diff --git a/nova/network/model.py b/nova/network/model.py
index 36cd85499c38..e2183b77b95a 100644
--- a/nova/network/model.py
+++ b/nova/network/model.py
@@ -467,6 +467,15 @@ class NetworkInfo(list):
             network_info = jsonutils.loads(network_info)
         return cls([VIF.hydrate(vif) for vif in network_info])
 
+    def wait(self, do_raise=True):
+        """Wait for asynchronous call to finish."""
+        # There is no asynchronous call for this class, so this is a no-op
+        # here, but subclasses may override to provide asynchronous
+        # capabilities. Must be defined here in the parent class so that code
+        # which works with both parent and subclass types can reference this
+        # method.
+        pass
+
     def json(self):
         return jsonutils.dumps(self)
 
@@ -529,7 +538,7 @@ class NetworkInfoAsyncWrapper(NetworkInfo):
         return self._sync_wrapper(fn, *args, **kwargs)
 
     def wait(self, do_raise=True):
-        """Wait for async call to finish."""
+        """Wait for asynchronous call to finish."""
         if self._gt is not None:
             try:
                 # NOTE(comstud): This looks funky, but this object is
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute_mgr.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute_mgr.py
index 13442ed5c348..b15c40cb164f 100755
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute_mgr.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute_mgr.py
@@ -4378,11 +4378,12 @@ class ComputeManagerBuildInstanceTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                 system_metadata={},
                 expected_attrs=['system_metadata'])
 
-        self.compute._build_networks_for_instance(self.context, instance,
-                self.requested_networks, self.security_groups)
+        nw_info_obj = self.compute._build_networks_for_instance(self.context,
+                instance, self.requested_networks, self.security_groups)
 
         mock_allocate.assert_called_once_with(self.context, instance,
                 self.requested_networks, None, self.security_groups, None)
+        self.assertTrue(hasattr(nw_info_obj, 'wait'), "wait must be there")
 
     @mock.patch.object(manager.ComputeManager, '_allocate_network')
     @mock.patch.object(network_api.API, 'get_instance_nw_info')
@@ -4391,11 +4392,12 @@ class ComputeManagerBuildInstanceTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                 system_metadata=dict(network_allocated='False'),
                 expected_attrs=['system_metadata'])
 
-        self.compute._build_networks_for_instance(self.context, instance,
-                self.requested_networks, self.security_groups)
+        nw_info_obj = self.compute._build_networks_for_instance(self.context,
+                instance, self.requested_networks, self.security_groups)
 
         mock_allocate.assert_called_once_with(self.context, instance,
                 self.requested_networks, None, self.security_groups, None)
+        self.assertTrue(hasattr(nw_info_obj, 'wait'), "wait must be there")
 
     @mock.patch.object(network_api.API, 'setup_instance_network_on_host')
     @mock.patch.object(manager.ComputeManager, '_allocate_network')
@@ -4409,8 +4411,9 @@ class ComputeManagerBuildInstanceTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         def fake_network_info():
             return network_model.NetworkInfo([{'address': '123.123.123.123'}])
 
-        mock_get.return_value = network_model.NetworkInfoAsyncWrapper(
-                                                            fake_network_info)
+        # this should be a NetworkInfo, not NetworkInfoAsyncWrapper, to match
+        # what get_instance_nw_info really returns
+        mock_get.return_value = fake_network_info()
 
         self.compute._build_networks_for_instance(self.context, instance,
                 self.requested_networks, self.security_groups)