diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/DatabasesController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/DatabasesController.php
index aa646abe32..06870f160b 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Api/DatabasesController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Api/DatabasesController.php
@@ -1960,7 +1960,7 @@ class DatabasesController extends Controller
             return response()->json(['message' => 'You need to provide at least one of environment_name or environment_uuid.'], 422);
         }
         $serverUuid = $request->server_uuid;
-        $instantDeploy = $request->instant_deploy ?? false;
+        $instantDeploy = $request->boolean('instant_deploy');
         if ($request->is_public && ! $request->public_port) {
             $request->offsetSet('is_public', false);
         }
@@ -2033,7 +2033,7 @@ class DatabasesController extends Controller
             'tags' => 'array|nullable',
             'tags.*' => 'string|min:2',
         ]);
-        if ($validator->failed()) {
+        if ($validator->fails()) {
             return response()->json([
                 'message' => 'Validation failed.',
                 'errors' => $validator->errors(),
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseCreateInstantDeployApiTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseCreateInstantDeployApiTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d7846eb61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseCreateInstantDeployApiTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Actions\Database\StartDatabase;
+use App\Models\Environment;
+use App\Models\InstanceSettings;
+use App\Models\Project;
+use App\Models\Server;
+use App\Models\StandalonePostgresql;
+use App\Models\Team;
+use App\Models\User;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Queue;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+
+uses(RefreshDatabase::class);
+
+beforeEach(function () {
+    config(['app.maintenance.driver' => 'file']);
+    InstanceSettings::unguarded(fn () => InstanceSettings::firstOrCreate(['id' => 0], ['is_api_enabled' => true]));
+
+    $this->team = Team::factory()->create();
+    $this->user = User::factory()->create();
+    $this->team->members()->attach($this->user->id, ['role' => 'owner']);
+    session(['currentTeam' => $this->team]);
+
+    $this->server = Server::factory()->create(['team_id' => $this->team->id]);
+    $this->project = Project::factory()->create(['team_id' => $this->team->id]);
+    $this->environment = Environment::factory()->create(['project_id' => $this->project->id]);
+
+    Queue::fake();
+});
+
+function databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders(User $user, int $teamId, array $abilities): array
+{
+    $plainTextToken = Str::random(40);
+    $token = $user->tokens()->create([
+        'name' => 'database-create-instant-deploy-test',
+        'token' => hash('sha256', $plainTextToken),
+        'abilities' => $abilities,
+        'team_id' => $teamId,
+    ]);
+
+    return ['Authorization' => 'Bearer '.$token->getKey().'|'.$plainTextToken];
+}
+
+function databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload(object $test, array $overrides = []): array
+{
+    return array_merge([
+        'project_uuid' => $test->project->uuid,
+        'environment_uuid' => $test->environment->uuid,
+        'server_uuid' => $test->server->uuid,
+    ], $overrides);
+}
+
+test('write-only token with a "false" string instant_deploy does not start the database', function () {
+    $this->withHeaders(databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders($this->user, $this->team->id, ['write']))
+        ->postJson('/api/v1/databases/postgresql', databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload($this, ['instant_deploy' => 'false']))
+        ->assertUnprocessable()
+        ->assertJsonValidationErrors('instant_deploy');
+
+    expect(StandalonePostgresql::count())->toBe(0);
+    StartDatabase::assertNotPushed();
+});
+
+test('write-only token with instant_deploy false creates the database without starting it', function () {
+    $this->withHeaders(databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders($this->user, $this->team->id, ['write']))
+        ->postJson('/api/v1/databases/postgresql', databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload($this, ['instant_deploy' => false]))
+        ->assertCreated();
+
+    expect(StandalonePostgresql::count())->toBe(1);
+    StartDatabase::assertNotPushed();
+});
+
+test('write-only token with instant_deploy true is forbidden', function () {
+    $this->withHeaders(databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders($this->user, $this->team->id, ['write']))
+        ->postJson('/api/v1/databases/postgresql', databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload($this, ['instant_deploy' => true]))
+        ->assertForbidden();
+
+    expect(StandalonePostgresql::count())->toBe(0);
+    StartDatabase::assertNotPushed();
+});
+
+test('invalid types for shared create fields return 422', function (string $field, array $input) {
+    $this->withHeaders(databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders($this->user, $this->team->id, ['write', 'deploy']))
+        ->postJson('/api/v1/databases/postgresql', databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload($this, $input))
+        ->assertUnprocessable()
+        ->assertJsonValidationErrors($field);
+
+    expect(StandalonePostgresql::count())->toBe(0);
+    StartDatabase::assertNotPushed();
+})->with([
+    'instant_deploy' => ['instant_deploy', ['instant_deploy' => 'abc']],
+    'is_public' => ['is_public', ['is_public' => 'abc', 'public_port' => 15432]],
+    'limits_cpu_shares' => ['limits_cpu_shares', ['limits_cpu_shares' => 'abc']],
+]);
+
+test('write and deploy token with instant_deploy true starts the database', function (mixed $instantDeploy) {
+    $this->withHeaders(databaseCreateInstantDeployHeaders($this->user, $this->team->id, ['write', 'deploy']))
+        ->postJson('/api/v1/databases/postgresql', databaseCreateInstantDeployPayload($this, ['instant_deploy' => $instantDeploy]))
+        ->assertCreated();
+
+    expect(StandalonePostgresql::count())->toBe(1);
+    StartDatabase::assertPushed(1);
+})->with([
+    'boolean true' => [true],
+    'string "1"' => ['1'],
+]);