diff --git a/nova/tests/test_imagecache.py b/nova/tests/test_imagecache.py
index e624a93d8521..dee937bd2376 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_imagecache.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_imagecache.py
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ from nova.virt.libvirt import imagecache
 from nova.virt.libvirt import utils as virtutils
 
 
+flags.DECLARE('instances_path', 'nova.compute.manager')
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger('nova.tests.test_imagecache')
 
 
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/imagecache.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/imagecache.py
index 00c22ab49d59..04b35f1efbb3 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/imagecache.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/imagecache.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ imagecache_opts = [
                     'removed'),
     ]
 
+flags.DECLARE('instances_path', 'nova.compute.manager')
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
 FLAGS.add_options(imagecache_opts)