diff --git a/glance_store/_drivers/rbd.py b/glance_store/_drivers/rbd.py
index f45a9098..2dd6ac51 100644
--- a/glance_store/_drivers/rbd.py
+++ b/glance_store/_drivers/rbd.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import logging
 import math
 import urllib
 
+from eventlet import tpool
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_utils import encodeutils
 from oslo_utils import units
@@ -290,6 +291,9 @@ class Store(driver.Store):
     def get_schemes(self):
         return ('rbd',)
 
+    def RBDProxy(self):
+        return tpool.Proxy(rbd.RBD())
+
     @contextlib.contextmanager
     def get_connection(self, conffile, rados_id):
         client = rados.Rados(conffile=conffile, rados_id=rados_id)
@@ -431,12 +435,12 @@ class Store(driver.Store):
 
         :returns: `glance_store.rbd.StoreLocation` object
         """
-        librbd = rbd.RBD()
         features = conn.conf_get('rbd_default_features')
         if ((features is None) or (int(features) == 0)):
             features = rbd.RBD_FEATURE_LAYERING
-        librbd.create(ioctx, image_name, size, order, old_format=False,
-                      features=int(features))
+        self.RBDProxy().create(ioctx, image_name, size, order,
+                               old_format=False,
+                               features=int(features))
         return StoreLocation({
             'fsid': fsid,
             'pool': self.pool,
@@ -496,7 +500,7 @@ class Store(driver.Store):
                                 raise exceptions.InUseByStore()
 
                     # Then delete image.
-                    rbd.RBD().remove(ioctx, image_name)
+                    self.RBDProxy().remove(ioctx, image_name)
                 except rbd.ImageHasSnapshots:
                     log_msg = (_LW("Remove image %(img_name)s failed. "
                                    "It has snapshot(s) left.") %
diff --git a/glance_store/tests/unit/test_rbd_store.py b/glance_store/tests/unit/test_rbd_store.py
index 08ade51d..09eddc46 100644
--- a/glance_store/tests/unit/test_rbd_store.py
+++ b/glance_store/tests/unit/test_rbd_store.py
@@ -692,3 +692,53 @@ class TestStore(base.StoreBaseTest,
         self.assertEqual(self.called_commands_expected,
                          self.called_commands_actual)
         super(TestStore, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_create_image_in_native_thread(self):
+        # Tests that we use non-0 features from ceph.conf and cast to int.
+        fsid = 'fake'
+        features = '3'
+        conf_get_mock = mock.Mock(return_value=features)
+        conn = mock.Mock(conf_get=conf_get_mock)
+        ioctxt = mock.sentinel.ioctxt
+        name = '1'
+        size = 1024
+        order = 3
+        fake_proxy = mock.MagicMock()
+        fake_rbd = mock.MagicMock()
+
+        with mock.patch.object(rbd_store.tpool, 'Proxy') as tpool_mock, \
+                mock.patch.object(rbd_store.rbd, 'RBD') as rbd_mock:
+            tpool_mock.return_value = fake_proxy
+            rbd_mock.return_value = fake_rbd
+            location = self.store._create_image(
+                fsid, conn, ioctxt, name, size, order)
+            self.assertEqual(fsid, location.specs['fsid'])
+            self.assertEqual(rbd_store.DEFAULT_POOL, location.specs['pool'])
+            self.assertEqual(name, location.specs['image'])
+            self.assertEqual(rbd_store.DEFAULT_SNAPNAME,
+                             location.specs['snapshot'])
+
+        tpool_mock.assert_called_once_with(fake_rbd)
+        fake_proxy.create.assert_called_once_with(ioctxt, name, size, order,
+                                                  old_format=False, features=3)
+
+    def test_delete_image_in_native_thread(self):
+        fake_proxy = mock.MagicMock()
+        fake_rbd = mock.MagicMock()
+        fake_ioctx = mock.MagicMock()
+
+        with mock.patch.object(rbd_store.tpool, 'Proxy') as tpool_mock, \
+                mock.patch.object(rbd_store.rbd, 'RBD') as rbd_mock, \
+                mock.patch.object(self.store, 'get_connection') as mock_conn:
+
+            mock_get_conn = mock_conn.return_value.__enter__.return_value
+            mock_ioctx = mock_get_conn.open_ioctx.return_value.__enter__
+            mock_ioctx.return_value = fake_ioctx
+            tpool_mock.return_value = fake_proxy
+            rbd_mock.return_value = fake_rbd
+
+            self.store._delete_image('fake_pool', self.location.image)
+
+            tpool_mock.assert_called_once_with(fake_rbd)
+            fake_proxy.remove.assert_called_once_with(fake_ioctx,
+                                                      self.location.image)