diff --git a/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/Cargo.toml b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/Cargo.toml
index 765ece2ea6..5e8dfa3f14 100644
--- a/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/Cargo.toml
+++ b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/Cargo.toml
@@ -48,5 +48,11 @@ default-features = false
 [build-dependencies]
 version_check = "0.9.1"
 
+[dev-dependencies.rocket]
+version = "0.6.0-dev"
+path = "../../../core/lib"
+default-features = false
+features = ["trace"]
+
 [package.metadata.docs.rs]
 all-features = true
diff --git a/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/src/connection.rs b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/src/connection.rs
index bd5c2b4b7c..34f43e176c 100644
--- a/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/src/connection.rs
+++ b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/src/connection.rs
@@ -182,31 +182,42 @@ impl<K, C: Poolable> Drop for Connection<K, C> {
         let connection = self.connection.clone();
         let permit = self.permit.take();
 
-        // See same motivation above for this arrangement of spawn_blocking/block_on
-        tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
-            let mut connection = tokio::runtime::Handle::current().block_on(async {
-                connection.lock_owned().await
-            });
+        // Only use spawn_blocking if the Tokio runtime is still available
+        if let Ok(handle) = tokio::runtime::Handle::try_current() {
+            // See above for motivation of this arrangement of spawn_blocking/block_on
+            handle.spawn_blocking(move || {
+                let mut connection = tokio::runtime::Handle::current()
+                    .block_on(async { connection.lock_owned().await });
 
-            if let Some(conn) = connection.take() {
+                if let Some(conn) = connection.take() {
+                    drop(conn);
+                }
+            });
+        } else {
+            warn!(type_name = std::any::type_name::<K>(),
+                "database connection is being dropped outside of an async context\n\
+                this means you have stored a connection beyond a request's lifetime\n\
+                this is not recommended: connections are not valid indefinitely\n\
+                instead, store a connection pool and get connections as needed");
+
+            if let Some(conn) = connection.blocking_lock().take() {
                 drop(conn);
             }
+        }
 
-            // Explicitly dropping the permit here so that it's only
-            // released after the connection is.
-            drop(permit);
-        });
+        // Explicitly drop permit here to release only after dropping connection.
+        drop(permit);
     }
 }
 
 impl<K, C: Poolable> Drop for ConnectionPool<K, C> {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
+        // Use spawn_blocking if the Tokio runtime is still available. Otherwise
+        // the pool will be dropped on the current thread.
         let pool = self.pool.take();
-        // Only use spawn_blocking if the Tokio runtime is still available
         if let Ok(handle) = tokio::runtime::Handle::try_current() {
             handle.spawn_blocking(move || drop(pool));
         }
-        // Otherwise the pool will be dropped on the current thread
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/tests/drop-with-connection.rs b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/tests/drop-with-connection.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30dc274222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/sync_db_pools/lib/tests/drop-with-connection.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#![cfg(feature = "diesel_sqlite_pool")]
+
+use rocket::figment::Figment;
+use rocket_sync_db_pools::database;
+
+#[database("example")]
+struct ExampleDb(diesel::SqliteConnection);
+
+#[test]
+fn can_drop_connection_in_sync_context() {
+    let conn = rocket::execute(async {
+        let figment = Figment::from(rocket::Config::debug_default())
+            .merge(("databases.example.url", ":memory:"));
+
+        let rocket = rocket::custom(figment)
+            .attach(ExampleDb::fairing())
+            .ignite().await
+            .expect("rocket");
+
+        ExampleDb::get_one(&rocket).await
+            .expect("attach => connection")
+    });
+
+    drop(conn);
+}