diff --git a/.changeset/silver-bananas-kick.md b/.changeset/silver-bananas-kick.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b678f403a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/silver-bananas-kick.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-test-utils': patch
+---
+
+Serialize test database shutdown, and add logging
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/TestDatabases.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/TestDatabases.ts
index 6ff1a2e6f7..45d2899dbb 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/TestDatabases.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/database/TestDatabases.ts
@@ -276,19 +276,28 @@ export class TestDatabases {
 
   private async shutdown() {
     const instances = [...this.instanceById.values()];
-    await Promise.all(
-      instances.map(async ({ stopContainer, connections }) => {
+    this.instanceById.clear();
+
+    for (const { stopContainer, connections, databaseManager } of instances) {
+      for (const connection of connections) {
         try {
-          await Promise.all(connections.map(c => c.destroy()));
-        } catch {
-          // ignore
+          await connection.destroy();
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.warn(`TestDatabases: Failed to destroy connection`, {
+            connection,
+            error,
+          });
         }
-        try {
-          await stopContainer?.();
-        } catch {
-          // ignore
-        }
-      }),
-    );
+      }
+
+      try {
+        await stopContainer?.();
+      } catch (error) {
+        console.warn(`TestDatabases: Failed to stop container`, {
+          databaseManager,
+          error,
+        });
+      }
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/fact/FactRetrieverEngine.test.ts b/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/fact/FactRetrieverEngine.test.ts
index 5bf05cda98..fe3c050e69 100644
--- a/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/fact/FactRetrieverEngine.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/tech-insights-backend/src/service/fact/FactRetrieverEngine.test.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ import { TestDatabaseId, TestDatabases } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { TaskScheduler } from '@backstage/backend-tasks';
 
 jest.setTimeout(60_000);
-jest.useFakeTimers();
 
 const testFactRetriever: FactRetriever = {
   id: 'test_factretriever',
@@ -203,30 +202,36 @@ describe('FactRetrieverEngine', () => {
         });
       }
 
-      const handler = jest.fn();
-      engine = await createEngine(
-        databaseId,
-        insertCallback,
-        () => {},
-        undefined,
-        { ...testFactRetriever, handler },
-      );
-      await engine.schedule();
-      const job = await engine.getJobRegistration(testFactRetriever.id);
-      expect(job.cadence!!).toEqual(defaultCadence);
+      jest.useFakeTimers();
 
-      await engine.triggerJob(job.factRetriever.id);
-      jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+      try {
+        const handler = jest.fn();
+        engine = await createEngine(
+          databaseId,
+          insertCallback,
+          () => {},
+          undefined,
+          { ...testFactRetriever, handler },
+        );
+        await engine.schedule();
+        const job = await engine.getJobRegistration(testFactRetriever.id);
+        expect(job.cadence!!).toEqual(defaultCadence);
 
-      const handlerParam = await new Promise(resolve =>
-        handler.mockImplementation(resolve),
-      );
+        await engine.triggerJob(job.factRetriever.id);
+        jest.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
 
-      await expect(handlerParam).toEqual(
-        expect.objectContaining({
-          entityFilter: testFactRetriever.entityFilter,
-        }),
-      );
+        const handlerParam = await new Promise(resolve =>
+          handler.mockImplementation(resolve),
+        );
+
+        await expect(handlerParam).toEqual(
+          expect.objectContaining({
+            entityFilter: testFactRetriever.entityFilter,
+          }),
+        );
+      } finally {
+        jest.useRealTimers();
+      }
     },
   );
 });