diff --git a/backend/src/main.rs b/backend/src/main.rs
index 03fec3edaa..94b2557742 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/src/main.rs
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ fn print_help() {
 	println!("  SERVER_BIND_ADDR = {}                  IP to bind the server to", DEFAULT_SERVER_BIND_ADDR);
 	println!("  NUM_WORKERS = {}                       Number of workers (standalone/worker modes)", DEFAULT_NUM_WORKERS);
 	println!("  WORKER_GROUP = default                 Worker group this worker belongs to",);
+	println!("  QUIT_AFTER_FIRST_PING = false          Exit worker after first successful ping (useful for testing)");
 	println!("  JSON_FMT = false                       Output logs in JSON instead of logfmt");
 	println!("  METRICS_ADDR = None                    (EE only) Prometheus metrics addr at /metrics; set \"true\" to use :8001");
 	println!("  SUPERADMIN_SECRET = None               Virtual superadmin token (server)");
diff --git a/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker.rs b/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker.rs
index 4cdb0ebf6d..5a2219d860 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-worker/src/worker.rs
@@ -316,6 +316,11 @@ lazy_static::lazy_static! {
         .and_then(|x| x.parse::<bool>().ok())
         .unwrap_or(false);
 
+    pub static ref QUIT_AFTER_FIRST_PING: bool = std::env::var("QUIT_AFTER_FIRST_PING")
+        .ok()
+        .and_then(|x| x.parse::<bool>().ok())
+        .unwrap_or(false);
+
     pub static ref UNSHARE_TINI_PATH: String = {
         std::env::var("UNSHARE_TINI_PATH").unwrap_or_else(|_| "tini".to_string())
     };
@@ -1265,6 +1270,14 @@ pub async fn run_worker(
         .await
         .expect("initial ping could be sent");
 
+    if *QUIT_AFTER_FIRST_PING {
+        tracing::info!(
+            worker = %worker_name, hostname = %hostname,
+            "QUIT_AFTER_FIRST_PING is set, exiting after successful initial ping"
+        );
+        return;
+    }
+
     #[cfg(feature = "prometheus")]
     let uptime_metric = if METRICS_ENABLED.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
         Some(