diff --git a/backend/jest.config.ts b/backend/jest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b7ca988db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/jest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+export default {
+  preset: 'ts-jest',
+  testEnvironment: 'node',
+  collectCoverageFrom: ['src/*.{js,ts}', '!**/node_modules/**'],
+  modulePaths: ['<rootDir>/src'],
+  testMatch: ['<rootDir>/tests/**/*.test.ts'],
+  setupFiles: ['<rootDir>/test-resources/env-vars.js'],
+  setupFilesAfterEnv: ['<rootDir>/setupTests.ts']
+};
diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index cd6cd214a..f24ef80fa 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -101,17 +101,6 @@
     "ts-jest": "^29.0.3",
     "ts-node": "^10.9.1"
   },
-  "jest": {
-    "preset": "ts-jest",
-    "testEnvironment": "node",
-    "collectCoverageFrom": [
-      "src/*.{js,ts}",
-      "!**/node_modules/**"
-    ],
-    "setupFiles": [
-      "<rootDir>/test-resources/env-vars.js"
-    ]
-  },
   "jest-junit": {
     "outputDirectory": "reports",
     "outputName": "jest-junit.xml",
diff --git a/backend/setupTests.ts b/backend/setupTests.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c98a366f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/setupTests.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { beforeAll, afterAll } from '@jest/globals';
+import { DatabaseService } from './src/services';
+
+beforeAll(async () => {
+  const mongoURL = process.env.MONGO_URL!;
+  await DatabaseService.initDatabase(mongoURL);
+});
+
+afterAll(async () => {
+  await DatabaseService.closeDatabase();
+});
diff --git a/backend/__tests__/healthcheck.test.ts b/backend/tests/healthcheck.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from backend/__tests__/healthcheck.test.ts
rename to backend/tests/healthcheck.test.ts