diff --git a/.changeset/green-moose-leave.md b/.changeset/green-moose-leave.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..df6ff04d82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/green-moose-leave.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-test-utils': patch
+---
+
+Backends started with `startTestBackend` are now automatically stopped after all tests have run.
diff --git a/.changeset/nasty-colts-cough.md b/.changeset/nasty-colts-cough.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5dd098ec27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nasty-colts-cough.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Added `.stop()` method to `Backend`.
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md b/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
index eba4517a1f..33e732cf05 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ export interface Backend {
   add(feature: BackendFeature): void;
   // (undocumented)
   start(): Promise<void>;
+  // (undocumented)
+  stop(): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 // @public (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index 8311ae10bb..478cb30ff8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 import {
   BackendFeature,
   ExtensionPoint,
+  coreServices,
   ServiceRef,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
+import { BackendLifecycleImpl } from '../services/implementations/lifecycleService';
 import {
   BackendRegisterInit,
   EnumerableServiceHolder,
@@ -173,4 +175,23 @@ export class BackendInitializer {
 
     return orderedRegisterInits;
   }
+
+  async stop(): Promise<void> {
+    if (!this.#started) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const lifecycleService = await this.#serviceHolder.get(
+      coreServices.lifecycle,
+      'root',
+    );
+
+    // TODO(Rugvip): Find a better way to do this
+    const lifecycle = (lifecycleService as any)?.lifecycle;
+    if (lifecycle instanceof BackendLifecycleImpl) {
+      await lifecycle.shutdown();
+    } else {
+      throw new Error('Unexpected lifecycle service implementation');
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackstageBackend.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackstageBackend.ts
index 1d76161bfe..c53f47b685 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackstageBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackstageBackend.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export class BackstageBackend implements Backend {
     await this.#initializer.start();
   }
 
-  // async stop(): Promise<void> {
-  //   await this.#initializer.stop();
-  // }
+  async stop(): Promise<void> {
+    await this.#initializer.stop();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
index 76bcd5ab6d..46ac690702 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/types.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { BackstageBackend } from './BackstageBackend';
 export interface Backend {
   add(feature: BackendFeature): void;
   start(): Promise<void>;
+  stop(): Promise<void>;
 }
 
 export interface BackendRegisterInit {
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md b/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
index 2fe4ed31d3..3df3f3cb21 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 > Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
 
 ```ts
+import { Backend } from '@backstage/backend-app-api';
 import { BackendFeature } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { ExtensionPoint } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { Knex } from 'knex';
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ export function setupRequestMockHandlers(worker: {
 export function startTestBackend<
   TServices extends any[],
   TExtensionPoints extends any[],
->(options: TestBackendOptions<TServices, TExtensionPoints>): Promise<void>;
+>(options: TestBackendOptions<TServices, TExtensionPoints>): Promise<Backend>;
 
 // @alpha (undocumented)
 export interface TestBackendOptions<
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.test.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.test.ts
index 164e06d3b5..3cc8507df3 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.test.ts
@@ -19,9 +19,42 @@ import {
   createExtensionPoint,
   createServiceFactory,
   createServiceRef,
+  coreServices,
 } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 import { startTestBackend } from './TestBackend';
 
+// This bit makes sure that test backends are cleaned up properly
+let globalTestBackendHasBeenStopped = false;
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  await startTestBackend({
+    services: [],
+    features: [
+      createBackendModule({
+        moduleId: 'test.module',
+        pluginId: 'test',
+        register(env) {
+          env.registerInit({
+            deps: { lifecycle: coreServices.lifecycle },
+            async init({ lifecycle }) {
+              lifecycle.addShutdownHook({
+                fn() {
+                  globalTestBackendHasBeenStopped = true;
+                },
+              });
+            },
+          });
+        },
+      })(),
+    ],
+  });
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  if (!globalTestBackendHasBeenStopped) {
+    throw new Error('Expected backend to have been stopped');
+  }
+});
+
 describe('TestBackend', () => {
   it('should get a type error if service implementation does not match', async () => {
     type Obj = { a: string; b: string };
@@ -94,4 +127,32 @@ describe('TestBackend', () => {
 
     expect(testFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith('winning');
   });
+
+  it('should stop the test backend', async () => {
+    const shutdownSpy = jest.fn();
+
+    const testModule = createBackendModule({
+      moduleId: 'test.module',
+      pluginId: 'test',
+      register(env) {
+        env.registerInit({
+          deps: {
+            lifecycle: coreServices.lifecycle,
+          },
+          async init({ lifecycle }) {
+            lifecycle.addShutdownHook({ fn: shutdownSpy });
+          },
+        });
+      },
+    });
+
+    const backend = await startTestBackend({
+      services: [],
+      features: [testModule()],
+    });
+
+    expect(shutdownSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    await backend.stop();
+    expect(shutdownSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.ts
index 677ba930cc..1d401bbf6f 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/next/wiring/TestBackend.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,13 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { createSpecializedBackend } from '@backstage/backend-app-api';
+import {
+  Backend,
+  createSpecializedBackend,
+  lifecycleFactory,
+  loggerFactory,
+  rootLoggerFactory,
+} from '@backstage/backend-app-api';
 import {
   ServiceFactory,
   ServiceRef,
@@ -47,11 +53,19 @@ export interface TestBackendOptions<
   features?: BackendFeature[];
 }
 
+const defaultServiceFactories = [
+  rootLoggerFactory(),
+  loggerFactory(),
+  lifecycleFactory(),
+];
+
+const backendInstancesToCleanUp = new Array<Backend>();
+
 /** @alpha */
 export async function startTestBackend<
   TServices extends any[],
   TExtensionPoints extends any[],
->(options: TestBackendOptions<TServices, TExtensionPoints>): Promise<void> {
+>(options: TestBackendOptions<TServices, TExtensionPoints>): Promise<Backend> {
   const {
     services = [],
     extensionPoints = [],
@@ -69,22 +83,30 @@ export async function startTestBackend<
           service: ref,
           deps: {},
           factory: async () => async () => impl,
-        });
+        })();
       }
       return createServiceFactory({
         service: ref,
         deps: {},
         factory: async () => impl,
-      });
+      })();
     }
     return serviceDef as ServiceFactory;
   });
 
+  for (const factory of defaultServiceFactories) {
+    if (!factories.some(f => f.service === factory.service)) {
+      factories.push(factory);
+    }
+  }
+
   const backend = createSpecializedBackend({
     ...otherOptions,
     services: factories,
   });
 
+  backendInstancesToCleanUp.push(backend);
+
   backend.add({
     id: `---test-extension-point-registrar`,
     register(reg) {
@@ -101,4 +123,32 @@ export async function startTestBackend<
   }
 
   await backend.start();
+
+  return backend;
 }
+
+let registered = false;
+function registerTestHooks() {
+  if (typeof afterAll !== 'function') {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (registered) {
+    return;
+  }
+  registered = true;
+
+  afterAll(async () => {
+    await Promise.all(
+      backendInstancesToCleanUp.map(async backend => {
+        try {
+          await backend.stop();
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error(`Failed to stop backend after tests, ${error}`);
+        }
+      }),
+    );
+    backendInstancesToCleanUp.length = 0;
+  });
+}
+
+registerTestHooks();