diff --git a/manila/rpc.py b/manila/rpc.py
index 936d594bfa..8f11d5ea16 100644
--- a/manila/rpc.py
+++ b/manila/rpc.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
 
 import manila.context
 import manila.exception
+from manila import utils
 
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 TRANSPORT = None
@@ -53,9 +54,13 @@ def init(conf):
         conf,
         allowed_remote_exmods=exmods)
 
-    serializer = RequestContextSerializer(JsonPayloadSerializer())
-    NOTIFIER = messaging.Notifier(NOTIFICATION_TRANSPORT,
-                                  serializer=serializer)
+    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():
@@ -141,6 +146,7 @@ def get_server(target, endpoints, serializer=None):
                                     access_policy=access_policy)
 
 
+@utils.if_notifications_enabled
 def get_notifier(service=None, host=None, publisher_id=None):
     assert NOTIFIER is not None
     if not publisher_id:
diff --git a/manila/share/utils.py b/manila/share/utils.py
index 975f7afc0a..2d42a844a3 100644
--- a/manila/share/utils.py
+++ b/manila/share/utils.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from oslo_config import cfg
 
 from manila.common import constants
 from manila import rpc
+from manila import utils
 
 DEFAULT_POOL_NAME = '_pool0'
 CONF = cfg.CONF
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ def cast_access_object_to_dict_in_readonly(rules):
     return dict_rules
 
 
+@utils.if_notifications_enabled
 def notify_about_share_usage(context, share, share_instance,
                              event_suffix, extra_usage_info=None, host=None):
 
diff --git a/manila/test.py b/manila/test.py
index cdd1dcc9b0..baef99fbbc 100644
--- a/manila/test.py
+++ b/manila/test.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from oslo_concurrency import lockutils
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_config import fixture as config_fixture
 import oslo_i18n
+import oslo_messaging
 from oslo_messaging import conffixture as messaging_conffixture
 from oslo_utils import uuidutils
 import oslotest.base as base_test
@@ -140,6 +141,11 @@ class TestCase(base_test.BaseTestCase):
         self.messaging_conf.transport_driver = 'fake'
         self.messaging_conf.response_timeout = 15
         self.useFixture(self.messaging_conf)
+
+        oslo_messaging.get_notification_transport(CONF)
+        self.override_config('driver', ['test'],
+                             group='oslo_messaging_notifications')
+
         rpc.init(CONF)
 
         mock.patch('keystoneauth1.loading.load_auth_from_conf_options').start()
@@ -373,3 +379,8 @@ class TestCase(base_test.BaseTestCase):
 
             self.assertEqual(call[0], posargs[0])
             self.assertEqual(call[1], posargs[2])
+
+    def override_config(self, name, override, group=None):
+        """Cleanly override CONF variables."""
+        CONF.set_override(name, override, group)
+        self.addCleanup(CONF.clear_override, name, group)
diff --git a/manila/tests/fake_notifier.py b/manila/tests/fake_notifier.py
index 8ce1fadf06..61452e6e32 100644
--- a/manila/tests/fake_notifier.py
+++ b/manila/tests/fake_notifier.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ FakeMessage = collections.namedtuple(
 
 class FakeNotifier(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, transport, publisher_id, serializer=None):
+    def __init__(self, transport, publisher_id=None, serializer=None):
         self.transport = transport
         self.publisher_id = publisher_id
         for priority in ['debug', 'info', 'warn', 'error', 'critical']:
diff --git a/manila/tests/test_rpc.py b/manila/tests/test_rpc.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9cd5d0d3d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/manila/tests/test_rpc.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#    Copyright 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
+#    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 ddt
+import mock
+
+from manila import rpc
+from manila import test
+
+
+@ddt.ddt
+class RPCTestCase(test.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(RPCTestCase, self).setUp()
+
+    @ddt.data([], ['noop'], ['noop', 'noop'])
+    @mock.patch('oslo_messaging.JsonPayloadSerializer', wraps=True)
+    def test_init_no_notifications(self, driver, serializer_mock):
+        self.override_config('driver', driver,
+                             group='oslo_messaging_notifications')
+        rpc.init(test.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):
+        rpc.init(test.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/manila/tests/test_utils.py b/manila/tests/test_utils.py
index fb4dc33501..31e6217b7f 100644
--- a/manila/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/manila/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import datetime
 import errno
+import json
 import socket
 import time
 
@@ -803,3 +804,38 @@ class ConvertStrTestCase(test.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(0, utils.encodeutils.safe_encode.call_count)
             self.assertIsInstance(output_value, six.string_types)
             self.assertEqual(six.text_type("binary_input"), output_value)
+
+
+@ddt.ddt
+class TestDisableNotifications(test.TestCase):
+    def test_do_nothing_getter(self):
+        """Test any attribute will always return the same instance (self)."""
+        donothing = utils.DoNothing()
+        self.assertIs(donothing, donothing.anyname)
+
+    def test_do_nothing_caller(self):
+        """Test calling the object will always return the same instance."""
+        donothing = utils.DoNothing()
+        self.assertIs(donothing, donothing())
+
+    def test_do_nothing_json_serializable(self):
+        """Test calling the object will always return the same instance."""
+        donothing = utils.DoNothing()
+        self.assertEqual('""', json.dumps(donothing))
+
+    @utils.if_notifications_enabled
+    def _decorated_method(self):
+        return mock.sentinel.success
+
+    def test_if_notification_enabled_when_enabled(self):
+        """Test method is called when notifications are enabled."""
+        result = self._decorated_method()
+        self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.success, result)
+
+    @ddt.data([], ['noop'], ['noop', 'noop'])
+    def test_if_notification_enabled_when_disabled(self, driver):
+        """Test method is not called when notifications are disabled."""
+        self.override_config('driver', driver,
+                             group='oslo_messaging_notifications')
+        result = self._decorated_method()
+        self.assertEqual(utils.DO_NOTHING, result)
diff --git a/manila/utils.py b/manila/utils.py
index c79a95b913..3be8e74886 100644
--- a/manila/utils.py
+++ b/manila/utils.py
@@ -641,3 +641,35 @@ def wait_for_access_update(context, db, share_instance,
             raise exception.ShareMigrationFailed(reason=msg)
         else:
             time.sleep(tries ** 2)
+
+
+class DoNothing(str):
+    """Class that literrally 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'}
+
+
+def if_notifications_enabled(function):
+    """Calls decorated method only if notifications are enabled."""
+    @functools.wraps(function)
+    def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
+        if notifications_enabled(CONF):
+            return function(*args, **kwargs)
+        return DO_NOTHING
+    return wrapped