diff --git a/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts b/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
index da7ee193b4..03c7d44a18 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/plugins/search.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ export default async function createPlugin({
     collator: new DefaultCatalogCollator(discovery),
   });
 
-  indexBuilder.build();
+  const { scheduler } = await indexBuilder.build();
+
+  scheduler.start();
+  useHotCleanup(module, () => scheduler.stop());
 
   return await createRouter({
     engine: indexBuilder.getSearchEngine(),
diff --git a/plugins/search-backend-node/src/index.test.ts b/plugins/search-backend-node/src/index.test.ts
index 86233425e7..e1dc511b97 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend-node/src/index.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/search-backend-node/src/index.test.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ describe('IndexBuilder', () => {
       });
 
       // Build the index and ensure the collator was invoked.
-      await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      const { scheduler } = await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      scheduler.start();
       jest.advanceTimersByTime(6000);
       expect(collatorSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
@@ -89,7 +90,8 @@ describe('IndexBuilder', () => {
       });
 
       // Build the index and ensure the decorator was invoked.
-      await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      const { scheduler } = await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      scheduler.start();
       jest.advanceTimersByTime(6000);
       // wait for async decorator execution
       await Promise.resolve();
@@ -123,7 +125,8 @@ describe('IndexBuilder', () => {
       });
 
       // Build the index and ensure the decorator was invoked.
-      await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      const { scheduler } = await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      scheduler.start();
       jest.advanceTimersByTime(6000);
       // wait for async decorator execution
       await Promise.resolve();
@@ -138,7 +141,7 @@ describe('IndexBuilder', () => {
         text: 'Test text.',
         location: '/test/location',
       };
-      jest
+      const collatorSpy = jest
         .spyOn(testCollator, 'execute')
         .mockImplementation(async () => [docFixture]);
       const decoratorSpy = jest.spyOn(testDecorator, 'execute');
@@ -157,8 +160,10 @@ describe('IndexBuilder', () => {
       });
 
       // Build the index and ensure the decorator was not invoked.
-      await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      const { scheduler } = await testIndexBuilder.build();
+      scheduler.start();
       jest.advanceTimersByTime(6000);
+      expect(collatorSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(decoratorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
   });