diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
index e59b25a6..fbfa32cf 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
@@ -280,6 +280,10 @@ export DEVSTACK_GATE_TIMEOUT=${DEVSTACK_GATE_TIMEOUT:-60}
 # single-branch checkouts; not used for grenade)
 export OVERRIDE_ZUUL_BRANCH=${OVERRIDE_ZUUL_BRANCH:-$ZUUL_BRANCH}
 
+# Set Ceilometer backend to override the default one. It could be mysql,
+# postgresql, mongodb.
+export DEVSTACK_GATE_CEILOMETER_BACKEND=${DEVSTACK_GATE_CEILOMETER_BACKEND:-mysql}
+
 if ! function_exists "gate_hook"; then
   # the command we use to run the gate
   function gate_hook {
diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate.sh b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
index c81cf485..1b554a75 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate.sh
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ USE_GET_PIP=1
 UNDO_REQUIREMENTS=False
 CINDER_PERIODIC_INTERVAL=10
 export OS_NO_CACHE=True
+CEILOMETER_BACKEND=$DEVSTACK_GATE_CEILOMETER_BACKEND
 EOF
 
     if [[ "$DEVSTACK_CINDER_SECURE_DELETE" -eq "0" ]]; then