diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/native-cancellation-request.integration.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/native-cancellation-request.integration.test.ts
index d86da21f7e3..f1145eb8838 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/native-cancellation-request.integration.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/native-cancellation-request.integration.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ describe("atomic caller cancellation request ownership", () => {
     ({ cancelNativeSession } = await import("../services/native-runtime/native-session-executor.js"));
     const external = resolveExternalTestDatabaseUrl("PAPERCLIP_NATIVE_CANCELLATION_TEST_DATABASE_URL");
     if (!external) database = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("caller-stop-");
-    db = createDb(external ?? database!.connectionString);
+    db = createDb(external ?? database!.connectionString, { maxConnections: 6 });
   }, 90_000);
   afterAll(async () => { await db?.$client.end({ timeout: 1 }); await database?.cleanup(); });
   async function fixture() {
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/native-settled-process-release.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/native-settled-process-release.test.ts
index 454848c6d3c..1028d9abc07 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/native-settled-process-release.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/native-settled-process-release.test.ts
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ suite("settled native run process identity", () => {
 
   beforeAll(async () => {
     if (!external) temporary = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("native-settled-process-");
-    db = createDb(external ?? temporary!.connectionString);
+    db = createDb(external ?? temporary!.connectionString, { maxConnections: 6 });
     if (external) await db.execute(sql`truncate companies cascade`);
     companyId = randomUUID();
     agentId = randomUUID();
diff --git a/server/src/services/heartbeat/agent-status.test.ts b/server/src/services/heartbeat/agent-status.test.ts
index eb8ff126f11..ad9d33cb1ce 100644
--- a/server/src/services/heartbeat/agent-status.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/heartbeat/agent-status.test.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ describePostgres("heartbeat agent status", () => {
 
   beforeAll(async () => {
     if (!external) database = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("paperclip-agent-status-");
-    db = createDb(external ?? database!.connectionString);
+    db = createDb(external ?? database!.connectionString, { maxConnections: 6 });
     if (external) {
       db.$client.options.onnotice = () => {};
       await db.execute(sql`truncate companies cascade`);
diff --git a/server/src/services/legacy-controller-lease.test.ts b/server/src/services/legacy-controller-lease.test.ts
index eccdc566fab..db8481945a5 100644
--- a/server/src/services/legacy-controller-lease.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/legacy-controller-lease.test.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const support = external ? { supported: true } : await getEmbeddedPostgresTestSu
   let db: ReturnType<typeof createDb>;
   beforeAll(async () => {
     if (!external) database = await startEmbeddedPostgresTestDatabase("legacy-controller-");
-    db = createDb(external ?? database.connectionString);
+    db = createDb(external ?? database.connectionString, { maxConnections: 6 });
   }, 30000);
   afterAll(async () => { await closeLivenessDb(db, 1); await db?.$client.end({ timeout: 1 }); await database?.cleanup(); });
   async function seed() {
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ const support = external ? { supported: true } : await getEmbeddedPostgresTestSu
 
   it("renews on one private pool per client that shutdown can end", async () => {
     const run = await seed();
-    const owner = createDb(external ?? database.connectionString);
+    const owner = createDb(external ?? database.connectionString, { maxConnections: 6 });
     const pool = livenessDb(owner);
     expect(pool).not.toBe(owner);
     expect(livenessDb(owner)).toBe(pool);