diff --git a/nova/tests/test_test_utils.py b/nova/tests/test_test_utils.py
index ef3a6fb6897e..2184d39af834 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_test_utils.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_test_utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import errno
+import socket
+
+import fixtures
+
 from nova import db
 from nova import test
 from nova.tests import utils as test_utils
@@ -39,3 +44,28 @@ class TestUtilsTestCase(test.TestCase):
         # The challenge here is to define what exactly such a structure
         # must look like.
         pass
+
+    def test_ipv6_supported(self):
+        self.assertIn(test_utils.is_ipv6_supported(), (False, True))
+
+        def fake_open(path):
+            raise IOError
+
+        def fake_socket_fail(x, y):
+            e = socket.error()
+            e.errno = errno.EAFNOSUPPORT
+            raise e
+
+        def fake_socket_ok(x, y):
+            return
+
+        with fixtures.MonkeyPatch('socket.socket', fake_socket_fail):
+            self.assertFalse(test_utils.is_ipv6_supported())
+
+        with fixtures.MonkeyPatch('socket.socket', fake_socket_ok):
+            with fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.platform', 'windows'):
+                self.assertTrue(test_utils.is_ipv6_supported())
+
+            with fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.platform', 'linux2'):
+                with fixtures.MonkeyPatch('__builtin__.open', fake_open):
+                    self.assertFalse(test_utils.is_ipv6_supported())
diff --git a/nova/tests/utils.py b/nova/tests/utils.py
index 748a85094682..20a924c94b7c 100644
--- a/nova/tests/utils.py
+++ b/nova/tests/utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import errno
 import platform
 import socket
+import sys
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
 
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ def killer_xml_body():
 
 
 def is_ipv6_supported():
-    has_ipv6_support = True
+    has_ipv6_support = socket.has_ipv6
     try:
         s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET6, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
     except socket.error as e:
@@ -185,4 +186,14 @@ def is_ipv6_supported():
             has_ipv6_support = False
         else:
             raise
+
+    # check if there is at least one interface with ipv6
+    if has_ipv6_support and sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
+        try:
+            with open('/proc/net/if_inet6') as f:
+                if not f.read():
+                    has_ipv6_support = False
+        except IOError:
+            has_ipv6_support = False
+
     return has_ipv6_support