diff --git a/backend/app/db/connection.py b/backend/app/db/connection.py
index bff63ae1..a0bbe238 100644
--- a/backend/app/db/connection.py
+++ b/backend/app/db/connection.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ db_string = connection_string.format(
 # each lambda doesn't hog all connections
 db_engine = create_engine(
     db_string,
-    pool_size=1,
-    max_overflow=0,  # Limit the number of extra connections. With this and pool size, we allow 1 connection per lambda
+    pool_size=3,
+    max_overflow=5,  # Limit the number of extra connections. With this and pool size, we allow 1 connection per lambda
     pool_pre_ping=True,
     pool_recycle=300,  # Forces SQLAlchemy to close and reopen any connection older than 300 seconds
 )
diff --git a/backend/app/plan/router.py b/backend/app/plan/router.py
index e6e6052f..5de6b74e 100644
--- a/backend/app/plan/router.py
+++ b/backend/app/plan/router.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import boto3
 import json
 import math
 import asyncio
-import random
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from sqlmodel import Session
 
 from datetime import datetime
 
@@ -29,6 +30,19 @@ router = APIRouter(
 sqs_client = boto3.client("sqs")
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def db_session():
+    session = Session(db_engine)
+    try:
+        yield session
+        session.commit()
+    except Exception:
+        session.rollback()
+        raise
+    finally:
+        session.close()
+
+
 @router.post("/trigger", status_code=202)
 async def trigger_plan_entrypoint(body: PlanTriggerRequest):
     """
@@ -57,28 +71,27 @@ async def trigger_plan_entrypoint(body: PlanTriggerRequest):
             scenario_id = data.get("scenario_id")
             if not scenario_id:
                 created_at = datetime.now().isoformat()
-                session = sessionmaker(bind=db_engine)()
-
-                # Create a new scenario
-                new_scenario = create_scenario(
-                    session=session,
-                    scenario={
-                        "name": body.scenario_name,
-                        "created_at": created_at,
-                        "budget": body.budget,
-                        "portfolio_id": body.portfolio_id,
-                        "housing_type": body.housing_type,
-                        "goal": body.goal,
-                        "goal_value": body.goal_value,
-                        "trigger_file_path": body.trigger_file_path,
-                        "already_installed_file_path": body.already_installed_file_path,
-                        "patches_file_path": body.patches_file_path,
-                        "non_invasive_recommendations_file_path": body.non_invasive_recommendations_file_path,
-                        "exclusions": body.exclusions,
-                        "multi_plan": body.multi_plan
-                    }
-                )
-                scenario_id = new_scenario.id
+                with db_session() as session:
+                    # Create a new scenario
+                    new_scenario = create_scenario(
+                        session=session,
+                        scenario={
+                            "name": body.scenario_name,
+                            "created_at": created_at,
+                            "budget": body.budget,
+                            "portfolio_id": body.portfolio_id,
+                            "housing_type": body.housing_type,
+                            "goal": body.goal,
+                            "goal_value": body.goal_value,
+                            "trigger_file_path": body.trigger_file_path,
+                            "already_installed_file_path": body.already_installed_file_path,
+                            "patches_file_path": body.patches_file_path,
+                            "non_invasive_recommendations_file_path": body.non_invasive_recommendations_file_path,
+                            "exclusions": body.exclusions,
+                            "multi_plan": body.multi_plan
+                        }
+                    )
+                    scenario_id = new_scenario.id
                 # Insert the scenario ID into the data payload
                 data["scenario_id"] = scenario_id