diff --git a/neutron/tests/functional/test_server.py b/neutron/tests/functional/test_server.py
index 71283ec17f8..4479dc668da 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/functional/test_server.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/functional/test_server.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import multiprocessing
 import os
+import queue
 import signal
 import socket
 import time
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ class TestNeutronServer(base.BaseLoggingTestCase):
             # Make sure all processes are stopped
             os.kill(self.service_pid, signal.SIGKILL)
 
-    def _start_server(self, callback, workers):
+    def _start_server(self, callback, workers, processes_queue=None):
         """Run a given service.
 
         :param callback: callback that will start the required service
@@ -91,15 +92,7 @@ class TestNeutronServer(base.BaseLoggingTestCase):
         # If number of workers is 1 it is assumed that we run
         # a service in the current process.
         if self.workers > 1:
-            # Wait at most 10 seconds to spawn workers
-            condition = lambda: self.workers == len(self._get_workers())
-
-            utils.wait_until_true(
-                condition, timeout=10, sleep=0.1,
-                exception=RuntimeError(
-                    "Failed to start %d workers." % self.workers))
-
-            workers = self._get_workers()
+            workers = self._get_workers(10, processes_queue=processes_queue)
             self.assertEqual(len(workers), self.workers)
             return workers
 
@@ -110,21 +103,35 @@ class TestNeutronServer(base.BaseLoggingTestCase):
 
         return [self.service_pid]
 
-    def _get_workers(self):
+    def _get_workers(self, timeout, processes_queue=None):
         """Get the list of processes in which WSGI server is running."""
-
         def safe_ppid(proc):
             try:
                 return proc.ppid()
             except psutil.NoSuchProcess:
                 return None
 
-        if self.workers > 1:
-            return [proc.pid for proc in psutil.process_iter()
-                    if safe_ppid(proc) == self.service_pid]
-        else:
-            return [proc.pid for proc in psutil.process_iter()
-                    if proc.pid == self.service_pid]
+        def get_workers_pid():
+            if self.workers > 1:
+                return [proc.pid for proc in psutil.process_iter()
+                        if safe_ppid(proc) == self.service_pid]
+            else:
+                return [proc.pid for proc in psutil.process_iter()
+                        if proc.pid == self.service_pid]
+
+        exception = RuntimeError('Failed to start %d workers.' % self.workers)
+
+        if processes_queue:
+            try:
+                return processes_queue.get(timeout=timeout)
+            except queue.Empty:
+                raise exception
+
+        # Wait at most 10 seconds to spawn workers
+        condition = lambda: self.workers == len(get_workers_pid())
+        utils.wait_until_true(condition, timeout=timeout, sleep=0.1,
+                              exception=exception)
+        return get_workers_pid()
 
     def _check_active(self):
         """Dummy service activity check."""
@@ -137,7 +144,8 @@ class TestNeutronServer(base.BaseLoggingTestCase):
     def _fake_reset(self):
         self._mp_queue.put(FAKE_RESET_MSG)
 
-    def _test_restart_service_on_sighup(self, service, workers=1):
+    def _test_restart_service_on_sighup(self, service, workers=1,
+                                        processes_queue=None):
         """Test that a service correctly (re)starts on receiving SIGHUP.
 
         1. Start a service with a given number of workers.
@@ -145,7 +153,8 @@ class TestNeutronServer(base.BaseLoggingTestCase):
         3. Wait for workers (if any) to (re)start.
         """
 
-        self._start_server(callback=service, workers=workers)
+        self._start_server(callback=service, workers=workers,
+                           processes_queue=processes_queue)
         os.kill(self.service_pid, signal.SIGHUP)
 
         # After sending SIGHUP it is expected that there will be as many
@@ -244,6 +253,7 @@ class TestRPCServer(TestNeutronServer):
         self._plugin_patcher = mock.patch(TARGET_PLUGIN, autospec=True)
         self.plugin = self._plugin_patcher.start()
         self.plugin.return_value.rpc_workers_supported = True
+        self._processes_queue = multiprocessing.Queue()
 
     def _serve_rpc(self, workers=1):
         """Start RPC server with a given number of workers."""
@@ -264,11 +274,13 @@ class TestRPCServer(TestNeutronServer):
             CONF.set_override("rpc_state_report_workers", 0)
 
             rpc_workers_launcher = service.start_rpc_workers()
+            self._processes_queue.put(list(rpc_workers_launcher.children))
             rpc_workers_launcher.wait()
 
     def test_restart_rpc_on_sighup_multiple_workers(self):
-        self._test_restart_service_on_sighup(service=self._serve_rpc,
-                                             workers=2)
+        self._test_restart_service_on_sighup(
+            service=self._serve_rpc, workers=2,
+            processes_queue=self._processes_queue)
 
 
 class TestPluginWorker(TestNeutronServer):