diff --git a/backend/src/database/client.ts b/backend/src/database/client.ts
index d3e845d..37ebc18 100644
--- a/backend/src/database/client.ts
+++ b/backend/src/database/client.ts
@@ -4,4 +4,17 @@ const { Pool } = pg;
 
 export const pool = new Pool({
   connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL,
+  max: Number(process.env.DB_POOL_MAX ?? 20),
+  min: Number(process.env.DB_POOL_MIN ?? 2),
+  idleTimeoutMillis: Number(process.env.DB_IDLE_TIMEOUT ?? 30000),
+  connectionTimeoutMillis: Number(process.env.DB_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT ?? 5000),
+  allowExitOnIdle: false,
 });
+
+pool.on('error', (err) => {
+  console.error('Unexpected database error on idle client', err);
+});
+
+export async function closePool(): Promise<void> {
+  await pool.end();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/src/server.ts b/backend/src/server.ts
index 153ba47..1ae232d 100644
--- a/backend/src/server.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { achievementsRouter } from './api/achievements/router.js';
 import { healthRouter } from './api/health/router.js';
 import { passportRouter } from './api/passport/router.js';
 import { reputationRouter } from './api/reputation/router.js';
+import { pool } from './database/client.js';
 
 dotenv.config();
 
@@ -28,6 +29,14 @@ app.use((error: Error, _request: express.Request, response: express.Response, ne
   response.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
 });
 
-app.listen(port, () => {
+const server = app.listen(port, () => {
   console.log(`TAO Passport API listening on http://localhost:${port}`);
 });
+
+process.on('SIGTERM', async () => {
+  console.log('SIGTERM received, closing database pool...');
+  await pool.end();
+  server.close(() => {
+    process.exit(0);
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file