diff --git a/authentik/lib/config.py b/authentik/lib/config.py
index ba5da03093..de0dccf871 100644
--- a/authentik/lib/config.py
+++ b/authentik/lib/config.py
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class ConfigLoader:
         try:
             return int(value)
         except (ValueError, TypeError) as exc:
-            if value is None or (isinstance(value, str) and value.lower() == "null"):
+            if value is None or (isinstance(value, str) and value.lower() in ("", "null", "none")):
                 return None
             self.log("warning", "Failed to parse config as int", path=path, exc=str(exc))
             return default
diff --git a/authentik/lib/default.yml b/authentik/lib/default.yml
index cfbb9c68ba..7f04e3a819 100644
--- a/authentik/lib/default.yml
+++ b/authentik/lib/default.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ postgresql:
   port: 5432
   password: "env://POSTGRES_PASSWORD"
   sslmode: disable
+  conn_max_age: 0
   conn_health_checks: false
   use_pool: False
   test:
diff --git a/authentik/lib/tests/test_config.py b/authentik/lib/tests/test_config.py
index 90c3afebbc..1ed289cf7f 100644
--- a/authentik/lib/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/authentik/lib/tests/test_config.py
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ class TestConfig(TestCase):
             {
                 "default": {
                     "DISABLE_SERVER_SIDE_CURSORS": True,
-                    "CONN_MAX_AGE": None,
+                    "CONN_MAX_AGE": 0,
                     "CONN_HEALTH_CHECKS": False,
                     "ENGINE": "psqlextra.backend",
                     "HOST": "foo",
diff --git a/packages/ak-common/src/config/schema.rs b/packages/ak-common/src/config/schema.rs
index 5d110051d8..e892ebd369 100644
--- a/packages/ak-common/src/config/schema.rs
+++ b/packages/ak-common/src/config/schema.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::{collections::HashMap, net::SocketAddr, num::NonZeroUsize};
 
 use ipnet::IpNet;
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, de::Error as _};
 
 pub(super) const KEYS_TO_PARSE_AS_LIST: [&str; 4] = [
     "listen.http",
@@ -10,6 +10,32 @@ pub(super) const KEYS_TO_PARSE_AS_LIST: [&str; 4] = [
     "log.http_headers",
 ];
 
+fn deserialize_optional_u64<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Option<u64>, D::Error>
+where
+    D: Deserializer<'de>,
+{
+    // The value comes as a number from config files but as a string from env vars.
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    #[serde(untagged)]
+    enum NumOrStr {
+        Num(u64),
+        Str(String),
+    }
+
+    match Option::<NumOrStr>::deserialize(deserializer)? {
+        None => Ok(None),
+        Some(NumOrStr::Num(n)) => Ok(Some(n)),
+        Some(NumOrStr::Str(s)) => {
+            let s = s.trim();
+            if s.is_empty() || s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("none") || s.eq_ignore_ascii_case("null") {
+                Ok(None)
+            } else {
+                s.parse().map(Some).map_err(D::Error::custom)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Config {
     pub postgresql: PostgreSQLConfig,
@@ -50,6 +76,7 @@ pub struct PostgreSQLConfig {
     pub sslcert: Option<String>,
     pub sslkey: Option<String>,
 
+    #[serde(deserialize_with = "deserialize_optional_u64")]
     pub conn_max_age: Option<u64>,
     pub conn_health_checks: bool,
 
diff --git a/packages/ak-common/src/db.rs b/packages/ak-common/src/db.rs
index 293faf4439..6ec0bceb56 100644
--- a/packages/ak-common/src/db.rs
+++ b/packages/ak-common/src/db.rs
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ pub async fn init(tasks: &mut Tasks) -> Result<()> {
         .min_connections(1)
         .max_connections(4)
         .acquire_time_level(LevelFilter::Trace)
-        .max_lifetime(config.postgresql.conn_max_age.map(Duration::from_secs))
         .test_before_acquire(config.postgresql.conn_health_checks)
         .after_connect(|conn, _meta| {
             Box::pin(async move {
@@ -84,6 +83,11 @@ pub async fn init(tasks: &mut Tasks) -> Result<()> {
             })
         });
 
+    let pool_options = match config.postgresql.conn_max_age {
+        Some(0) => pool_options.after_release(|_conn, _meta| Box::pin(async { Ok(false) })),
+        other => pool_options.max_lifetime(other.map(Duration::from_secs)),
+    };
+
     let pool = pool_options.connect_with(options).await?;
     DB.get_or_init(|| pool);