diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.test.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.test.ts
index 2905775494..4a44feec4a 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.test.ts
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ describe('DatabaseManager', () => {
       const database = DatabaseManager.fromConfig(config);
       const client = database.forPlugin('test');
 
-      expect(client.migrations?.apply).toBe(true);
+      expect(client.migrations.apply).toBe(true);
     });
 
     it('handles migrations options', () => {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ describe('DatabaseManager', () => {
       });
       const client = database.forPlugin('test');
 
-      expect(client.migrations?.apply).toBe(false);
+      expect(client.migrations.apply).toBe(false);
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
index 2c76c0f163..e564f2e0e6 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function pluginPath(pluginId: string): string {
 }
 
 type Options = {
-  migrations?: PluginDatabaseManager['migrations'];
+  migrations: PluginDatabaseManager['migrations'];
 };
 
 /** @public */
@@ -78,15 +78,15 @@ export class DatabaseManager {
    */
   forPlugin(pluginId: string): PluginDatabaseManager {
     const _this = this;
-    const defaultMigrationOptions = {
-      apply: true,
-    };
 
     return {
       getClient(): Promise<Knex> {
         return _this.getDatabase(pluginId);
       },
-      migrations: _this.options?.migrations ?? defaultMigrationOptions,
+      migrations: {
+        apply: true,
+        ..._this.options?.migrations,
+      },
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/database/types.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/database/types.ts
index 3c5bbf19bb..4cfc86e240 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/database/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/database/types.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ export interface PluginDatabaseManager {
   getClient(): Promise<Knex>;
 
   /**
-   * This optional property is used to control the behavior of database migrations.
+   * This property is used to control the behavior of database migrations.
    */
-  migrations?: {
+  migrations: {
     /**
      * apply can be used to determine if database migrations
      * should be performed.
diff --git a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskScheduler.test.ts b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskScheduler.test.ts
index ce8e797503..6c9a6989c7 100644
--- a/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskScheduler.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-tasks/src/tasks/TaskScheduler.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ describe('TaskScheduler', () => {
     const databaseManager: Partial<DatabaseManager> = {
       forPlugin: () => ({
         getClient: async () => knex,
+        migrations: { apply: true },
       }),
     };
     return databaseManager as DatabaseManager;
diff --git a/plugins/auth-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts b/plugins/auth-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
index 15ffe1d053..9009af4aa6 100644
--- a/plugins/auth-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
+++ b/plugins/auth-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ export async function startStandaloneServer(
       async getClient() {
         return database;
       },
+      migrations: { apply: true },
     },
     discovery,
   });
diff --git a/plugins/bazaar-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts b/plugins/bazaar-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
index b229f5bcf8..4ef46b7f66 100644
--- a/plugins/bazaar-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
+++ b/plugins/bazaar-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ export async function startStandaloneServer(
 
   const router = await createRouter({
     logger,
-    database: { getClient: async () => db },
+    database: { getClient: async () => db, migrations: { apply: true } },
     config: config,
   });
 
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/legacy/service/CatalogBuilder.test.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/legacy/service/CatalogBuilder.test.ts
index 926aa67635..3ba9340716 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/legacy/service/CatalogBuilder.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/legacy/service/CatalogBuilder.test.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ describe('CatalogBuilder', () => {
   };
   const env: CatalogEnvironment = {
     logger: getVoidLogger(),
-    database: { getClient: async () => db },
+    database: { getClient: async () => db, migrations: { apply: true } },
     config: new ConfigReader({}),
     reader,
   };
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/NextCatalogBuilder.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/NextCatalogBuilder.ts
index 712ab0ae44..382cac362e 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/NextCatalogBuilder.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/NextCatalogBuilder.ts
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ export class NextCatalogBuilder {
     const parser = this.parser || defaultEntityDataParser;
 
     const dbClient = await database.getClient();
-    if (database.migrations?.apply) {
+    if (database.migrations.apply) {
       logger.info('Performing database migration');
       await applyDatabaseMigrations(dbClient);
     }
diff --git a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
index 7aae3cd47c..66154b0ddc 100644
--- a/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
+++ b/plugins/catalog-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export async function startStandaloneServer(
   logger.debug('Creating application...');
   const builder = new CatalogBuilder({
     logger,
-    database: { getClient: () => db },
+    database: { getClient: () => db, migrations: { apply: true } },
     config,
     reader,
   });
diff --git a/plugins/code-coverage-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts b/plugins/code-coverage-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
index 291f78ffc5..ca913a2a67 100644
--- a/plugins/code-coverage-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
+++ b/plugins/code-coverage-backend/src/service/standaloneServer.ts
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export async function startStandaloneServer(
 
   logger.debug('Starting application server...');
   const router = await createRouter({
-    database: { getClient: async () => db },
+    database: { getClient: async () => db, migrations: { apply: true } },
     config,
     discovery: SingleHostDiscovery.fromConfig(config),
     urlReader: UrlReaders.default({ logger, config }),
diff --git a/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/router.test.ts b/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
index 0b7d3b7c45..b435136d4d 100644
--- a/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/router.test.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ describe('Tech Insights router tests', () => {
             },
           }) as unknown as Promise<Knex>;
         },
+        migrations: { apply: true },
       },
       logger: getVoidLogger(),
       factRetrievers: [],