diff --git a/.changeset/four-parents-visit.md b/.changeset/four-parents-visit.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..041380ce1e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/four-parents-visit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-common': patch
+---
+
+Avoid starting database keepalive loop in tests.
diff --git a/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt b/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
index 0229ed8e12..e120198ba9 100644
--- a/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
+++ b/.github/vale/Vocab/Backstage/accept.txt
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ jsx
 JWTs
 Kaewkasi
 Kaswell
+keepalive
 Keyv
 Knex
 Koyeb
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
index 4b655512bb..c1c9e56257 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
@@ -377,7 +377,9 @@ export class DatabaseManager {
         databaseClientOverrides,
         deps,
       );
-      this.startKeepaliveLoop(pluginId, client);
+      if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
+        this.startKeepaliveLoop(pluginId, client);
+      }
       return client;
     });