diff --git a/backend/tests/conftest.py b/backend/tests/conftest.py
index 669c28cb..b1e9533c 100644
--- a/backend/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/backend/tests/conftest.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def browser_session_declarations():
 # opt out and reset themselves. Everything else — including the durable *unit*
 # tests that use the fixtures here — gets transaction rollback.
 _OWN_DATABASE_MODULES = {
-    "test_build_durable",
+    "test_durable_async_database_loop",
     "test_durable_sdk",
     "test_notifications_durable",
     "test_harness_login_persistence",
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_durable_async_database_loop.py b/backend/tests/test_durable_async_database_loop.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..353dfaba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_durable_async_database_loop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import asyncio
+import os
+
+import psycopg
+import pytest
+import pytest_asyncio
+from dbos import DBOS, DBOSConfig, StepOptions
+from dbos._dbos import _get_or_create_dbos_registry
+from druks.durable.dbos_state import DBOS_SYSTEM_SCHEMA
+from sqlalchemy import text
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncEngine, AsyncSession, create_async_engine
+
+POSTGRES_BASE_URL = os.environ.get("DRUKS_TEST_PG", "postgresql://druks:druks@localhost:5432")
+DATABASE_NAME = "druks_durable_async_database_loop_test"
+DATABASE_URL = (
+    f"{POSTGRES_BASE_URL.replace('postgresql://', 'postgresql+psycopg://')}/{DATABASE_NAME}"
+)
+DBOS_DATABASE_URL = DATABASE_URL.replace("postgresql+psycopg://", "postgresql://", 1)
+
+
+def _pg_up() -> bool:
+    try:
+        psycopg.connect(f"{POSTGRES_BASE_URL}/postgres", connect_timeout=2).close()
+        return True
+    except psycopg.Error:
+        return False
+
+
+pytestmark = [
+    pytest.mark.skipif(not _pg_up(), reason="test Postgres not reachable"),
+    pytest.mark.asyncio(loop_scope="module"),
+]
+
+ASYNC_ENGINE: AsyncEngine | None = None
+ASYNC_ENGINE_LOOP: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop | None = None
+
+
+def _build_workflow():
+    @DBOS.workflow(name="test.async_database_loop")
+    async def write_with_async_session_in_dbos_step() -> str | None:
+        engine = ASYNC_ENGINE
+        engine_loop = ASYNC_ENGINE_LOOP
+        assert engine
+        assert engine_loop
+
+        async def write_row() -> str | None:
+            assert asyncio.get_running_loop() is engine_loop
+            async with AsyncSession(engine) as session:
+                await session.execute(
+                    text("CREATE TABLE dbos_async_loop_rows (value TEXT PRIMARY KEY)")
+                )
+                await session.execute(
+                    text("INSERT INTO dbos_async_loop_rows (value) VALUES ('same-loop')")
+                )
+                value = await session.scalar(text("SELECT value FROM dbos_async_loop_rows"))
+                await session.commit()
+                return value
+
+        return await DBOS.run_step_async(StepOptions(name="test.async_database_write"), write_row)
+
+    return write_with_async_session_in_dbos_step
+
+
+@pytest_asyncio.fixture(scope="module", autouse=True, loop_scope="module")
+async def workflow():
+    global ASYNC_ENGINE, ASYNC_ENGINE_LOOP
+
+    with psycopg.connect(f"{POSTGRES_BASE_URL}/postgres", autocommit=True) as admin:
+        admin.execute(f"DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS {DATABASE_NAME} WITH (FORCE)")
+        admin.execute(f"CREATE DATABASE {DATABASE_NAME}")
+
+    built = _build_workflow()
+    config: DBOSConfig = {
+        "name": "druks-async-database-loop-test",
+        "application_database_url": DBOS_DATABASE_URL,
+        "system_database_url": DBOS_DATABASE_URL,
+        "dbos_system_schema": DBOS_SYSTEM_SCHEMA,
+        "run_admin_server": False,
+    }
+    DBOS(config=config)
+    async_engine = create_async_engine(DATABASE_URL)
+    ASYNC_ENGINE = async_engine
+    ASYNC_ENGINE_LOOP = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+    DBOS.launch()
+    try:
+        yield built
+    finally:
+        DBOS.destroy()
+        # destroy() leaves the registry pointing at a dead launched instance, so
+        # scheduled registrations would submit pollers to its torn-down executor;
+        # None restores the queue-for-launch path.
+        _get_or_create_dbos_registry().dbos = None
+        await async_engine.dispose()
+        ASYNC_ENGINE = None
+        ASYNC_ENGINE_LOOP = None
+
+
+async def test_dbos_step_owns_async_database_engine_loop(workflow):
+    value = await workflow()
+    assert value == "same-loop"