diff --git a/nova/test.py b/nova/test.py
index f0e6953b965c..2c9028a4510e 100644
--- a/nova/test.py
+++ b/nova/test.py
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
     USES_DB_SELF = False
     REQUIRES_LOCKING = False
 
+    # Setting to True makes the test use the RPCFixture.
+    STUB_RPC = True
+
     # The number of non-cell0 cells to create. This is only used in the
     # base class when USES_DB is True.
     NUMBER_OF_CELLS = 1
@@ -250,7 +253,9 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
                                 group='oslo_concurrency')
 
         self.useFixture(conf_fixture.ConfFixture(CONF))
-        self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.RPCFixture('nova.test'))
+
+        if self.STUB_RPC:
+            self.useFixture(nova_fixtures.RPCFixture('nova.test'))
 
         # we cannot set this in the ConfFixture as oslo only registers the
         # notification opts at the first instantiation of a Notifier that
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/test_rpc.py b/nova/tests/unit/test_rpc.py
index 3fd8d383a48e..0d8d3842ae76 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/test_rpc.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/test_rpc.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import mock
 import oslo_messaging as messaging
 from oslo_messaging.rpc import dispatcher
 from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
-import testtools
 
 from nova import context
 from nova import rpc
@@ -45,9 +44,11 @@ class RPCResetFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
         rpc.CONF = self.conf
 
 
-# We can't import nova.test.TestCase because that sets up an RPCFixture
-# that pretty much nullifies all of this testing
-class TestRPC(testtools.TestCase):
+class TestRPC(test.NoDBTestCase):
+
+    # We're testing the rpc code so we can't use the RPCFixture.
+    STUB_RPC = False
+
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestRPC, self).setUp()
         self.useFixture(RPCResetFixture())