diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/volume/test_cinder.py b/nova/tests/unit/volume/test_cinder.py
index 218fa337e86b..2864ad7df6e7 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/volume/test_cinder.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/volume/test_cinder.py
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ class FakeCinderClient(object):
         def __getattr__(self, item):
             return None
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, version='2'):
+        self.version = version
         self.volumes = self.Volumes()
         self.volume_snapshots = self.volumes
 
@@ -290,6 +291,18 @@ class CinderApiTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
         self.api.detach(self.ctx, 'id1', instance_uuid='fake_uuid')
 
+    def test_detach_v1(self):
+        self.cinderclient = FakeCinderClient('1')
+
+        cinder.cinderclient(self.ctx).AndReturn(self.cinderclient)
+        self.mox.StubOutWithMock(self.cinderclient.volumes,
+                                 'detach',
+                                 use_mock_anything=True)
+        self.cinderclient.volumes.detach('id1')
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+
+        self.api.detach(self.ctx, 'id1', instance_uuid='fake_uuid')
+
     @mock.patch('nova.volume.cinder.cinderclient')
     def test_initialize_connection(self, mock_cinderclient):
         connection_info = {'foo': 'bar'}
diff --git a/nova/volume/cinder.py b/nova/volume/cinder.py
index 8d4011bdfe2d..d40803311f4d 100644
--- a/nova/volume/cinder.py
+++ b/nova/volume/cinder.py
@@ -378,6 +378,11 @@ class API(object):
     @translate_volume_exception
     def detach(self, context, volume_id, instance_uuid=None,
                attachment_id=None):
+        client = cinderclient(context)
+        if client.version == '1':
+            client.volumes.detach(volume_id)
+            return
+
         if attachment_id is None:
             volume = self.get(context, volume_id)
             if volume['multiattach']:
@@ -403,7 +408,7 @@ class API(object):
                                     "cannot perform the detach."),
                                 {'volume_id': volume_id})
 
-        cinderclient(context).volumes.detach(volume_id, attachment_id)
+        client.volumes.detach(volume_id, attachment_id)
 
     @translate_volume_exception
     def initialize_connection(self, context, volume_id, connector):