diff --git a/cqlengine/tests/__init__.py b/cqlengine/tests/__init__.py
index e69de29b..87cb2395 100644
--- a/cqlengine/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/cqlengine/tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import os
+
+from cqlengine import connection
+
+def setup_package():
+    try:
+        CASSANDRA_VERSION = int(os.environ["CASSANDRA_VERSION"])
+    except:
+        print("CASSANDRA_VERSION must be set as an environment variable. "
+              "One of (12, 20, 21)")
+        raise
+
+    if os.environ.get('CASSANDRA_TEST_HOST'):
+        CASSANDRA_TEST_HOST = os.environ['CASSANDRA_TEST_HOST']
+    else:
+        CASSANDRA_TEST_HOST = 'localhost'
+
+    if CASSANDRA_VERSION < 20:
+        protocol_version = 1
+    else:
+        protocol_version = 2
+
+    connection.setup([CASSANDRA_TEST_HOST],
+                      protocol_version=protocol_version,
+                      default_keyspace='cqlengine_test')