diff --git a/builtin/logical/database/backend.go b/builtin/logical/database/backend.go
index 970583ef850a..5e6bfada625e 100644
--- a/builtin/logical/database/backend.go
+++ b/builtin/logical/database/backend.go
@@ -291,6 +291,18 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) GetConnection(ctx context.Context, s logical.Storage,
 	return b.GetConnectionWithConfig(ctx, name, config)
 }
 
+func (b *databaseBackend) GetConnectionSkipVerify(ctx context.Context, s logical.Storage, name string) (*dbPluginInstance, error) {
+	config, err := b.DatabaseConfig(ctx, s, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Force the skip verifying the connection
+	config.VerifyConnection = false
+
+	return b.GetConnectionWithConfig(ctx, name, config)
+}
+
 func (b *databaseBackend) GetConnectionWithConfig(ctx context.Context, name string, config *DatabaseConfig) (*dbPluginInstance, error) {
 	// fast path, reuse the existing connection
 	dbi := b.connections.Get(name)
@@ -331,7 +343,7 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) GetConnectionWithConfig(ctx context.Context, name stri
 
 	initReq := v5.InitializeRequest{
 		Config:           config.ConnectionDetails,
-		VerifyConnection: true,
+		VerifyConnection: config.VerifyConnection,
 	}
 	_, err = dbw.Initialize(ctx, initReq)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/builtin/logical/database/backend_test.go b/builtin/logical/database/backend_test.go
index f5ba7246fcbe..1573d2146ac9 100644
--- a/builtin/logical/database/backend_test.go
+++ b/builtin/logical/database/backend_test.go
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ func TestBackend_config_connection(t *testing.T) {
 			"root_credentials_rotate_statements": []string{},
 			"password_policy":                    "",
 			"plugin_version":                     "",
+			"verify_connection":                  false,
 		}
 		configReq.Operation = logical.ReadOperation
 		resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), configReq)
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ func TestBackend_config_connection(t *testing.T) {
 			"root_credentials_rotate_statements": []string{},
 			"password_policy":                    "",
 			"plugin_version":                     "",
+			"verify_connection":                  false,
 		}
 		configReq.Operation = logical.ReadOperation
 		resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), configReq)
@@ -307,6 +309,7 @@ func TestBackend_config_connection(t *testing.T) {
 			"root_credentials_rotate_statements": []string{},
 			"password_policy":                    "",
 			"plugin_version":                     "",
+			"verify_connection":                  false,
 		}
 		configReq.Operation = logical.ReadOperation
 		resp, err = b.HandleRequest(namespace.RootContext(nil), configReq)
@@ -764,6 +767,7 @@ func TestBackend_connectionCrud(t *testing.T) {
 		"root_credentials_rotate_statements": []any{},
 		"password_policy":                    "",
 		"plugin_version":                     "",
+		"verify_connection":                  false,
 	}
 	resp, err = client.Read("database/config/plugin-test")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/builtin/logical/database/path_config_connection.go b/builtin/logical/database/path_config_connection.go
index 2f8f40a1bf04..0f373f371d74 100644
--- a/builtin/logical/database/path_config_connection.go
+++ b/builtin/logical/database/path_config_connection.go
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ type DatabaseConfig struct {
 
 	RootCredentialsRotateStatements []string `json:"root_credentials_rotate_statements" structs:"root_credentials_rotate_statements" mapstructure:"root_credentials_rotate_statements"`
 
-	PasswordPolicy string `json:"password_policy" structs:"password_policy" mapstructure:"password_policy"`
+	PasswordPolicy   string `json:"password_policy" structs:"password_policy" mapstructure:"password_policy"`
+	VerifyConnection bool   `json:"verify_connection" structs:"verify_connection" mapstructure:"verify_connection"`
 }
 
 func (c *DatabaseConfig) SupportsCredentialType(credentialType v5.CredentialType) bool {
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) connectionReadHandler() framework.OperationFunc {
 		delete(config.ConnectionDetails, "service_account_json")
 
 		resp := &logical.Response{}
-		if dbi, err := b.GetConnection(ctx, req.Storage, name); err == nil {
+		if dbi, err := b.GetConnectionSkipVerify(ctx, req.Storage, name); err == nil {
 			config.RunningPluginVersion = dbi.runningPluginVersion
 			if config.PluginVersion != "" && config.PluginVersion != config.RunningPluginVersion {
 				warning := fmt.Sprintf("Plugin version is configured as %q, but running %q", config.PluginVersion, config.RunningPluginVersion)
@@ -422,15 +423,15 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) connectionDeleteHandler() framework.OperationFunc {
 // both builtin and plugin database types.
 func (b *databaseBackend) connectionWriteHandler() framework.OperationFunc {
 	return func(ctx context.Context, req *logical.Request, data *framework.FieldData) (*logical.Response, error) {
-		verifyConnection := data.Get("verify_connection").(bool)
-
 		name := data.Get("name").(string)
 		if name == "" {
 			return logical.ErrorResponse(respErrEmptyName), nil
 		}
 
 		// Baseline
-		config := &DatabaseConfig{}
+		config := &DatabaseConfig{
+			VerifyConnection: true,
+		}
 
 		entry, err := req.Storage.Get(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("config/%s", name))
 		if err != nil {
@@ -442,6 +443,13 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) connectionWriteHandler() framework.OperationFunc {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// If this value was provided as part of the request we want to set it to this value
+		if verifyConnectionRaw, ok := data.GetOk("verify_connection"); ok {
+			config.VerifyConnection = verifyConnectionRaw.(bool)
+		} else if req.Operation == logical.CreateOperation {
+			config.VerifyConnection = data.Get("verify_connection").(bool)
+		}
+
 		if pluginNameRaw, ok := data.GetOk("plugin_name"); ok {
 			config.PluginName = pluginNameRaw.(string)
 		} else if req.Operation == logical.CreateOperation {
@@ -509,7 +517,7 @@ func (b *databaseBackend) connectionWriteHandler() framework.OperationFunc {
 
 		initReq := v5.InitializeRequest{
 			Config:           config.ConnectionDetails,
-			VerifyConnection: verifyConnection,
+			VerifyConnection: config.VerifyConnection,
 		}
 		initResp, err := dbw.Initialize(ctx, initReq)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/changelog/28139.txt b/changelog/28139.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f538ddf769dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/28139.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:bug
+secrets/database: Skip connection verification on reading existing DB connection configuration
+```
\ No newline at end of file