diff --git a/ansible_base/lib/utils/settings.py b/ansible_base/lib/utils/settings.py
index b79d8a93e..68a79848a 100644
--- a/ansible_base/lib/utils/settings.py
+++ b/ansible_base/lib/utils/settings.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import importlib
 import logging
+import os
 from typing import Any
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -80,3 +81,13 @@ def is_aoc_instance():
     except ValueError:
         logger.error(f'{managed_cloud_setting} was set but could not be converted to a boolean, assuming false')
         return False
+
+
+def is_testing() -> bool:
+    # Present during setup/call/teardown of tests
+    if os.environ.get("PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST"):
+        return True
+    # Present for xdist workers for the whole session
+    if os.environ.get("PYTEST_XDIST_WORKER"):
+        return True
+    return False
diff --git a/ansible_base/resource_registry/models/service_identifier.py b/ansible_base/resource_registry/models/service_identifier.py
index 061314dde..b01fb747e 100644
--- a/ansible_base/resource_registry/models/service_identifier.py
+++ b/ansible_base/resource_registry/models/service_identifier.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import sys
 import uuid
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db import IntegrityError, models, transaction
 
+from ansible_base.lib.utils.settings import is_testing
+
 
 class ServiceID(models.Model):
     """
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ def service_id():
     if not _service_id:
         obj = ServiceID.objects.first()
         if obj is None:
-            if settings.DEBUG or "pytest" in sys.argv:
+            if settings.DEBUG or is_testing():
                 try:
                     with transaction.atomic():
                         obj = ServiceID.objects.create()
diff --git a/test_app/tests/lib/utils/test_settings.py b/test_app/tests/lib/utils/test_settings.py
index fd7d2826b..492f59e17 100644
--- a/test_app/tests/lib/utils/test_settings.py
+++ b/test_app/tests/lib/utils/test_settings.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from django.test import override_settings
 
 from ansible_base.lib.dynamic_config.settings_logic import get_dab_settings
-from ansible_base.lib.utils.settings import SettingNotSetException, get_setting, is_aoc_instance
+from ansible_base.lib.utils.settings import SettingNotSetException, get_setting, is_aoc_instance, is_testing
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
@@ -85,3 +85,8 @@ def test_fallback_cache():
         get_dab_settings([], caches=fallback_cache)
 
     assert 'CACHES' not in get_dab_settings([], caches=None)
+
+
+def test_is_testing():
+    # Generated by Claude Code (claude-sonnet-4-5@20250929)
+    assert is_testing() is True