diff --git a/itest/lspd_node.go b/itest/lspd_node.go
index fa6beab..61482b8 100644
--- a/itest/lspd_node.go
+++ b/itest/lspd_node.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/decred/dcrd/dcrec/secp256k1/v4"
 	ecies "github.com/ecies/go/v2"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
 )
 
@@ -193,14 +192,7 @@ func (l *lspBase) Initialize() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(l.harness.Ctx, l.postgresBackend.ConnectionString())
-	if err != nil {
-		lntest.PerformCleanup(cleanups)
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to postgres: %w", err)
-	}
-	defer pgxPool.Close()
-
-	_, err = pgxPool.Exec(
+	_, err = l.postgresBackend.Pool().Exec(
 		l.harness.Ctx,
 		`DELETE FROM new_channel_params`,
 	)
@@ -209,7 +201,7 @@ func (l *lspBase) Initialize() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete new_channel_params: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	_, err = pgxPool.Exec(
+	_, err = l.postgresBackend.Pool().Exec(
 		l.harness.Ctx,
 		`INSERT INTO new_channel_params (validity, params, token)
 		 VALUES 
@@ -301,13 +293,7 @@ type FeeParamSetting struct {
 }
 
 func SetFeeParams(l LspNode, settings []*FeeParamSetting) error {
-	pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(l.Harness().Ctx, l.PostgresBackend().ConnectionString())
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to postgres: %w", err)
-	}
-	defer pgxPool.Close()
-
-	_, err = pgxPool.Exec(l.Harness().Ctx, "DELETE FROM new_channel_params")
+	_, err := l.PostgresBackend().Pool().Exec(l.Harness().Ctx, "DELETE FROM new_channel_params")
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete new_channel_params: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -333,7 +319,7 @@ func SetFeeParams(l LspNode, settings []*FeeParamSetting) error {
 		first = false
 	}
 	query += `;`
-	_, err = pgxPool.Exec(l.Harness().Ctx, query)
+	_, err = l.PostgresBackend().Pool().Exec(l.Harness().Ctx, query)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to insert new_channel_params: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/itest/lsps2_buy_test.go b/itest/lsps2_buy_test.go
index eaf9841..10be44f 100644
--- a/itest/lsps2_buy_test.go
+++ b/itest/lsps2_buy_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/breez/lntest"
 	"github.com/breez/lspd/lightning"
 	"github.com/breez/lspd/lsps0"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
@@ -89,16 +88,10 @@ func testLsps2Buy(p *testParams) {
 	err = json.Unmarshal(buyResp.Data, b)
 	lntest.CheckError(p.t, err)
 
-	pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(p.h.Ctx, p.lsp.PostgresBackend().ConnectionString())
-	if err != nil {
-		p.h.T.Fatalf("Failed to connect to postgres backend: %v", err)
-	}
-	defer pgxPool.Close()
-
 	scid, err := lightning.NewShortChannelIDFromString(b.Result.Jit_channel_scid)
 	lntest.CheckError(p.t, err)
 
-	rows, err := pgxPool.Query(
+	rows, err := p.lsp.PostgresBackend().Pool().Query(
 		p.h.Ctx,
 		`SELECT token 
 		 FROM lsps2.buy_registrations
diff --git a/itest/postgres.go b/itest/postgres.go
index d0092cb..ac999ce 100644
--- a/itest/postgres.go
+++ b/itest/postgres.go
@@ -29,9 +29,14 @@ type PostgresContainer struct {
 	logfile       string
 	isInitialized bool
 	isStarted     bool
+	pool          *pgxpool.Pool
 	mtx           sync.Mutex
 }
 
+func (p *PostgresContainer) Pool() *pgxpool.Pool {
+	return p.pool
+}
+
 func NewPostgresContainer(logfile string) (*PostgresContainer, error) {
 	port, err := lntest.GetPort()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -91,9 +96,16 @@ HealthCheck:
 			return fmt.Errorf("container '%s' unhealthy", c.id)
 		case "healthy":
 			for {
-				pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(ctx, c.ConnectionString())
+				if c.pool == nil {
+					c.pool, err = pgxpool.New(ctx, c.ConnectionString())
+					if err != nil {
+						<-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond)
+						continue
+					}
+				}
+
+				_, err = c.pool.Exec(ctx, "SELECT 1;")
 				if err == nil {
-					pgxPool.Close()
 					break HealthCheck
 				}
 
@@ -175,6 +187,11 @@ func (c *PostgresContainer) Stop(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	if c.pool != nil {
+		c.pool.Close()
+		c.pool = nil
+	}
+
 	defer c.cli.Close()
 	err := c.cli.ContainerStop(ctx, c.id, nil)
 	c.isStarted = false
@@ -246,19 +263,13 @@ func (c *PostgresContainer) RunMigrations(ctx context.Context, migrationDir stri
 
 	sort.Strings(filenames)
 
-	pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(ctx, c.ConnectionString())
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to connect to postgres: %w", err)
-	}
-	defer pgxPool.Close()
-
 	for _, filename := range filenames {
 		data, err := os.ReadFile(filename)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read migration file '%s': %w", filename, err)
 		}
 
-		_, err = pgxPool.Exec(ctx, string(data))
+		_, err = c.pool.Exec(ctx, string(data))
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to execute migration file '%s': %w", filename, err)
 		}
diff --git a/itest/tag_test.go b/itest/tag_test.go
index dc9f4ff..c4c0387 100644
--- a/itest/tag_test.go
+++ b/itest/tag_test.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/breez/lntest"
 	lspd "github.com/breez/lspd/rpc"
-	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
@@ -25,13 +24,7 @@ func registerPaymentWithTag(p *testParams) {
 		Tag:                expected,
 	}, false)
 
-	pgxPool, err := pgxpool.New(p.h.Ctx, p.lsp.PostgresBackend().ConnectionString())
-	if err != nil {
-		p.h.T.Fatalf("Failed to connect to postgres backend: %v", err)
-	}
-	defer pgxPool.Close()
-
-	rows, err := pgxPool.Query(
+	rows, err := p.lsp.PostgresBackend().Pool().Query(
 		p.h.Ctx,
 		"SELECT tag FROM public.payments WHERE payment_hash=$1",
 		i.PaymentHash,