diff --git a/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_namespace_test.go b/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_namespace_test.go
index 97b42868af26..2cc3fc0e0788 100644
--- a/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_namespace_test.go
+++ b/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_namespace_test.go
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModelNotFound(c *gc.C) {
 
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
-	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil).Times(1)
+	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
@@ -72,6 +73,29 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModelNotFound(c *gc.C) {
 
 	workertest.CleanKill(c, w)
 }
+func (s *namespaceSuite) startWorker(c *gc.C, ctx context.Context) *dbWorker {
+	trackedWorkerDB := newWorkerTrackedDB(s.TxnRunner())
+
+	w := s.newWorkerWithDB(c, trackedWorkerDB)
+
+	err := s.TxnRunner().StdTxn(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
+		stmt := "INSERT INTO model_list (uuid) VALUES (?);"
+		result, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, stmt, "foo")
+		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
+
+		num, err := result.RowsAffected()
+		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
+		c.Assert(num, gc.Equals, int64(1))
+
+		return nil
+	})
+	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
+
+	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
+	ensureStartup(c, dbw)
+
+	return dbw
+}
 
 func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModel(c *gc.C) {
 	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
@@ -85,6 +109,7 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModel(c *gc.C) {
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
@@ -95,34 +120,49 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModel(c *gc.C) {
 
 	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
 
-	trackedWorkerDB := newWorkerTrackedDB(s.TxnRunner())
-
-	w := s.newWorkerWithDB(c, trackedWorkerDB)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
-
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testing.LongWait)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	err := s.TxnRunner().StdTxn(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		stmt := "INSERT INTO model_list (uuid) VALUES (?);"
-		result, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, stmt, "foo")
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
+	dbw := s.startWorker(c, ctx)
 
-		num, err := result.RowsAffected()
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
-		c.Assert(num, gc.Equals, int64(1))
-
-		return nil
-	})
+	err := dbw.ensureNamespace("foo")
 	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
-	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
-	ensureStartup(c, dbw)
+	workertest.CleanKill(c, dbw)
+}
 
-	err = dbw.ensureNamespace("foo")
+func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModelLoopbackPreferred(c *gc.C) {
+	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
+
+	s.expectClock()
+
+	dataDir := c.MkDir()
+	mgrExp := s.nodeManager.EXPECT()
+	mgrExp.EnsureDataDir().Return(dataDir, nil).MinTimes(1)
+
+	// If this is an existing node, we do not
+	// invoke the address or cluster options.
+	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(true)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(1)
+	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
+	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
+
+	s.client.EXPECT().Cluster(gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
+
+	s.expectNodeStartupAndShutdown()
+
+	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testing.LongWait)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	dbw := s.startWorker(c, ctx)
+
+	err := dbw.ensureNamespace("foo")
 	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
-	workertest.CleanKill(c, w)
+	workertest.CleanKill(c, dbw)
 }
 
 func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModelWithCache(c *gc.C) {
@@ -137,6 +177,7 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestEnsureNamespaceForModelWithCache(c *gc.C) {
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
@@ -198,6 +239,7 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForController(c *gc.C) {
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
@@ -208,34 +250,15 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForController(c *gc.C) {
 
 	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
 
-	trackedWorkerDB := newWorkerTrackedDB(s.TxnRunner())
-
-	w := s.newWorkerWithDB(c, trackedWorkerDB)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
-
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testing.LongWait)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	err := s.TxnRunner().StdTxn(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		stmt := "INSERT INTO model_list (uuid) VALUES (?);"
-		result, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, stmt, "foo")
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
-
-		num, err := result.RowsAffected()
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
-		c.Assert(num, gc.Equals, int64(1))
+	dbw := s.startWorker(c, ctx)
 
-		return nil
-	})
-	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
-
-	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
-	ensureStartup(c, dbw)
-
-	err = dbw.closeDatabase(database.ControllerNS)
+	err := dbw.closeDatabase(database.ControllerNS)
 	c.Assert(err, gc.ErrorMatches, "cannot close controller database")
 
-	workertest.CleanKill(c, w)
+	workertest.CleanKill(c, dbw)
 }
 
 func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForModel(c *gc.C) {
@@ -250,6 +273,7 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForModel(c *gc.C) {
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
@@ -260,37 +284,55 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForModel(c *gc.C) {
 
 	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
 
-	trackedWorkerDB := newWorkerTrackedDB(s.TxnRunner())
-
-	w := s.newWorkerWithDB(c, trackedWorkerDB)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
-
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testing.LongWait)
 	defer cancel()
 
-	err := s.TxnRunner().StdTxn(ctx, func(ctx context.Context, tx *sql.Tx) error {
-		stmt := "INSERT INTO model_list (uuid) VALUES (?);"
-		result, err := tx.ExecContext(ctx, stmt, "foo")
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
+	dbw := s.startWorker(c, ctx)
 
-		num, err := result.RowsAffected()
-		c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
-		c.Assert(num, gc.Equals, int64(1))
+	_, err := dbw.GetDB("foo")
+	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
-		return nil
-	})
+	err = dbw.closeDatabase("foo")
 	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
-	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
-	ensureStartup(c, dbw)
+	workertest.CleanKill(c, dbw)
+}
 
-	_, err = dbw.GetDB("foo")
+func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForModelLoopbackPreferred(c *gc.C) {
+	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
+
+	s.expectClock()
+
+	dataDir := c.MkDir()
+	mgrExp := s.nodeManager.EXPECT()
+	mgrExp.EnsureDataDir().Return(dataDir, nil).MinTimes(1)
+
+	// If this is an existing node, we do not
+	// invoke the address or cluster options.
+	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(true)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(1)
+	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
+	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
+
+	s.client.EXPECT().Cluster(gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
+
+	s.expectNodeStartupAndShutdown()
+
+	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testing.LongWait)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	dbw := s.startWorker(c, ctx)
+
+	_, err := dbw.GetDB("foo")
 	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
 	err = dbw.closeDatabase("foo")
 	c.Assert(err, jc.ErrorIsNil)
 
-	workertest.CleanKill(c, w)
+	workertest.CleanKill(c, dbw)
 }
 
 func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForUnknownModel(c *gc.C) {
@@ -305,6 +347,7 @@ func (s *namespaceSuite) TestCloseDatabaseForUnknownModel(c *gc.C) {
 	// If this is an existing node, we do not
 	// invoke the address or cluster options.
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
diff --git a/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_test.go b/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_test.go
index dd728787b8fc..56213ed4d4dc 100644
--- a/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_test.go
+++ b/internal/worker/dbaccessor/worker_test.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestKilledGetDBErrDying(c *gc.C) {
 	mgrExp.EnsureDataDir().Return(c.MkDir(), nil)
 	mgrExp.IsExistingNode().Return(true, nil).Times(1)
 	mgrExp.IsLoopbackBound(gomock.Any()).Return(true, nil).Times(2)
+	mgrExp.IsLoopbackPreferred().Return(false)
 	mgrExp.WithLogFuncOption().Return(nil)
 	mgrExp.WithTracingOption().Return(nil)
 
@@ -295,7 +296,9 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupExistingNode(c *gc.C) {
 func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupExistingNodeWithLoopbackPreferred(c *gc.C) {
 	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
 
+	dbDone := make(chan struct{})
 	s.expectClock()
+	s.expectTrackedDBUpdateNodeAndKill(dbDone)
 
 	mgrExp := s.nodeManager.EXPECT()
 	mgrExp.EnsureDataDir().Return(c.MkDir(), nil)
@@ -320,7 +323,10 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupExistingNodeWithLoopbackPreferred(c *gc.C
 	s.hub.EXPECT().Subscribe(apiserver.DetailsTopic, gomock.Any()).Return(func() {}, nil)
 
 	w := s.newWorker(c)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	defer func() {
+		close(dbDone)
+		workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	}()
 
 	ensureStartup(c, w.(*dbWorker))
 
@@ -474,7 +480,9 @@ func (s *workerSuite) newWorker(c *gc.C) worker.Worker {
 func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupAsBootstrapNodeThenReconfigureWithLoopbackPreferred(c *gc.C) {
 	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
 
+	dbDone := make(chan struct{})
 	s.expectClock()
+	s.expectTrackedDBUpdateNodeAndKill(dbDone)
 
 	dataDir := c.MkDir()
 	mgrExp := s.nodeManager.EXPECT()
@@ -496,7 +504,10 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupAsBootstrapNodeThenReconfigureWithLoopbac
 	s.client.EXPECT().Cluster(gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 
 	w := s.newWorker(c)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	defer func() {
+		close(dbDone)
+		workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	}()
 	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
 
 	ensureStartup(c, dbw)
@@ -520,7 +531,9 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupAsBootstrapNodeThenReconfigureWithLoopbac
 func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupAsBootstrapNodeThenReconfigureWithLoopbackPreferredAndNotLoopbackBound(c *gc.C) {
 	defer s.setupMocks(c).Finish()
 
+	dbDone := make(chan struct{})
 	s.expectClock()
+	s.expectTrackedDBUpdateNodeAndKill(dbDone)
 
 	dataDir := c.MkDir()
 	mgrExp := s.nodeManager.EXPECT()
@@ -545,7 +558,10 @@ func (s *workerSuite) TestWorkerStartupAsBootstrapNodeThenReconfigureWithLoopbac
 	s.client.EXPECT().Cluster(gomock.Any()).Return(nil, nil)
 
 	w := s.newWorker(c)
-	defer workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	defer func() {
+		close(dbDone)
+		workertest.DirtyKill(c, w)
+	}()
 	dbw := w.(*dbWorker)
 
 	ensureStartup(c, dbw)