diff --git a/neutron/agent/metadata_agent.py b/neutron/agent/metadata_agent.py
index b6e27914bd1..b392ed1f3ce 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/metadata_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/metadata_agent.py
@@ -37,7 +37,5 @@ def main():
     config.init(sys.argv[1:])
     config.setup_logging()
     utils.log_opt_values(LOG)
-    # metadata agent need not connect DB
-    cfg.CONF.set_override("connection", "", "database")
     proxy = agent.UnixDomainMetadataProxy(cfg.CONF)
     proxy.run()
diff --git a/neutron/db/api.py b/neutron/db/api.py
index 3957de91a41..4418bbc2825 100644
--- a/neutron/db/api.py
+++ b/neutron/db/api.py
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ def get_engine():
     return facade.get_engine()
 
 
+def dispose():
+    # Don't need to do anything if an enginefacade hasn't been created
+    if _FACADE is not None:
+        get_engine().pool.dispose()
+
+
 def get_session(autocommit=True, expire_on_commit=False):
     """Helper method to grab session."""
     facade = _create_facade_lazily()
diff --git a/neutron/service.py b/neutron/service.py
index 448251c383a..02221282309 100644
--- a/neutron/service.py
+++ b/neutron/service.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class RpcWorker(object):
         # We may have just forked from parent process.  A quick disposal of the
         # existing sql connections avoids producing errors later when they are
         # discovered to be broken.
-        session.get_engine().pool.dispose()
+        session.dispose()
         self._servers = self._plugin.start_rpc_listeners()
 
     def wait(self):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/metadata/test_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/metadata/test_agent.py
index e5bbe9b3791..3f328a24123 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/metadata/test_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/metadata/test_agent.py
@@ -587,8 +587,6 @@ class TestUnixDomainMetadataProxy(base.BaseTestCase):
                             mock.call(cfg.CONF),
                             mock.call().run()]
                         )
-                        cfg.CONF.set_override.assert_called_once_with(
-                            "connection", "", "database")
 
     def test_init_state_reporting(self):
         with mock.patch('os.makedirs'):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/test_wsgi.py b/neutron/tests/unit/test_wsgi.py
index da116ece392..b0e57d34814 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/test_wsgi.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/test_wsgi.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import webob
 import webob.exc
 
 from neutron.common import exceptions as exception
+from neutron.db import api
 from neutron.tests import base
 from neutron import wsgi
 
@@ -52,18 +53,17 @@ def open_no_proxy(*args, **kwargs):
 class TestWorkerService(base.BaseTestCase):
     """WorkerService tests."""
 
-    @mock.patch('neutron.db.api')
+    @mock.patch('neutron.db.api.get_engine')
     def test_start_withoutdb_call(self, apimock):
+        # clear engine from other tests
+        api._FACADE = None
         _service = mock.Mock()
-        _service.pool = mock.Mock()
-        _service.pool.spawn = mock.Mock()
         _service.pool.spawn.return_value = None
 
         _app = mock.Mock()
-        cfg.CONF.set_override("connection", "", "database")
         workerservice = wsgi.WorkerService(_service, _app)
         workerservice.start()
-        self.assertFalse(apimock.get_engine.called)
+        self.assertFalse(apimock.called)
 
 
 class TestWSGIServer(base.BaseTestCase):
diff --git a/neutron/wsgi.py b/neutron/wsgi.py
index cbb3292536d..a526fb824b6 100644
--- a/neutron/wsgi.py
+++ b/neutron/wsgi.py
@@ -101,8 +101,7 @@ class WorkerService(object):
         # We may have just forked from parent process.  A quick disposal of the
         # existing sql connections avoids producing 500 errors later when they
         # are discovered to be broken.
-        if CONF.database.connection:
-            api.get_engine().pool.dispose()
+        api.dispose()
         self._server = self._service.pool.spawn(self._service._run,
                                                 self._application,
                                                 self._service._socket)