diff --git a/pulpcore/content/__init__.py b/pulpcore/content/__init__.py
index 26d5200de4..f0c7720c5d 100644
--- a/pulpcore/content/__init__.py
+++ b/pulpcore/content/__init__.py
@@ -58,18 +58,18 @@ async def _heartbeat():
     msg = "Content App '{name}' heartbeat written, sleeping for '{interarrival}' seconds".format(
         name=name, interarrival=heartbeat_interval
     )
-    fail_msg = ("Content App '{name}' failed to write a heartbeat to the database.").format(
-        name=name
-    )
+    fail_msg = f"Content App '{name}' failed to register or write a heartbeat to the database."
     versions = {app.label: app.version for app in pulp_plugin_configs()}
-
     try:
         app_status = await AppStatus.objects.acreate(
             name=name, app_type="content", versions=versions
         )
     except IntegrityError:
         log.error(f"A content app with name {name} already exists in the database.")
-        exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+        os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+    except (InterfaceError, DatabaseError) as e:
+        log.error(f"Content App '{name}' failed to register with the database. Exception: {str(e)}")
+        os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
     try:
         while True:
             await asyncio.sleep(heartbeat_interval)
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ async def _heartbeat():
                     log.debug(msg)
                 except (InterfaceError, DatabaseError) as e:
                     log.error(f"{fail_msg} Exception: {str(e)}")
-                    exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+                    os._exit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
     finally:
         if app_status:
             await app_status.adelete()
diff --git a/pulpcore/tests/unit/content/test_heartbeat.py b/pulpcore/tests/unit/content/test_heartbeat.py
index 5fff207643..04fa6f1bf4 100644
--- a/pulpcore/tests/unit/content/test_heartbeat.py
+++ b/pulpcore/tests/unit/content/test_heartbeat.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, Mock, call
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, Mock
 
 import pytest
-from django.db.utils import InterfaceError, OperationalError
+from django.db.utils import IntegrityError, InterfaceError, OperationalError
+from gunicorn.arbiter import Arbiter
 
 from pulpcore.app.models.status import AppStatus, AppStatusManager
 from pulpcore.content import _heartbeat
@@ -14,12 +15,7 @@ class MockException(Exception):
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("error_class", [InterfaceError, OperationalError])
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_db_connection_interface_error(monkeypatch, settings, error_class):
-    """
-    Test that if an InterfaceError or OperationalError is raised,
-    Handler._reset_db_connection() is called
-    """
-
+async def test_exits_on_heartbeat_database_failure(monkeypatch, settings, error_class):
     mock_app_status = AsyncMock()
     mock_app_status.asave_heartbeat.side_effect = [error_class(), error_class()]
     mock_acreate = AsyncMock()
@@ -28,10 +24,32 @@ async def test_db_connection_interface_error(monkeypatch, settings, error_class)
     monkeypatch.setattr(AppStatus, "objects", AppStatusManager())
     mock_reset_db = Mock()
     monkeypatch.setattr(Handler, "_reset_db_connection", mock_reset_db)
+    mock_exit = Mock(side_effect=SystemExit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR))
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pulpcore.content.os._exit", mock_exit)
     settings.CONTENT_APP_TTL = 1
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pulpcore.content.asyncio.sleep", AsyncMock(return_value=None))
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        await _heartbeat()
+
+    assert exc.value.code == Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR
+    assert mock_app_status.asave_heartbeat.await_count == 2
+    mock_reset_db.assert_called_once_with()
+    mock_exit.assert_called_once_with(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("error_class", [IntegrityError, OperationalError])
+async def test_exits_on_initial_registration_database_failure(monkeypatch, settings, error_class):
+    mock_acreate = AsyncMock(side_effect=error_class())
+    monkeypatch.setattr(AppStatusManager, "acreate", mock_acreate)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(AppStatus, "objects", AppStatusManager())
+    mock_exit = Mock(side_effect=SystemExit(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR))
+    monkeypatch.setattr("pulpcore.content.os._exit", mock_exit)
 
-    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
         await _heartbeat()
 
-    mock_app_status.asave_heartbeat.assert_called()
-    mock_reset_db.assert_has_calls([call()])
+    assert exc.value.code == Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR
+    mock_exit.assert_called_once_with(Arbiter.WORKER_BOOT_ERROR)
+    assert mock_acreate.await_count == 1