diff --git a/backend/src/backend/database.py b/backend/src/backend/database.py
index 24224eb..55f85b1 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/database.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/database.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import os
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
-from fastapi import HTTPException, status
 from sqlalchemy import text
 from sqlalchemy.exc import SQLAlchemyError
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import (
@@ -77,17 +76,8 @@ async def get_session() -> AsyncIterator[AsyncSession]:
 
     Yields:
         Async session scoped to the current request lifecycle.
-
-    Raises:
-        HTTPException: If database configuration is missing.
     """
-    try:
-        session_factory = get_sessionmaker()
-    except DatabaseConfigurationError as exc:
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
-            detail={"status": "unhealthy", "database": "not_configured"},
-        ) from exc
+    session_factory = get_sessionmaker()
 
     async with session_factory() as session:
         yield session
diff --git a/backend/src/backend/main.py b/backend/src/backend/main.py
index 719c735..2b2ebda 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/main.py
@@ -10,10 +10,15 @@ from contextlib import asynccontextmanager
 from importlib import metadata
 from typing import Any
 
-from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI, status
+from fastapi import Depends, FastAPI, HTTPException, status
 from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 
-from backend.database import dispose_engine, get_session, probe_database
+from backend.database import (
+    DatabaseConfigurationError,
+    dispose_engine,
+    get_session,
+    probe_database,
+)
 
 REQUIRED_PACKAGE_PINS: dict[str, str] = {
     "fastapi": "0.120.2",
@@ -110,9 +115,21 @@ def read_root() -> dict[str, str]:
     return {"message": "Plex Playlist Backend API"}
 
 
+async def get_api_session() -> Any:
+    """Yield a DB session for API handlers, translating config errors to HTTP 503."""
+    try:
+        async for session in get_session():
+            yield session
+    except DatabaseConfigurationError as exc:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+            detail={"status": "unhealthy", "database": "not_configured"},
+        ) from exc
+
+
 @app.get("/health")
 async def health_check(
-    session: Any = Depends(get_session),  # pyright: ignore[reportCallInDefaultInitializer]
+    session: Any = Depends(get_api_session),  # pyright: ignore[reportCallInDefaultInitializer]
 ) -> JSONResponse:
     """Health check endpoint with database connectivity validation."""
     if await probe_database(session):
diff --git a/backend/tests/integration/test_api.py b/backend/tests/integration/test_api.py
index 5294361..176ea23 100644
--- a/backend/tests/integration/test_api.py
+++ b/backend/tests/integration/test_api.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 from sqlalchemy.exc import SQLAlchemyError
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
-from backend.database import get_session
-from backend.main import app, compatibility_status
+from backend.main import app, compatibility_status, get_api_session
 
 client = TestClient(app)
 
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ class TestAPIIntegration:
             """Provide a healthy session dependency override for tests."""
             yield healthy_session
 
-        app.dependency_overrides[get_session] = override_get_session
+        app.dependency_overrides[get_api_session] = override_get_session
         try:
             with TestClient(app) as local_client:
                 response = local_client.get("/health")
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ class TestAPIIntegration:
             """Provide an unhealthy session dependency override for tests."""
             yield unhealthy_session
 
-        app.dependency_overrides[get_session] = override_get_session
+        app.dependency_overrides[get_api_session] = override_get_session
         try:
             with TestClient(app) as local_client:
                 response = local_client.get("/health")
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_basic.py b/backend/tests/test_basic.py
index 6f8ebae..06499cf 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_basic.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_basic.py
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
-from backend.database import get_session
-from backend.main import app, read_root
+from backend.main import app, get_api_session, read_root
 
 
 def test_app_creation():
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ def test_health_check():
         """Provide a healthy session dependency override for tests."""
         yield healthy_session
 
-    app.dependency_overrides[get_session] = override_get_session
+    app.dependency_overrides[get_api_session] = override_get_session
     try:
         with TestClient(app) as client:
             response = client.get("/health")
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_database.py b/backend/tests/test_database.py
index 0bb87fc..7b8a6c7 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_database.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_database.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from typing import Any, cast
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock
 
 import pytest
-from fastapi import HTTPException
 from sqlalchemy.exc import SQLAlchemyError
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncEngine, AsyncSession
 
@@ -80,10 +79,10 @@ def test_get_sessionmaker_is_singleton(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_get_session_raises_503_when_db_not_configured(
+async def test_get_session_raises_database_error_when_db_not_configured(
     monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
 ) -> None:
-    """Session dependency should translate config errors to HTTP 503."""
+    """Session helper should raise a database-layer config error when missing."""
 
     def raise_config_error() -> Any:
         raise database.DatabaseConfigurationError("missing")
@@ -91,12 +90,9 @@ async def test_get_session_raises_503_when_db_not_configured(
     monkeypatch.setattr(database, "get_sessionmaker", raise_config_error)
 
     generator = database.get_session()
-    with pytest.raises(HTTPException) as exc:
+    with pytest.raises(database.DatabaseConfigurationError):
         await anext(generator)
 
-    assert exc.value.status_code == 503
-    assert exc.value.detail == {"status": "unhealthy", "database": "not_configured"}
-
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_get_session_yields_scoped_session(