diff --git a/keystone/common/sql/core.py b/keystone/common/sql/core.py
index 694d30bd07..e1bd138e28 100644
--- a/keystone/common/sql/core.py
+++ b/keystone/common/sql/core.py
@@ -99,10 +99,6 @@ def set_global_engine(engine):
     GLOBAL_ENGINE = engine
 
 
-def get_global_engine():
-    return GLOBAL_ENGINE
-
-
 # Special Fields
 class JsonBlob(sql_types.TypeDecorator):
 
@@ -244,14 +240,19 @@ class Base(object):
 
             return sql.create_engine(CONF.sql.connection, **engine_config)
 
-        engine = get_global_engine() or new_engine()
+        if not allow_global_engine:
+            return new_engine()
+
+        if GLOBAL_ENGINE:
+            return GLOBAL_ENGINE
+
+        engine = new_engine()
 
         # auto-build the db to support wsgi server w/ in-memory backend
-        if allow_global_engine and CONF.sql.connection == 'sqlite://':
+        if CONF.sql.connection == 'sqlite://':
             ModelBase.metadata.create_all(bind=engine)
 
-        if allow_global_engine:
-            set_global_engine(engine)
+        set_global_engine(engine)
 
         return engine
 
diff --git a/tests/test_sql_core.py b/tests/test_sql_core.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8f2a4f7b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_sql_core.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Copyright 2013 IBM Corp.
+#
+#   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.
+
+
+from keystone.common import sql
+from keystone import test
+
+
+class TestBase(test.TestCase):
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        sql.set_global_engine(None)
+        super(TestBase, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_get_engine_global(self):
+        # If call get_engine() twice, get the same global engine.
+        base = sql.Base()
+        engine1 = base.get_engine()
+        self.assertIsNotNone(engine1)
+        engine2 = base.get_engine()
+        self.assertIs(engine1, engine2)
+
+    def test_get_engine_not_global(self):
+        # If call get_engine() twice, once with allow_global_engine=True
+        # and once with allow_global_engine=False, get different engines.
+        base = sql.Base()
+        engine1 = base.get_engine()
+        engine2 = base.get_engine(allow_global_engine=False)
+        self.assertIsNot(engine1, engine2)