diff --git a/karbor/rpc.py b/karbor/rpc.py
index cb9e262d..37b6d7aa 100644
--- a/karbor/rpc.py
+++ b/karbor/rpc.py
@@ -26,13 +26,14 @@ __all__ = [
 from oslo_config import cfg
 import oslo_messaging as messaging
 from oslo_messaging.rpc import dispatcher
-from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
 
 import karbor.context
 import karbor.exception
+from karbor import utils
 
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 TRANSPORT = None
+NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT = None
 NOTIFIER = None
 
 ALLOWED_EXMODS = [
@@ -42,16 +43,24 @@ EXTRA_EXMODS = []
 
 
 def init(conf):
-    if initialized():
-        return
 
-    global TRANSPORT, NOTIFIER
+    global TRANSPORT, NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT, NOTIFIER
     exmods = get_allowed_exmods()
     TRANSPORT = messaging.get_rpc_transport(conf,
                                             allowed_remote_exmods=exmods)
+    NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT = messaging.get_notification_transport(
+        conf,
+        allowed_remote_exmods=exmods)
 
-    serializer = RequestContextSerializer(JsonPayloadSerializer())
-    NOTIFIER = messaging.Notifier(TRANSPORT, serializer=serializer)
+    # get_notification_transport has loaded oslo_messaging_notifications config
+    # group, so we can now check if notifications are actually enabled.
+    if utils.notifications_enabled(conf):
+        json_serializer = messaging.JsonPayloadSerializer()
+        serializer = RequestContextSerializer(json_serializer)
+        NOTIFIER = messaging.Notifier(NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT,
+                                      serializer=serializer)
+    else:
+        NOTIFIER = utils.DO_NOTHING
 
 
 def initialized():
@@ -59,11 +68,12 @@ def initialized():
 
 
 def cleanup():
-    global TRANSPORT, NOTIFIER
+    global TRANSPORT, NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT, NOTIFIER
     assert TRANSPORT is not None
-    assert NOTIFIER is not None
+
     TRANSPORT.cleanup()
-    TRANSPORT = NOTIFIER = None
+    NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT.cleanup()
+    TRANSPORT = NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT = NOTIFIER = None
 
 
 def set_defaults(control_exchange):
@@ -82,12 +92,6 @@ def get_allowed_exmods():
     return ALLOWED_EXMODS + EXTRA_EXMODS
 
 
-class JsonPayloadSerializer(messaging.NoOpSerializer):
-    @staticmethod
-    def serialize_entity(context, entity):
-        return jsonutils.to_primitive(entity, convert_instances=True)
-
-
 class RequestContextSerializer(messaging.Serializer):
 
     def __init__(self, base):
diff --git a/karbor/tests/unit/test_rpc.py b/karbor/tests/unit/test_rpc.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5422b505
--- /dev/null
+++ b/karbor/tests/unit/test_rpc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import mock
+
+from oslo_config import cfg
+
+from karbor import rpc
+from karbor.tests import base
+
+
+CONF = cfg.CONF
+
+
+class RPCAPITestCase(base.TestCase):
+    """Tests RPCAPI mixin aggregating stuff related to RPC compatibility."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(RPCAPITestCase, self).setUp()
+
+    @mock.patch('oslo_messaging.JsonPayloadSerializer', wraps=True)
+    def test_init_no_notifications(self, serializer_mock):
+        """Test short-circuiting notifications with default and noop driver."""
+        driver = ['noop']
+        self.override_config('driver', driver,
+                             group='oslo_messaging_notifications')
+        rpc.init(CONF)
+        self.assertEqual(rpc.utils.DO_NOTHING, rpc.NOTIFIER)
+        serializer_mock.assert_not_called()
+
+    @mock.patch.object(rpc, 'messaging')
+    def test_init_notifications(self, messaging_mock):
+        self.override_config('driver', ['test'],
+                             group='oslo_messaging_notifications')
+        rpc.init(CONF)
+        self.assertTrue(messaging_mock.JsonPayloadSerializer.called)
+        self.assertTrue(messaging_mock.Notifier.called)
+        self.assertEqual(rpc.NOTIFIER, messaging_mock.Notifier.return_value)
diff --git a/karbor/utils.py b/karbor/utils.py
index 7a5a9faf..6dc54a9f 100644
--- a/karbor/utils.py
+++ b/karbor/utils.py
@@ -192,3 +192,24 @@ def tempdir(**kwargs):
         except OSError as e:
             LOG.debug('Could not remove tmpdir: %s',
                       six.text_type(e))
+
+
+class DoNothing(str):
+    """Class that literally does nothing.
+
+    We inherit from str in case it's called with json.dumps.
+    """
+    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        return self
+
+
+DO_NOTHING = DoNothing()
+
+
+def notifications_enabled(conf):
+    """Check if oslo notifications are enabled."""
+    notifications_driver = set(conf.oslo_messaging_notifications.driver)
+    return notifications_driver and notifications_driver != {'noop'}