diff --git a/keystone/tests/unit/core.py b/keystone/tests/unit/core.py
index 74b0e2e384..732da590a9 100644
--- a/keystone/tests/unit/core.py
+++ b/keystone/tests/unit/core.py
@@ -562,6 +562,19 @@ class BaseTestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         if not os.environ.get(env_var):
             self.skipTest('Env variable %s is not set.' % env_var)
 
+    def skip_test_overrides(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        if self._check_for_method_in_parents(self._testMethodName):
+            return super(BaseTestCase, self).skipTest(*args, **kwargs)
+        raise Exception('%r is not a previously defined test method'
+                        % self._testMethodName)
+
+    def _check_for_method_in_parents(self, name):
+        # skip first to get to parents
+        for cls in self.__class__.__mro__[1:]:
+            if hasattr(cls, name):
+                return True
+        return False
+
 
 class TestCase(BaseTestCase):
 
diff --git a/keystone/tests/unit/tests/test_core.py b/keystone/tests/unit/tests/test_core.py
index 56e42bcc71..0460e8da84 100644
--- a/keystone/tests/unit/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/keystone/tests/unit/tests/test_core.py
@@ -33,6 +33,41 @@ class BaseTestTestCase(unit.BaseTestCase):
                         matchers.raises(unit.UnexpectedExit))
 
 
+class TestOverrideSkipping(unit.BaseTestCase):
+
+    class TestParent(unit.BaseTestCase):
+        def test_in_parent(self):
+            pass
+
+    class TestChild(TestParent):
+        def test_in_parent(self):
+            self.skip_test_overrides('some message')
+
+        def test_not_in_parent(self):
+            self.skip_test_overrides('some message')
+
+    def test_skip_test_override_success(self):
+        # NOTE(dstanek): let's run the test and see what happens
+        test = self.TestChild('test_in_parent')
+        result = test.run()
+
+        # NOTE(dstanek): reach into testtools to ensure the test succeeded
+        self.assertEqual([], result.decorated.errors)
+
+    def test_skip_test_override_fails_for_missing_parent_test_case(self):
+        # NOTE(dstanek): let's run the test and see what happens
+        test = self.TestChild('test_not_in_parent')
+        result = test.run()
+
+        # NOTE(dstanek): reach into testtools to ensure the test failed
+        #                the way we expected
+        observed_error = result.decorated.errors[0]
+        observed_error_msg = observed_error[1]
+        expected_error_msg = ("'test_not_in_parent' is not a previously "
+                              "defined test method")
+        self.assertIn(expected_error_msg, observed_error_msg)
+
+
 class TestTestCase(unit.TestCase):
 
     def test_bad_log(self):