diff --git a/docs/env.md b/docs/env.md
index 2dad89ec..0441b2ab 100644
--- a/docs/env.md
+++ b/docs/env.md
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ These are the environment variables you can set for the `impress-backend` contai
 | CONVERSION_FILE_MAX_SIZE                        | The file max size allowed when uploaded to convert it                                                                                                                      | 20971520 (20MB)                                                         |
 | CONVERSION_FILE_EXTENSIONS_ALLOWED              | Extension list managed by the conversion service                                                                                                                           | [".docx", ".md"]                                                        |
 | CRISP_WEBSITE_ID                                | Crisp website id for support                                                                                                                                               |                                                                         |
-| DB_ENGINE                                       | Engine to use for database connections                                                                                                                                     | django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2                                  |
+| DB_CONN_MAX_AGE                                 | Maximum lifetime of a database connection in seconds. Use 0 to close connections at the end of each request (default). When using the psycopg pool, set to 0 so connections are returned to the pool after each request. | 0                                                                       |
+| DB_ENGINE                                       | Engine to use for database connections                                                                                                                                     | django.db.backends.postgresql                                           |
 | DB_HOST                                         | Host of the database                                                                                                                                                       | localhost                                                               |
 | DB_NAME                                         | Name of the database                                                                                                                                                       | impress                                                                 |
 | DB_PASSWORD                                     | Password to authenticate with                                                                                                                                              | pass                                                                    |
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/test_settings.py b/src/backend/core/tests/test_settings.py
index 44c2a4ce..ed786de3 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/tests/test_settings.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/tests/test_settings.py
@@ -30,6 +30,20 @@ def test_invalid_settings_oidc_email_configuration():
     )
 
 
+def test_settings_conn_max_age_default():
+    """
+    Test that DB_CONN_MAX_AGE defaults to 0 (close connections at the end of each request).
+
+    CONN_MAX_AGE is defined in the DATABASES class body and resolved by django-configurations
+    at class setup time, so no post_setup() call is required here.
+    """
+
+    class TestSettings(Base):
+        """Fake test settings."""
+
+    assert TestSettings.DATABASES["default"]["CONN_MAX_AGE"] == 0
+
+
 def test_settings_psycopg_pool_not_enabled():
     """
     Test that not changing DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_ENABLED should not configure psycopg in the DATABASES
diff --git a/src/backend/impress/settings.py b/src/backend/impress/settings.py
index aea0b45d..ba4354d3 100755
--- a/src/backend/impress/settings.py
+++ b/src/backend/impress/settings.py
@@ -99,6 +99,15 @@ class Base(Configuration):
                 "localhost", environ_name="DB_HOST", environ_prefix=None
             ),
             "PORT": values.Value(5432, environ_name="DB_PORT", environ_prefix=None),
+            # Maximum lifetime of a database connection in seconds.
+            # Use 0 to close connections at the end of each request.
+            # Use None for unlimited persistent connections.
+            # When using the psycopg pool (DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_ENABLED), set this to 0
+            # so that connections are returned to the pool after each request.
+            "CONN_MAX_AGE": values.IntegerValue(
+                0, environ_name="DB_CONN_MAX_AGE", environ_prefix=None
+            ),
+            "OPTIONS": {},
             # Psycopg pool can be configured in the post_setup method
         }
     }
@@ -1113,30 +1122,24 @@ class Base(Configuration):
         )
 
         if psycopg_pool_enabled:
-            cls.DATABASES["default"].update(
-                {
-                    "OPTIONS": {
-                        # https://www.psycopg.org/psycopg3/docs/api/pool.html#psycopg_pool.ConnectionPool
-                        "pool": {
-                            "min_size": values.IntegerValue(
-                                4,
-                                environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_MIN_SIZE",
-                                environ_prefix=None,
-                            ),
-                            "max_size": values.IntegerValue(
-                                None,
-                                environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_MAX_SIZE",
-                                environ_prefix=None,
-                            ),
-                            "timeout": values.IntegerValue(
-                                3,
-                                environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_TIMEOUT",
-                                environ_prefix=None,
-                            ),
-                        }
-                    },
-                }
-            )
+            # https://www.psycopg.org/psycopg3/docs/api/pool.html#psycopg_pool.ConnectionPool
+            cls.DATABASES["default"].setdefault("OPTIONS", {})["pool"] = {
+                "min_size": values.IntegerValue(
+                    4,
+                    environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_MIN_SIZE",
+                    environ_prefix=None,
+                ),
+                "max_size": values.IntegerValue(
+                    None,
+                    environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_MAX_SIZE",
+                    environ_prefix=None,
+                ),
+                "timeout": values.IntegerValue(
+                    3,
+                    environ_name="DB_PSYCOPG_POOL_TIMEOUT",
+                    environ_prefix=None,
+                ),
+            }
 
 
 class Build(Base):