diff --git a/cmd/defaults.yaml b/cmd/defaults.yaml
index 442f1bef41..9278d5c85a 100644
--- a/cmd/defaults.yaml
+++ b/cmd/defaults.yaml
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ Database:
     Port: 26257
     Database: zitadel
     MaxOpenConns: 20
+    MaxIdleConns: 10
     MaxConnLifetime: 30m
-    MaxConnIdleTime: 30m
+    MaxConnIdleTime: 5m
     Options: ""
     User:
       Username: zitadel
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ Database:
     Port:
     Database:
     MaxOpenConns:
+    MaxIdleConns:
     MaxConnLifetime:
     MaxConnIdleTime:
     Options:
diff --git a/internal/database/cockroach/config.go b/internal/database/cockroach/config.go
index fc5abf4579..ab13575c3b 100644
--- a/internal/database/cockroach/config.go
+++ b/internal/database/cockroach/config.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Port            uint16
 	Database        string
 	MaxOpenConns    uint32
+	MaxIdleConns    uint32
 	MaxConnLifetime time.Duration
 	MaxConnIdleTime time.Duration
 	User            User
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func (c *Config) Connect(useAdmin bool) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	}
 
 	client.SetMaxOpenConns(int(c.MaxOpenConns))
+	client.SetMaxIdleConns(int(c.MaxIdleConns))
 	client.SetConnMaxLifetime(c.MaxConnLifetime)
 	client.SetConnMaxIdleTime(c.MaxConnIdleTime)
 
diff --git a/internal/database/postgres/config.go b/internal/database/postgres/config.go
index 03aa17755e..ab8dbb3ff5 100644
--- a/internal/database/postgres/config.go
+++ b/internal/database/postgres/config.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Port            int32
 	Database        string
 	MaxOpenConns    uint32
+	MaxIdleConns    uint32
 	MaxConnLifetime time.Duration
 	MaxConnIdleTime time.Duration
 	User            User
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func (c *Config) Connect(useAdmin bool) (*sql.DB, error) {
 	}
 
 	db.SetMaxOpenConns(int(c.MaxOpenConns))
+	db.SetMaxIdleConns(int(c.MaxIdleConns))
 	db.SetConnMaxLifetime(c.MaxConnLifetime)
 	db.SetConnMaxIdleTime(c.MaxConnIdleTime)