diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests.yaml
index 3c5bdb9a0..6aa1e55e2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-api-tests.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       STACK_DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING: "postgres://postgres:PASSWORD-PLACEHOLDER--uqfEC1hmmv@localhost:8128/stackframe"
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-custom-base-port-api-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-custom-base-port-api-tests.yaml
index e5ec1a16b..1a1cf52ef 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-custom-base-port-api-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-custom-base-port-api-tests.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PORT_PREFIX: "67"
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-source-of-truth-api-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-source-of-truth-api-tests.yaml
index 1ad94c7ce..99b66e51b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-source-of-truth-api-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-source-of-truth-api-tests.yaml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
       STACK_DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING: "postgres://postgres:PASSWORD-PLACEHOLDER--uqfEC1hmmv@localhost:8128/stackframe"
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test-with-custom-base-port.yaml b/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test-with-custom-base-port.yaml
index dc827d576..65179046f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test-with-custom-base-port.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test-with-custom-base-port.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PORT_PREFIX: "69"
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
diff --git a/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test.yaml
index 165628393..6d091edb3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/restart-dev-and-test.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
     env:
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
diff --git a/.github/workflows/setup-tests-with-custom-base-port.yaml b/.github/workflows/setup-tests-with-custom-base-port.yaml
index 191efd25b..0c9ac4a6c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/setup-tests-with-custom-base-port.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/setup-tests-with-custom-base-port.yaml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PORT_PREFIX: "69"
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6
diff --git a/.github/workflows/setup-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/setup-tests.yaml
index 7ce494baf..66374120c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/setup-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/setup-tests.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ jobs:
     env:
       STACK_FORCE_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC: "true"
       STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_MAX_DURATION_MS: "20000"
-      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "true"
+      STACK_EXTERNAL_DB_SYNC_DIRECT: "false"
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6