diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/BUILD.bazel b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/BUILD.bazel
index 6828e8248799..1d9422c59776 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/BUILD.bazel
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ go_library(
         "disk_stall.go",
         "grant_revoke_all.go",
         "grant_role.go",
+        "hold_connection.go",
         "inspect.go",
         "license_throttle.go",
         "manual_compaction.go",
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/hold_connection.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/hold_connection.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8111619abf79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/hold_connection.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// Copyright 2025 The Cockroach Authors.
+//
+// Use of this software is governed by the CockroachDB Software License
+// included in the /LICENSE file.
+
+package operations
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"math/rand/v2"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cmd/roachtest/cluster"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operation"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cmd/roachtest/option"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cmd/roachtest/registry"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/cmd/roachtest/roachtestflags"
+	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach/pkg/util/timeutil"
+)
+
+// This operation opens a SQL session and keeps it open for a long duration,
+// periodically running a query from keepaliveQueries to prevent idle-timeout
+// disconnection.
+const (
+	holdConnectionDuration  = 720 * time.Hour
+	holdConnectionKeepAlive = 5 * time.Minute
+	holdConnectionHeartbeat = 1 * time.Hour
+)
+
+var keepAliveQueries = []string{
+	"SELECT 1",
+	"SELECT 1, 2",
+	"SELECT now()",
+	"SELECT version()",
+	"SELECT current_user",
+	"SELECT count(*) FROM crdb_internal.cluster_sessions",
+	"SELECT count(*) FROM crdb_internal.node_statement_statistics",
+}
+
+func runHoldConnection(
+	ctx context.Context, o operation.Operation, c cluster.Cluster,
+) registry.OperationCleanup {
+	pool := c.Conn(ctx, o.L(), 1, option.VirtualClusterName(roachtestflags.VirtualCluster))
+	defer func() { _ = pool.Close() }()
+
+	conn, err := pool.Conn(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		o.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	defer func() { _ = conn.Close() }()
+
+	o.Status(fmt.Sprintf("Holding connection open for %s", holdConnectionDuration))
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(holdConnectionKeepAlive)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+	heartbeat := time.NewTicker(holdConnectionHeartbeat)
+	defer heartbeat.Stop()
+	deadline := time.After(holdConnectionDuration)
+
+	start := timeutil.Now()
+	queriesRun := 0
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return nil
+		case <-deadline:
+			o.Status("Hold duration elapsed, releasing connection")
+			return nil
+		case <-heartbeat.C:
+			remaining := holdConnectionDuration - timeutil.Since(start)
+			o.Status(fmt.Sprintf("session alive: %d queries run, %s remaining",
+				queriesRun, remaining.Round(time.Minute)))
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			q := keepAliveQueries[rand.IntN(len(keepAliveQueries))]
+			if _, err := conn.ExecContext(ctx, q); err != nil {
+				o.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			queriesRun++
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func registerHoldConnection(r registry.Registry) {
+	r.AddOperation(registry.OperationSpec{
+		Name:               "hold-connection",
+		Owner:              registry.OwnerTestEng,
+		Timeout:            holdConnectionDuration + 5*time.Minute,
+		CompatibleClouds:   registry.AllClouds,
+		CanRunConcurrently: registry.OperationCanRunConcurrently,
+		Dependencies:       []registry.OperationDependency{registry.OperationRequiresNodes},
+		Run:                runHoldConnection,
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/register.go b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/register.go
index b3b3f1082765..fc91a5bf9b81 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/register.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/roachtest/operations/register.go
@@ -38,4 +38,5 @@ func RegisterOperations(r registry.Registry) {
 	registerInspect(r)
 	registerTPCCCheck(r)
 	registerBankCheck(r)
+	registerHoldConnection(r)
 }