diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md b/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
index 0f8806870d..ea149a44f2 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/api-report.md
@@ -28,10 +28,12 @@ export interface Backend {
 }
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const cacheFactory: ServiceFactory<PluginCacheManager>;
+export const cacheFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<PluginCacheManager>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const configFactory: ServiceFactory<Config>;
+export const configFactory: (options?: undefined) => ServiceFactory<Config>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export function createSpecializedBackend(
@@ -41,28 +43,36 @@ export function createSpecializedBackend(
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface CreateSpecializedBackendOptions {
   // (undocumented)
-  services: ServiceFactory[];
+  services: (ServiceFactory | (() => ServiceFactory))[];
 }
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const databaseFactory: ServiceFactory<PluginDatabaseManager>;
+export const databaseFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<PluginDatabaseManager>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const discoveryFactory: ServiceFactory<PluginEndpointDiscovery>;
+export const discoveryFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<PluginEndpointDiscovery>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const httpRouterFactory: ServiceFactory<HttpRouterService>;
+export const httpRouterFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<HttpRouterService>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const loggerFactory: ServiceFactory<Logger>;
+export const loggerFactory: (options?: undefined) => ServiceFactory<Logger>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const permissionsFactory: ServiceFactory<
-  PermissionAuthorizer | PermissionEvaluator
->;
+export const permissionsFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<PermissionAuthorizer | PermissionEvaluator>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const schedulerFactory: ServiceFactory<PluginTaskScheduler>;
+export const schedulerFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<PluginTaskScheduler>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export type ServiceOrExtensionPoint<T = unknown> =
@@ -70,8 +80,12 @@ export type ServiceOrExtensionPoint<T = unknown> =
   | ServiceRef<T>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const tokenManagerFactory: ServiceFactory<TokenManager>;
+export const tokenManagerFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<TokenManager>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
-export const urlReaderFactory: ServiceFactory<UrlReader>;
+export const urlReaderFactory: (
+  options?: undefined,
+) => ServiceFactory<UrlReader>;
 ```
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/api-report.md b/packages/backend-defaults/api-report.md
index b5f1e154bb..050ebde759 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/api-report.md
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ export function createBackend(options?: CreateBackendOptions): Backend;
 // @public (undocumented)
 export interface CreateBackendOptions {
   // (undocumented)
-  services?: ServiceFactory[];
+  services?: (ServiceFactory | (() => ServiceFactory))[];
 }
 ```
diff --git a/packages/backend-plugin-api/api-report.md b/packages/backend-plugin-api/api-report.md
index 5ea7f52c4b..30e58237af 100644
--- a/packages/backend-plugin-api/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-plugin-api/api-report.md
@@ -109,16 +109,28 @@ export function createServiceFactory<
   TDeps extends {
     [name in string]: unknown;
   },
+  TOpts extends
+    | {
+        [name in string]: unknown;
+      }
+    | undefined = undefined,
 >(factory: {
   service: ServiceRef<TService>;
   deps: TypesToServiceRef<TDeps>;
-  factory(deps: DepsToDepFactories<TDeps>): Promise<FactoryFunc<TImpl>>;
-}): ServiceFactory<TService>;
+  factory(
+    deps: DepsToDepFactories<TDeps>,
+    options: TOpts,
+  ): Promise<FactoryFunc<TImpl>>;
+}): undefined extends TOpts
+  ? (options?: TOpts) => ServiceFactory<TService>
+  : (options: TOpts) => ServiceFactory<TService>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
 export function createServiceRef<T>(options: {
   id: string;
-  defaultFactory?: (service: ServiceRef<T>) => Promise<ServiceFactory<T>>;
+  defaultFactory?: (
+    service: ServiceRef<T>,
+  ) => Promise<ServiceFactory<T> | (() => ServiceFactory<T>)>;
 }): ServiceRef<T>;
 
 // @public (undocumented)
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md b/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
index c0f6a43321..2fe4ed31d3 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/api-report.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export interface TestBackendOptions<
     ...{
       [index in keyof TServices]:
         | ServiceFactory<TServices[index]>
+        | (() => ServiceFactory<TServices[index]>)
         | [ServiceRef<TServices[index]>, Partial<TServices[index]>];
     },
   ];