diff --git a/.changeset/twenty-dolls-smoke.md b/.changeset/twenty-dolls-smoke.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7456bd5557
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/twenty-dolls-smoke.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-common': patch
+---
+
+Workaround for a rare race condition in tests.
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
index 290cd4b181..363bcac30b 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/database/DatabaseManager.ts
@@ -352,7 +352,9 @@ export class DatabaseManager {
     let lastKeepaliveFailed = false;
 
     setInterval(() => {
-      client.raw('select 1').then(
+      // During testing it can happen that the environment is torn down and
+      // this client is `undefined`, but this interval is still run.
+      client?.raw('select 1').then(
         () => {
           lastKeepaliveFailed = false;
         },