diff --git a/openstack_dashboard/test/helpers.py b/openstack_dashboard/test/helpers.py
index 692e509af9..42d3158edc 100644
--- a/openstack_dashboard/test/helpers.py
+++ b/openstack_dashboard/test/helpers.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from keystoneclient.v2_0 import client as keystone_client
 import mock
 from mox3 import mox
 from neutronclient.v2_0 import client as neutron_client
+from novaclient import api_versions as nova_api_versions
 from novaclient.v2 import client as nova_client
 from openstack_auth import user
 from openstack_auth import utils
@@ -442,6 +443,12 @@ class APITestCase(TestCase):
     def stub_novaclient(self):
         if not hasattr(self, "novaclient"):
             self.mox.StubOutWithMock(nova_client, 'Client')
+            # mock the api_version since MockObject.__init__ ignores it.
+            # The preferred version in the api.nova code is 2 but that's
+            # equivalent to 2.1 now and is the base version that's backward
+            # compatible to 2.0 anyway.
+            api_version = nova_api_versions.APIVersion('2.1')
+            nova_client.Client.api_version = api_version
             self.novaclient = self.mox.CreateMock(nova_client.Client)
         return self.novaclient