diff --git a/db_store/config.go b/db_store/config.go
index c09d282..3f77070 100644
--- a/db_store/config.go
+++ b/db_store/config.go
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ func (cfg *DBConfig) AsDSN() string {
 }
 
 func (cfg *DBConfig) Validate() error {
-	_, err := sqlx.Connect("mysql", cfg.AsDSN())
-	return err
+	db, err := sqlx.Connect("mysql", cfg.AsDSN())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return db.Close()
 }
diff --git a/db_store/golbat.go b/db_store/golbat.go
index eebfb9b..928ebbd 100644
--- a/db_store/golbat.go
+++ b/db_store/golbat.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package db_store
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx"
 	"github.com/paulmach/orb/geojson"
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ func NewGolbatDBStore(config DBConfig, logger *logrus.Logger) (*GolbatDBStore, e
 	}
 	db.SetMaxOpenConns(config.MaxPool)
 	db.SetMaxIdleConns(5)
+	db.SetConnMaxLifetime(5 * time.Minute)
+	db.SetConnMaxIdleTime(5 * time.Minute)
 
 	return &GolbatDBStore{
 		logger: logger,
diff --git a/db_store/nests.go b/db_store/nests.go
index 841dc64..8a263fe 100644
--- a/db_store/nests.go
+++ b/db_store/nests.go
@@ -579,6 +579,7 @@ func (st *NestsDBStore) Migrate(migratePath string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to the DB: %w", err)
 	}
+	defer db.Close()
 
 	dbDriver, err := migrate_mysql.WithInstance(db, migrateConfig)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -691,6 +692,8 @@ func NewNestsDBStore(config DBConfig, logger *logrus.Logger) (*NestsDBStore, err
 
 	db.SetMaxOpenConns(config.MaxPool)
 	db.SetMaxIdleConns(5)
+	db.SetConnMaxLifetime(5 * time.Minute)
+	db.SetConnMaxIdleTime(5 * time.Minute)
 
 	return &NestsDBStore{
 		logger: logger,