diff --git a/nexus/src/app/background/driver.rs b/nexus/src/app/background/driver.rs
index f1982b1ad8..e620f5d7bc 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/background/driver.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/background/driver.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ impl Driver {
     ///
     /// If the task is currently running, it will be activated again when it
     /// finishes.
-    pub fn activate(&self, task: &TaskHandle) {
+    pub(super) fn activate(&self, task: &TaskHandle) {
         self.task_required(task).notify.notify_one();
     }
 
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/background/init.rs b/nexus/src/app/background/init.rs
index c8e40c80a1..3d98f80f4a 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/background/init.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/background/init.rs
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ pub struct BackgroundTasks {
         Option<external_endpoints::ExternalEndpoints>,
     >,
     /// task handle for the ipv4 nat entry garbage collector
-    pub nat_cleanup: TaskHandle,
+    pub task_nat_cleanup: TaskHandle,
 
     /// task handle for the switch bfd manager
-    pub bfd_manager: TaskHandle,
+    pub task_bfd_manager: TaskHandle,
 
     /// task handle for the task that collects inventory
     pub task_inventory_collection: TaskHandle,
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ impl BackgroundTasks {
             (task, watcher_channel)
         };
 
-        let nat_cleanup = {
+        let task_nat_cleanup = {
             driver.register(
                 "nat_v4_garbage_collector".to_string(),
                 String::from(
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ impl BackgroundTasks {
             )
         };
 
-        let bfd_manager = {
+        let task_bfd_manager = {
             driver.register(
                 "bfd_manager".to_string(),
                 String::from(
@@ -479,8 +479,8 @@ impl BackgroundTasks {
             task_metrics_producer_gc,
             task_external_endpoints,
             external_endpoints,
-            nat_cleanup,
-            bfd_manager,
+            task_nat_cleanup,
+            task_bfd_manager,
             task_inventory_collection,
             task_physical_disk_adoption,
             task_phantom_disks,
@@ -498,6 +498,10 @@ impl BackgroundTasks {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Activate the specified background task
+    ///
+    /// If the task is currently running, it will be activated again when it
+    /// finishes.
     pub fn activate(&self, task: &TaskHandle) {
         self.driver.activate(task);
     }
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/bfd.rs b/nexus/src/app/bfd.rs
index 0afa238ee3..1ae958c20d 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/bfd.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/bfd.rs
@@ -39,12 +39,9 @@ impl super::Nexus {
         // add the bfd session to the db and trigger the bfd manager to handle
         // the reset
         self.datastore().bfd_session_create(opctx, &session).await?;
-        self.background_tasks
-            .driver
-            .activate(&self.background_tasks.bfd_manager);
+        self.background_tasks.activate(&self.background_tasks.task_bfd_manager);
         // for timely propagation to bootstore
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -57,12 +54,9 @@ impl super::Nexus {
         // remove the bfd session from the db and trigger the bfd manager to
         // handle the reset
         self.datastore().bfd_session_delete(opctx, &session).await?;
-        self.background_tasks
-            .driver
-            .activate(&self.background_tasks.bfd_manager);
+        self.background_tasks.activate(&self.background_tasks.task_bfd_manager);
         // for timely propagation to bootstore
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/mod.rs b/nexus/src/app/mod.rs
index da06ccaa32..510b6b5b16 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/mod.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/mod.rs
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ impl Nexus {
                         "populate complete; activating background tasks"
                     );
                     for task in task_nexus.background_tasks.driver.tasks() {
-                        task_nexus.background_tasks.driver.activate(task);
+                        task_nexus.background_tasks.activate(task);
                     }
                 }
                 Err(_) => {
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/switch_interface.rs b/nexus/src/app/switch_interface.rs
index bb4cba4c7b..c4e69d1e3e 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/switch_interface.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/switch_interface.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ impl super::Nexus {
 
         // eagerly propagate changes via rpw
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
 
         Ok(value)
@@ -86,7 +85,6 @@ impl super::Nexus {
 
         // eagerly propagate changes via rpw
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/nexus/src/app/switch_port.rs b/nexus/src/app/switch_port.rs
index 7a6d56252a..bb35b6939e 100644
--- a/nexus/src/app/switch_port.rs
+++ b/nexus/src/app/switch_port.rs
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ impl super::Nexus {
 
         // eagerly propagate changes via rpw
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
 
         Ok(result)
@@ -214,7 +213,6 @@ impl super::Nexus {
 
         // eagerly propagate changes via rpw
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
 
         Ok(())
@@ -248,7 +246,6 @@ impl super::Nexus {
 
         // eagerly propagate changes via rpw
         self.background_tasks
-            .driver
             .activate(&self.background_tasks.task_switch_port_settings_manager);
 
         Ok(())