diff --git a/.testr.conf b/.testr.conf
index 1641f86..748029b 100644
--- a/.testr.conf
+++ b/.testr.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 [DEFAULT]
-test_command=OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE=1 OS_STDERR_CAPTURE=1 OS_TEST_TIMEOUT=60 ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ . $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
+test_command=OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE=${OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE:-1} \
+             OS_STDERR_CAPTURE=${OS_STDERR_CAPTURE:-1} \
+             OS_TEST_TIMEOUT=${OS_TEST_TIMEOUT:-60} \
+             ${PYTHON:-python} -m subunit.run discover -t ./ . $LISTOPT $IDOPTION
+
 test_id_option=--load-list $IDFILE
 test_list_option=--list
diff --git a/hacking/tests/__init__.py b/hacking/tests/__init__.py
index f745a13..b2d3df3 100644
--- a/hacking/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/hacking/tests/__init__.py
@@ -12,3 +12,33 @@
 # implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+
+import os
+
+import fixtures
+import testtools
+
+
+class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
+    """Test case base class for all unit tests."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """Run before each test method to initialize test environment."""
+        super(TestCase, self).setUp()
+        test_timeout = os.environ.get('OS_TEST_TIMEOUT', 0)
+        try:
+            test_timeout = int(test_timeout)
+        except ValueError:
+            # If timeout value is invalid do not set a timeout.
+            test_timeout = 0
+        if test_timeout > 0:
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.Timeout(test_timeout, gentle=True))
+
+        if (os.environ.get('OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE') == 'True' or
+                os.environ.get('OS_STDOUT_CAPTURE') == '1'):
+            stdout = self.useFixture(fixtures.StringStream('stdout')).stream
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.stdout', stdout))
+        if (os.environ.get('OS_STDERR_CAPTURE') == 'True' or
+                os.environ.get('OS_STDERR_CAPTURE') == '1'):
+            stderr = self.useFixture(fixtures.StringStream('stderr')).stream
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.stderr', stderr))
diff --git a/hacking/tests/test_doctest.py b/hacking/tests/test_doctest.py
index a9f7c3f..ea2c21e 100644
--- a/hacking/tests/test_doctest.py
+++ b/hacking/tests/test_doctest.py
@@ -18,20 +18,20 @@ import re
 
 from flake8 import engine
 import pep8
-import testtools
 from testtools import content
 from testtools import matchers
 
 import testscenarios
 
 import hacking
+import hacking.tests
 
 SELFTEST_REGEX = re.compile(r'\b(Okay|[HEW]\d{3}):\s(.*)')
 # Each scenario is (name, dict(lines=.., options=..., code=...))
 file_cases = []
 
 
-class HackingTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
+class HackingTestCase(hacking.tests.TestCase):
 
     scenarios = file_cases