diff --git a/nova/test.py b/nova/test.py
index 6f5a8eebe3c0..0ed9d4d2fcc0 100644
--- a/nova/test.py
+++ b/nova/test.py
@@ -285,6 +285,8 @@ class TestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
         quota.UID_QFD_POPULATED_CACHE_BY_PROJECT = set()
         quota.UID_QFD_POPULATED_CACHE_ALL = False
 
+        self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.GenericPoisonFixture())
+
     def _setup_cells(self):
         """Setup a normal cellsv2 environment.
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/fixtures.py b/nova/tests/fixtures.py
index bac36aa28b1b..9787dd567aa2 100644
--- a/nova/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/nova/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -2643,3 +2643,23 @@ class CyborgFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
             'nova.accelerator.cyborg._CyborgClient.'
             'delete_arqs_for_instance',
             side_effect=self.fake_delete_arqs_for_instance)).mock
+
+
+class GenericPoisonFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
+    POISON_THESE = (
+        ('netifaces.interfaces',
+         'a test environment should not be inspecting real interfaces on the '
+         'test node'),
+    )
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        def poison_configure(method, reason):
+            def fail(*a, **k):
+                raise Exception('This test invokes %s, which is bad (%s); you '
+                                'should mock it.' % (method, reason))
+            return fail
+
+        super(GenericPoisonFixture, self).setUp()
+        for meth, why in self.POISON_THESE:
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch(
+                meth, poison_configure(meth, why)))