diff --git a/cinder/backup/drivers/nfs.py b/cinder/backup/drivers/nfs.py
index 002d85eda03..c5bc2a3fcaa 100644
--- a/cinder/backup/drivers/nfs.py
+++ b/cinder/backup/drivers/nfs.py
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ class NFSBackupDriver(posix.PosixBackupDriver):
                                                           value=val)
 
     def _init_backup_repo_path(self):
+        if self.backup_share is None:
+            LOG.info("_init_backup_repo_path: "
+                     "backup_share is not set in configuration")
+            return
+
         remotefsclient = remotefs_brick.RemoteFsClient(
             'nfs',
             self._root_helper,
diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/backup/drivers/test_backup_nfs.py b/cinder/tests/unit/backup/drivers/test_backup_nfs.py
index ff45fb1430a..c65d0131fcc 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/backup/drivers/test_backup_nfs.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/backup/drivers/test_backup_nfs.py
@@ -135,6 +135,18 @@ class BackupNFSShareTestCase(test.TestCase):
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls(mock_execute_calls, any_order=True)
         self.assertEqual(len(mock_execute_calls), mock_execute.call_count)
 
+    def test_init_backup_repo_path_unconfigured(self):
+        """RemoteFsClient is not created if backup_share unset"""
+        self.override_config('backup_share', None)
+
+        mock_remotefsclient = mock.Mock()
+        self.mock_object(remotefs_brick, 'RemoteFsClient')
+
+        driver = nfs.NFSBackupDriver(self.ctxt)
+        driver._init_backup_repo_path()
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, mock_remotefsclient.call_count)
+
 
 def fake_md5(arg):
     class result(object):