diff --git a/neutron/tests/etc/neutron.conf.test b/neutron/tests/etc/neutron.conf.test
index 45f0e778f5c..45fcf29411e 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/etc/neutron.conf.test
+++ b/neutron/tests/etc/neutron.conf.test
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ api_extensions_path = unit/extensions
 api_paste_config = api-paste.ini.test
 
 # The messaging module to use, defaults to kombu.
-rpc_backend = neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake
+rpc_backend = fake
 
 lock_path = $state_path/lock
 
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/hyperv/test_hyperv_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/hyperv/test_hyperv_neutron_agent.py
index 49fc04c0e78..1de90d12fec 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/hyperv/test_hyperv_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/hyperv/test_hyperv_neutron_agent.py
@@ -36,9 +36,6 @@ class TestHyperVNeutronAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestHyperVNeutronAgent, self).setUp()
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
 
         utilsfactory._get_windows_version = mock.MagicMock(
             return_value='6.2.0')
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/ibm/test_sdnve_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/ibm/test_sdnve_agent.py
index 3b33d901e6d..085ec936d18 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/ibm/test_sdnve_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/ibm/test_sdnve_agent.py
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ class TestSdnveNeutronAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
         notifier_cls = notifier_p.start()
         self.notifier = mock.Mock()
         notifier_cls.return_value = self.notifier
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('integration_bridge',
                               'br_int', group='SDNVE')
         kwargs = sdnve_neutron_agent.create_agent_config_map(cfg.CONF)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/linuxbridge/test_lb_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/linuxbridge/test_lb_neutron_agent.py
index 0c4661267d8..adc3822db39 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/linuxbridge/test_lb_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/linuxbridge/test_lb_neutron_agent.py
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@ class TestLinuxBridgeAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
         super(TestLinuxBridgeAgent, self).setUp()
         # disable setting up periodic state reporting
         cfg.CONF.set_override('report_interval', 0, 'AGENT')
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_neutron_agent.py
index d8bd5abf633..fafbd5c56d7 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_neutron_agent.py
@@ -66,9 +66,6 @@ class TestEswitchAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestEswitchAgent, self).setUp()
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_plugin_config.py b/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_plugin_config.py
index 90991a604c9..581f622c1a2 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_plugin_config.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/mlnx/test_mlnx_plugin_config.py
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ class TestMlnxPluginConfig(testlib_api.SqlTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestMlnxPluginConfig, self).setUp()
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_override(group='MLNX',
                               name='network_vlan_ranges',
                               override=self.config_vlan_ranges)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/nec/test_nec_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/nec/test_nec_agent.py
index 1bb7b64149e..a2125e19298 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/nec/test_nec_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/nec/test_nec_agent.py
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ class TestNecAgentBase(base.BaseTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('host', 'dummy-host')
         with contextlib.nested(
             mock.patch.object(ovs_lib.OVSBridge, 'get_datapath_id',
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/ofagent/test_ofa_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/ofagent/test_ofa_neutron_agent.py
index 9336611a2d2..e0bdaf709e1 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/ofagent/test_ofa_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/ofagent/test_ofa_neutron_agent.py
@@ -192,9 +192,6 @@ class TestOFANeutronAgent(ofa_test_base.OFAAgentTestBase):
         notifier_cls = notifier_p.start()
         self.notifier = mock.Mock()
         notifier_cls.return_value = self.notifier
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         kwargs = self.mod_agent.create_agent_config_map(cfg.CONF)
 
         class MockFixedIntervalLoopingCall(object):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/oneconvergence/test_nvsd_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/oneconvergence/test_nvsd_agent.py
index f04d2fecb11..d034755fbd4 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/oneconvergence/test_nvsd_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/oneconvergence/test_nvsd_agent.py
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ class TestOneConvergenceAgentBase(base.BaseTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         with contextlib.nested(
             mock.patch('neutron.openstack.common.loopingcall.'
                        'FixedIntervalLoopingCall'),
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
index b7e8f3c1335..17da5960da1 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
@@ -105,9 +105,6 @@ class TestOvsNeutronAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         kwargs = ovs_neutron_agent.create_agent_config_map(cfg.CONF)
 
         class MockFixedIntervalLoopingCall(object):
@@ -1379,9 +1376,6 @@ class AncillaryBridgesTest(base.BaseTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
-        # Avoid rpc initialization for unit tests
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('report_interval', 0, 'AGENT')
         self.kwargs = ovs_neutron_agent.create_agent_config_map(cfg.CONF)
 
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_tunnel.py b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_tunnel.py
index 8ddfa64be77..8da894ee0f4 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_tunnel.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/openvswitch/test_ovs_tunnel.py
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ class TunnelTest(base.BaseTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('report_interval', 0, 'AGENT')
 
         self.INT_BRIDGE = 'integration_bridge'
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/sriovnicagent/test_sriov_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/sriovnicagent/test_sriov_neutron_agent.py
index ac078e267bf..3a422ce8e96 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/sriovnicagent/test_sriov_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/sriovnicagent/test_sriov_neutron_agent.py
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ class TestSriovAgent(base.BaseTestCase):
         super(TestSriovAgent, self).setUp()
         # disable setting up periodic state reporting
         cfg.CONF.set_override('report_interval', 0, 'AGENT')
-        cfg.CONF.set_override('rpc_backend',
-                              'neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake')
         cfg.CONF.set_default('firewall_driver',
                              'neutron.agent.firewall.NoopFirewallDriver',
                              group='SECURITYGROUP')
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/vmware/etc/neutron.conf.test b/neutron/tests/unit/vmware/etc/neutron.conf.test
index 9eff4405d3d..4fd0092bf0d 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/vmware/etc/neutron.conf.test
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/vmware/etc/neutron.conf.test
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ bind_port = 9696
 api_paste_config = api-paste.ini.test
 
 # The messaging module to use, defaults to kombu.
-rpc_backend = neutron.openstack.common.rpc.impl_fake
+rpc_backend = fake
 
 lock_path = $state_path/lock