diff --git a/go/test/endtoend/utils/mysql_test.go b/go/test/endtoend/utils/mysql_test.go
index ae550e34864..c8c09a3f979 100644
--- a/go/test/endtoend/utils/mysql_test.go
+++ b/go/test/endtoend/utils/mysql_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -129,7 +130,9 @@ func TestSetSuperReadOnlyMySQL(t *testing.T) {
 func TestGetMysqlPort(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, mysqld)
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 
 	// Expected port should be one less than the port returned by GetAndReservePort
 	// As we are calling this second time to get port
@@ -161,7 +164,9 @@ func TestReplicationStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	conn, err := mysql.Connect(ctx, &mysqlParams)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
@@ -234,7 +239,9 @@ func TestSetReplicationPosition(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSetAndResetReplication(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, mysqld)
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
@@ -387,7 +394,9 @@ func TestWaitForReplicationStart(t *testing.T) {
 	err := mysqlctl.WaitForReplicationStart(mysqld, 1)
 	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "no replication status")
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
@@ -407,7 +416,9 @@ func TestStartReplication(t *testing.T) {
 	err := mysqld.StartReplication(map[string]string{})
 	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "The server is not configured as replica")
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
@@ -425,7 +436,9 @@ func TestStartReplication(t *testing.T) {
 func TestStopReplication(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, mysqld)
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
@@ -449,7 +462,9 @@ func TestStopReplication(t *testing.T) {
 func TestStopSQLThread(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NotNil(t, mysqld)
 
-	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	port, err := mysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	host := "localhost"
 
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/fakemysqldaemon.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/fakemysqldaemon.go
index 94c1f7f52c1..e0d9a6c1252 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/fakemysqldaemon.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/fakemysqldaemon.go
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ func (fmd *FakeMysqlDaemon) WaitForDBAGrants(ctx context.Context, waitTime time.
 }
 
 // GetMysqlPort is part of the MysqlDaemon interface.
-func (fmd *FakeMysqlDaemon) GetMysqlPort() (int32, error) {
+func (fmd *FakeMysqlDaemon) GetMysqlPort(ctx context.Context) (int32, error) {
 	if fmd.MysqlPort.Load() == -1 {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("FakeMysqlDaemon.GetMysqlPort returns an error")
 	}
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysql_daemon.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysql_daemon.go
index 4829af3d4f7..cb9882e7052 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysql_daemon.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysql_daemon.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ type MysqlDaemon interface {
 	WaitForDBAGrants(ctx context.Context, waitTime time.Duration) (err error)
 
 	// GetMysqlPort returns the current port mysql is listening on.
-	GetMysqlPort() (int32, error)
+	GetMysqlPort(ctx context.Context) (int32, error)
 
 	// GetServerID returns the servers ID.
 	GetServerID(ctx context.Context) (uint32, error)
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysqld.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysqld.go
index a1f6e257887..433ccc7de64 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysqld.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/mysqld.go
@@ -521,11 +521,15 @@ func (mysqld *Mysqld) WaitForDBAGrants(ctx context.Context, waitTime time.Durati
 	if waitTime == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
+	params, err := mysqld.dbcfgs.DbaConnector().MysqlParams()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	timer := time.NewTimer(waitTime)
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, waitTime)
 	defer cancel()
 	for {
-		conn, connErr := dbconnpool.NewDBConnection(ctx, mysqld.dbcfgs.DbaConnector())
+		conn, connErr := mysql.Connect(ctx, params)
 		if connErr == nil {
 			res, fetchErr := conn.ExecuteFetch("SHOW GRANTS", 1000, false)
 			conn.Close()
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication.go
index e53caac593d..8603b172606 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/mysql/replication"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/netutil"
 	"vitess.io/vitess/go/vt/hook"
@@ -174,8 +175,21 @@ func (mysqld *Mysqld) RestartReplication(hookExtraEnv map[string]string) error {
 }
 
 // GetMysqlPort returns mysql port
-func (mysqld *Mysqld) GetMysqlPort() (int32, error) {
-	qr, err := mysqld.FetchSuperQuery(context.TODO(), "SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'port'")
+func (mysqld *Mysqld) GetMysqlPort(ctx context.Context) (int32, error) {
+	// We can not use the connection pool here. This check runs very early
+	// during MySQL startup when we still might be loading things like grants.
+	// This means we need to use an isolated connection to avoid poisoning the
+	// DBA connection pool for further queries.
+	params, err := mysqld.dbcfgs.DbaConnector().MysqlParams()
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	conn, err := mysql.Connect(ctx, params)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+	qr, err := conn.ExecuteFetch("SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'port'", 1, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
diff --git a/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication_test.go b/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication_test.go
index e171379f668..d117a96ab89 100644
--- a/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/mysqlctl/replication_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -133,12 +134,14 @@ func TestGetMysqlPort(t *testing.T) {
 	testMysqld := NewMysqld(dbc)
 	defer testMysqld.Close()
 
-	res, err := testMysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	res, err := testMysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	assert.Equal(t, int32(12), res)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 	db.AddQuery("SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'port'", &sqltypes.Result{})
-	res, err = testMysqld.GetMysqlPort()
+	res, err = testMysqld.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "no port variable in mysql")
 	assert.Equal(t, int32(0), res)
 }
diff --git a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_init.go b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_init.go
index efb6c5e878f..5a4d7bcdb16 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_init.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttablet/tabletmanager/tm_init.go
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) Start(tablet *topodatapb.Tablet, config *tabletenv.Tabl
 	if err := tm.checkPrimaryShip(ctx, si); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := tm.checkMysql(); err != nil {
+	if err := tm.checkMysql(ctx); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := tm.initTablet(ctx); err != nil {
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) checkPrimaryShip(ctx context.Context, si *topo.ShardInf
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (tm *TabletManager) checkMysql() error {
+func (tm *TabletManager) checkMysql(ctx context.Context) error {
 	appConfig, err := tm.DBConfigs.AppWithDB().MysqlParams()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) checkMysql() error {
 		tm.tmState.UpdateTablet(func(tablet *topodatapb.Tablet) {
 			tablet.MysqlHostname = tablet.Hostname
 		})
-		mysqlPort, err := tm.MysqlDaemon.GetMysqlPort()
+		mysqlPort, err := tm.MysqlDaemon.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Warningf("Cannot get current mysql port, will keep retrying every %v: %v", mysqlPortRetryInterval, err)
 			go tm.findMysqlPort(mysqlPortRetryInterval)
@@ -730,10 +730,18 @@ func (tm *TabletManager) checkMysql() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+const portCheckTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+
+func (tm *TabletManager) getMysqlPort() (int32, error) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), portCheckTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+	return tm.MysqlDaemon.GetMysqlPort(ctx)
+}
+
 func (tm *TabletManager) findMysqlPort(retryInterval time.Duration) {
 	for {
 		time.Sleep(retryInterval)
-		mport, err := tm.MysqlDaemon.GetMysqlPort()
+		mport, err := tm.getMysqlPort()
 		if err != nil || mport == 0 {
 			continue
 		}