diff --git a/wsme/tests/protocol.py b/wsme/tests/protocol.py
index f03a1cf..dc093e1 100644
--- a/wsme/tests/protocol.py
+++ b/wsme/tests/protocol.py
@@ -217,9 +217,12 @@ class WSTestRoot(WSRoot):
 
 
 class ProtocolTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    protocol_options = {}
+
     def setUp(self):
         if self.__class__.__name__ != 'ProtocolTestCase':
-            self.root = WSTestRoot([self.protocol])
+            self.root = WSTestRoot()
+            self.root.addprotocol(self.protocol, **self.protocol_options)
 
             self.app = TestApp(wsme.wsgi.adapt(self.root))