diff --git a/db-service/lib/common/generic-pool.js b/db-service/lib/common/generic-pool.js
index 66b9cef1f..e25376da0 100644
--- a/db-service/lib/common/generic-pool.js
+++ b/db-service/lib/common/generic-pool.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const cds = require('@sap/cds')
 const LOG = cds.log('db')
 
-const use_new_pool = cds.requires.db?.pool?.builtin || cds.env.features.pool === 'builtin'
+const use_new_pool = cds.requires.db?.pool?.builtin === false || cds.env.features.pool === 'generic-pool' ? false : true
 const createPool = use_new_pool ? (...args) => new Pool(...args) : require('generic-pool').createPool
 
 function ConnectionPool (factory, tenant) {
diff --git a/db-service/package.json b/db-service/package.json
index 916f935c9..41c3cd347 100644
--- a/db-service/package.json
+++ b/db-service/package.json
@@ -23,11 +23,14 @@
   "scripts": {
     "test": "cds-test"
   },
-  "dependencies": {
+  "peerDependencies": {
+    "@sap/cds": ">=9.8",
     "generic-pool": "^3.9.0"
   },
-  "peerDependencies": {
-    "@sap/cds": ">=9.8"
+  "peerDependenciesMeta": {
+    "generic-pool": {
+      "optional": true
+    }
   },
   "license": "Apache-2.0"
 }