diff --git a/api/api/utils/image_proxy/__init__.py b/api/api/utils/image_proxy/__init__.py
index 14fada4ee4b..d2b32075cb1 100644
--- a/api/api/utils/image_proxy/__init__.py
+++ b/api/api/utils/image_proxy/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.db import close_old_connections
 from django.http import HttpResponse
 from rest_framework.exceptions import UnsupportedMediaType
 
@@ -298,5 +297,3 @@ async def get(
             )
 
         raise UpstreamThumbnailException(f"Failed to render thumbnail. {exc}")
-    finally:
-        close_old_connections()