diff --git a/deploy/deploy.yaml b/deploy/deploy.yaml
index 6abdadb0..82767783 100644
--- a/deploy/deploy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/deploy.yaml
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ lanes:
       port: 5432
     runtimeStore:
       postgres:
-        poolMax: 16
+        poolMax: 4
         connectionTimeoutMs: 5000
         queryRetryMaxAttempts: 5
         queryRetryInitialDelayMs: 250
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ lanes:
         backoffBaseMs: 0
         backoffMaxMs: 1
       postgres:
-        poolMax: 4
+        poolMax: 2
         queryTimeoutMs: 3000
         readyTimeoutMs: 2000
       cache:
@@ -599,6 +599,7 @@ lanes:
       - serviceId: hwlab-user-billing
         env:
           HWLAB_USER_BILLING_DB_URL: secretRef:hwlab-cloud-api-v03-db/database-url
+          HWLAB_USER_BILLING_DB_POOL_MAX: "2"
           HWLAB_BOOTSTRAP_ADMIN_ID: usr_v03_admin
           HWLAB_BOOTSTRAP_ADMIN_USERNAME: admin
           HWLAB_BOOTSTRAP_ADMIN_DISPLAY_NAME: HWLAB v0.3 Admin
diff --git a/internal/userbilling/service.go b/internal/userbilling/service.go
index 40c186dd..f6035b78 100644
--- a/internal/userbilling/service.go
+++ b/internal/userbilling/service.go
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ func NewServer(ctx context.Context, cfg Config) (*Server, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		db.SetMaxOpenConns(8)
+		db.SetMaxOpenConns(envInt("HWLAB_USER_BILLING_DB_POOL_MAX", 4))
 		db.SetMaxIdleConns(4)
 		db.SetConnMaxLifetime(30 * time.Minute)
 		server.db = db