diff --git a/heat/engine/service.py b/heat/engine/service.py
index 0101e5e3cf..cffcbeffad 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service.py
@@ -345,14 +345,13 @@ class EngineService(service.ServiceBase):
         LOG.debug("Starting listener for engine %s", self.engine_id)
         self.listener.start()
 
-        if cfg.CONF.convergence_engine:
-            self.worker_service = worker.WorkerService(
-                host=self.host,
-                topic=rpc_worker_api.TOPIC,
-                engine_id=self.engine_id,
-                thread_group_mgr=self.thread_group_mgr
-            )
-            self.worker_service.start()
+        self.worker_service = worker.WorkerService(
+            host=self.host,
+            topic=rpc_worker_api.TOPIC,
+            engine_id=self.engine_id,
+            thread_group_mgr=self.thread_group_mgr
+        )
+        self.worker_service.start()
 
         target = messaging.Target(
             version=self.RPC_API_VERSION, server=self.host,
@@ -401,8 +400,7 @@ class EngineService(service.ServiceBase):
         if self.listener:
             self.listener.stop()
 
-        if cfg.CONF.convergence_engine and self.worker_service:
-            # Stop the WorkerService
+        if self.worker_service:
             self.worker_service.stop()
 
         # Wait for all active threads to be finished
@@ -1373,7 +1371,7 @@ class EngineService(service.ServiceBase):
         stack = parser.Stack.load(cnxt, stack=st)
         self.resource_enforcer.enforce_stack(stack, is_registered_policy=True)
 
-        if stack.convergence and cfg.CONF.convergence_engine:
+        if stack.convergence:
             stack.thread_group_mgr = self.thread_group_mgr
             template = templatem.Template.create_empty_template(
                 from_template=stack.t)
diff --git a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_service_engine.py b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_service_engine.py
index a66e8e0ded..421c2e3598 100644
--- a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_service_engine.py
+++ b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_service_engine.py
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@ class ServiceEngineTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                 return_value=mock.Mock())
     @mock.patch('heat.engine.service.EngineListener',
                 return_value=mock.Mock())
+    @mock.patch('heat.engine.worker.WorkerService',
+                return_value=mock.Mock())
     @mock.patch('oslo_service.threadgroup.ThreadGroup',
                 return_value=mock.Mock())
     @mock.patch.object(service.EngineService, '_configure_db_conn_pool_size')
@@ -234,16 +236,17 @@ class ServiceEngineTest(common.HeatTestCase):
             self,
             configure_db_conn_pool_size,
             thread_group_class,
+            worker_service_class,
             engine_listener_class,
             thread_group_manager_class,
             sample_uuid_method,
             rpc_client_class,
             target_class,
             rpc_server_method):
-        cfg.CONF.set_default('convergence_engine', False)
+        cfg.CONF.set_override('convergence_engine', False)
         self._test_engine_service_start(
             thread_group_class,
-            None,
+            worker_service_class,
             engine_listener_class,
             thread_group_manager_class,
             sample_uuid_method,
@@ -280,7 +283,7 @@ class ServiceEngineTest(common.HeatTestCase):
             rpc_client_class,
             target_class,
             rpc_server_method):
-        cfg.CONF.set_default('convergence_engine', True)
+        cfg.CONF.set_override('convergence_engine', True)
         self._test_engine_service_start(
             thread_group_class,
             worker_service_class,