diff --git a/neutron/__init__.py b/neutron/__init__.py
index 710b18c4641..20549b760a8 100644
--- a/neutron/__init__.py
+++ b/neutron/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import gettext
+import os
+
+if not os.environ.get('NO_EVENTLET'):
+    import eventlet
+    eventlet.monkey_patch()
 
 
 gettext.install('neutron', unicode=1)
diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
index 6fe001f5381..b6224f07ce7 100755
--- a/run_tests.sh
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ function warn_on_flake8_without_venv {
 function run_pep8 {
   echo "Running flake8 ..."
   warn_on_flake8_without_venv
-  ${wrapper} flake8
+  NO_EVENTLET=1 ${wrapper} flake8
 }
 
 function run_pep8_changed {
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ function run_pep8_changed {
     local files=$(git diff --name-only $target | tr '\n' ' ')
     echo "Running flake8 on ${files}"
     warn_on_flake8_without_venv
-    diff -u --from-file /dev/null ${files} | ${wrapper} flake8 --diff
+    diff -u --from-file /dev/null ${files} | NO_EVENTLET=1 ${wrapper} flake8 --diff
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3d1f62f44fd..9d88fd4942a 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ sitepackages = True
 downloadcache = ~/cache/pip
 
 [testenv:pep8]
+setenv = NO_EVENTLET=1
 commands =
   # If it is easier to add a check via a shell script, consider adding it in this file
   sh ./tools/misc-sanity-checks.sh