Callum Braley is set to make his second Gloucester debut in Friday's Prem Rugby Cup game against Sale after rejoining the club on a short-term deal.
Braley, 31, spent six years with the Cherry and Whites and made more than 100 appearances before leaving for Benetton in 2020.
He has been training with the club since January, and after being re-registered he has been named on the bench for Friday's match, following an injury to number nine Mike Austin.
"He came in the building in January, he's back in the local area, he felt he had unfinished business with the game and wanted to make sure that he didn't leave it early," Gloucester scrum and assistant forwards coach Trevor Woodman told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
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Bristol-born Braley has 15 international caps for the Azzurri, qualifying through his Italian grandfather.
But after two years with the United Rugby Championship side he returned to the UK and has struggled to pin down a permanent club.
He spent two seasons with Northampton, but made just 18 appearances - and only two during 2023-24.
Short-term stints at Saracens and Cardiff followed last season but again resulted in just one outing for each club.
"Having his experience training with us the last six weeks has been great," Woodman added.
"I think he's just loved the fact he can come back in, follow a schedule. He's always a fit character anyway, so just being in and around a group again, those things are really important.
"Whether you've unfortunately been forced out of the game through no opportunities for you or you're coming to retirement, but being in and around a group of players is good for you on two fronts - mentally and physically - so I think he's loved it."
Gloucester go into the game against the Sharks off the back of a 48-14 defeat by Exeter, to leave them third in the group with two games to go.