diff --git a/.changeset/chilly-birds-shout.md b/.changeset/chilly-birds-shout.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dfa99b6f5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/chilly-birds-shout.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-common': minor
+---
+
+**BREAKING**: Simplifications and cleanup as part of the Backend System 1.0 work.
+
+- The deprecated `dropDatabase` function has now been removed, without replacement.
diff --git a/.changeset/wise-forks-play.md b/.changeset/wise-forks-play.md
index c5348a8add..3846b3a6f0 100644
--- a/.changeset/wise-forks-play.md
+++ b/.changeset/wise-forks-play.md
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 ---
-'@backstage/backend-common': minor
 '@backstage/backend-defaults': minor
 ---
 
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/api-report.md b/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
index 8a895dd037..450bee9063 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/backend-common/api-report.md
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ export function createStatusCheckRouter(options: {
 }): Promise<express.Router>;
 
 // @public @deprecated (undocumented)
-export class DatabaseManager {
+export class DatabaseManager implements LegacyRootDatabaseService {
   // (undocumented)
   forPlugin(
     pluginId: string,
@@ -365,6 +365,11 @@ export const legacyPlugin: (
   }>,
 ) => BackendFeature;
 
+// @public @deprecated (undocumented)
+export type LegacyRootDatabaseService = {
+  forPlugin(pluginId: string): DatabaseService;
+};
+
 // @public @deprecated
 export function loadBackendConfig(options: {
   logger: LoggerService;
diff --git a/packages/backend-common/src/deprecated/index.ts b/packages/backend-common/src/deprecated/index.ts
index 3b4b518de1..7f18bd188e 100644
--- a/packages/backend-common/src/deprecated/index.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-common/src/deprecated/index.ts
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ export type CacheClientOptions = CacheServiceOptions;
  * @public
  * @deprecated Use `DatabaseManager` from the `@backstage/backend-defaults` package instead
  */
-export class DatabaseManager {
+export class DatabaseManager implements LegacyRootDatabaseService {
   private constructor(
     private readonly _databaseManager: _DatabaseManager,
     private readonly logger?: LoggerService,
@@ -221,6 +221,14 @@ export type DatabaseManagerOptions = _DatabaseManagerOptions;
  */
 export type PluginDatabaseManager = _PluginDatabaseManager;
 
+/**
+ * @public
+ * @deprecated Use `DatabaseManager` from `@backstage/backend-defaults/database` instead, or migrate to the new backend system and use `coreServices.database`
+ */
+export type LegacyRootDatabaseService = {
+  forPlugin(pluginId: string): DatabaseService;
+};
+
 /**
  * @public
  * @deprecated This function is deprecated and will be removed in a future release, see https://github.com/backstage/backstage/issues/24493.