diff --git a/.changeset/beige-feet-tap.md b/.changeset/beige-feet-tap.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b37d249700b9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/beige-feet-tap.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-techdocs-backend': patch
+---
+
+Do not use cross-fetch in the backend
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json b/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
index 0beabaf719599..37b15ffbe0965 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-backend/package.json
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
     "@backstage/search-common": "^0.2.2",
     "@backstage/techdocs-common": "^0.11.7",
     "@types/express": "^4.17.6",
-    "cross-fetch": "^3.1.5",
     "dockerode": "^3.3.1",
     "express": "^4.17.1",
     "express-promise-router": "^4.1.0",
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.test.ts b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.test.ts
index 1eb8c8f56f6c5..1830dbfcf0e56 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import { DocsSynchronizer, DocsSynchronizerSyncOpts } from './DocsSynchronizer';
 
 jest.mock('../DocsBuilder');
 
-jest.mock('cross-fetch', () => ({
+jest.mock('node-fetch', () => ({
   __esModule: true,
   default: async () => {
     return {
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.ts b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.ts
index 4d407ab54a151..099eec152b978 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.ts
+++ b/plugins/techdocs-backend/src/service/DocsSynchronizer.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import {
   PreparerBuilder,
   PublisherBase,
 } from '@backstage/techdocs-common';
-import fetch from 'cross-fetch';
+import fetch from 'node-fetch';
 import { PassThrough } from 'stream';
 import * as winston from 'winston';
 import { TechDocsCache } from '../cache';