+describe('BackendInitializer', () => {
+  it('should initialize root scoped services', async () => {
+    const rootFactory = jest.fn();
+    const pluginFactory = jest.fn();
+
+    const registry = new ServiceRegistry([
+      createServiceFactory({
+        service: rootRef,
+        deps: {},
+        factory: rootFactory,
+      }),
+      createServiceFactory({
+        service: pluginRef,
+        deps: {},
+        factory: pluginFactory,
+      }),
+    ]);
+
+    const init = new BackendInitializer(registry);
+    await init.start();
+
+    expect(rootFactory).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(pluginFactory).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index c86cd8382d..8311ae10bb 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import {
   BackendRegisterInit,
-  ServiceHolder,
+  EnumerableServiceHolder,
   ServiceOrExtensionPoint,
 } from './types';
 
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
   #features = new Map<BackendFeature, unknown>();
   #registerInits = new Array<BackendRegisterInit>();
   #extensionPoints = new Map<ExtensionPoint<unknown>, unknown>();
-  #serviceHolder: ServiceHolder;
+  #serviceHolder: EnumerableServiceHolder;
 
-  constructor(serviceHolder: ServiceHolder) {
+  constructor(serviceHolder: EnumerableServiceHolder) {
     this.#serviceHolder = serviceHolder;
   }
 
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
     }
     this.#started = true;
 
+    // Initialize all root scoped services
+    for (const ref of this.#serviceHolder.getServiceRefs()) {
+      if (ref.scope === 'root') {
+        await this.#serviceHolder.get(ref, 'root');
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Initialize all features
     for (const [feature] of this.#features) {
       const provides = new Set<ExtensionPoint<unknown>>();
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
index 9ff73f4270..208e5cf260 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/ServiceRegistry.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
   coreServices,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { stringifyError } from '@backstage/errors';
-
+import { EnumerableServiceHolder } from './types';
 /**
  * Keep in sync with `@backstage/backend-plugin-api/src/services/system/types.ts`
  * @internal
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export type InternalServiceRef<T> = ServiceRef<T> & {
   ) => Promise<ServiceFactory<T> | (() => ServiceFactory<T>)>;
 };
 
-export class ServiceRegistry {
+export class ServiceRegistry implements EnumerableServiceHolder {
   readonly #providedFactories: Map<string, ServiceFactory>;
   readonly #loadedDefaultFactories: Map<Function, Promise<ServiceFactory>>;
   readonly #implementations: Map<
@@ -132,6 +132,10 @@ export class ServiceRegistry {
     }
   }
 
+  getServiceRefs(): ServiceRef<unknown>[] {
+    return Array.from(this.#providedFactories.values()).map(f => f.service);
+  }
+
   get<T>(ref: ServiceRef<T>, pluginId: string): Promise<T> | undefined {
     return this.#resolveFactory(ref, pluginId)?.then(factory => {
       if (factory.scope === 'root') {
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
index 40ce6aa1ae..76bcd5ab6d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
@@ -45,9 +45,16 @@ export interface CreateSpecializedBackendOptions {
   services: (ServiceFactory | (() => ServiceFactory))[];
 }
 
-export type ServiceHolder = {
+export interface ServiceHolder {
   get<T>(api: ServiceRef<T>, pluginId: string): Promise<T> | undefined;
-};
+}
+
+/**
+ * @internal
+ */
+export interface EnumerableServiceHolder extends ServiceHolder {
+  getServiceRefs(): ServiceRef<unknown>[];
+}
 
 /**
  * @public