diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/cache/helpers.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/cache/helpers.ts
index 3f13bc8d0e..7a18240fc8 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/cache/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/cache/helpers.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,22 @@ export async function attemptKeyvConnection(
 
   await waitForReady(async () => {
     const store = createStore(connection);
-    keyv = new Keyv({ store });
-    const value = uuid();
-    await keyv.set('test', value);
-    return (await keyv.get('test')) === value;
+    const attemptKeyv = new Keyv({ store });
+    let succeeded = false;
+
+    try {
+      const value = uuid();
+      await attemptKeyv.set('test', value);
+      succeeded = (await attemptKeyv.get('test')) === value;
+      if (succeeded) {
+        keyv = attemptKeyv;
+      }
+      return succeeded;
+    } finally {
+      if (!succeeded) {
+        await attemptKeyv.disconnect();
+      }
+    }
   }, label);
 
   return keyv!;
diff --git a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/util/waitForReady.ts b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/util/waitForReady.ts
index 1aeaa109c5..b5c22e41cc 100644
--- a/packages/backend-test-utils/src/util/waitForReady.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-test-utils/src/util/waitForReady.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export async function waitForReady(
 ): Promise<void> {
   const startTime = Date.now();
 
-  let lastError: Error | undefined;
+  let lastError: unknown;
   let attempts = 0;
   for (;;) {
     attempts += 1;