diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-phpunit-test.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-phpunit-test.yml
index cc49c4be5892..80e3ed3ec926 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-phpunit-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-phpunit-test.yml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ env:
 jobs:
   tests:
     name: ${{ inputs.job-name }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
 
     # Service containers cannot be extracted to caller workflows yet
     services:
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ jobs:
           --health-retries=3
 
       mssql:
-        image: mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-latest
+        image: mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2025-CU2-ubuntu-24.04
         env:
           MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD: 1Secure*Password1
           ACCEPT_EULA: Y
@@ -140,15 +140,32 @@ jobs:
           - 11211:11211
 
     steps:
+      - name: Install mssql-tools on runner
+        if: ${{ inputs.db-platform == 'SQLSRV' }}
+        run: |
+          # Detect Ubuntu version used by the runner (fallback to 24.04)
+          DISTRO=$(lsb_release -rs 2>/dev/null || echo '24.04')
+          curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo apt-key add -
+          curl -sSL https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/${DISTRO}/prod.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mssql-release.list
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo ACCEPT_EULA=Y apt-get install -y msodbcsql18 mssql-tools18 unixodbc-dev
+
+          # Make sqlcmd available to subsequent steps
+          echo "/opt/mssql-tools18/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+
       - name: Create database for MSSQL Server
         if: ${{ inputs.db-platform == 'SQLSRV' }}
-        run: sqlcmd -S 127.0.0.1 -U sa -P 1Secure*Password1 -Q "CREATE DATABASE test COLLATE Latin1_General_100_CS_AS_SC_UTF8"
+        run: |
+          sqlcmd -S 127.0.0.1 \
+            -U sa -P 1Secure*Password1 \
+            -N -C \
+            -Q "CREATE DATABASE test COLLATE Latin1_General_100_CS_AS_SC_UTF8"
 
       - name: Install latest ImageMagick
         if: ${{ contains(inputs.extra-extensions, 'imagick') }}
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update
-          sudo apt-get install --reinstall libgs9-common fonts-noto-mono libgs9:amd64 libijs-0.35:amd64 fonts-urw-base35 ghostscript poppler-data libjbig2dec0:amd64 libopenjp2-7:amd64 fonts-droid-fallback fonts-dejavu-core
+          sudo apt-get install --reinstall fonts-noto-mono libijs-0.35:amd64 fonts-urw-base35 ghostscript poppler-data libjbig2dec0:amd64 libopenjp2-7:amd64 fonts-droid-fallback fonts-dejavu-core
           sudo apt-get install -y gsfonts libmagickwand-dev imagemagick
           sudo apt-get install --fix-broken
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-phpunit.yml b/.github/workflows/test-phpunit.yml
index eba3a2dadd1f..00dee9b9e43d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-phpunit.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-phpunit.yml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
   # in the caller workflow are not propagated to the called workflow.
   coverage-php-version:
     name: Setup PHP Version for Code Coverage
-    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
     outputs:
       version: ${{ steps.coverage-php-version.outputs.version }}
     steps:
diff --git a/system/Database/SQLSRV/Forge.php b/system/Database/SQLSRV/Forge.php
index b64c25a05100..0622de5e8e81 100644
--- a/system/Database/SQLSRV/Forge.php
+++ b/system/Database/SQLSRV/Forge.php
@@ -168,6 +168,25 @@ public function createDatabase(string $dbName, bool $ifNotExists = false): bool
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * {@inheritDoc}
+     *
+     * @see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7469130/cannot-drop-database-because-it-is-currently-in-use
+     */
+    public function dropDatabase(string $dbName): bool
+    {
+        try {
+            $this->db->query(sprintf(
+                'ALTER DATABASE %s SET SINGLE_USER WITH ROLLBACK IMMEDIATE',
+                $this->db->escapeIdentifier($dbName),
+            ));
+        } catch (DatabaseException) {
+            // no-op
+        }
+
+        return parent::dropDatabase($dbName);
+    }
+
     /**
      * CREATE TABLE attributes
      */