diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/test_test.py b/nova/tests/unit/test_test.py
index cc7aced628ea..20b62e9c8e54 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/test_test.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/test_test.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class IsolationTestCase(test.TestCase):
         server.start()
 
 
-class JsonTestCase(test.TestCase):
+class JsonTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
     def test_json_equal(self):
         expected = {
             "employees": [
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ class JsonTestCase(test.TestCase):
             self.fail("This should have raised a mismatch exception")
 
 
-class BadLogTestCase(test.TestCase):
+class BadLogTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
     """Make sure a mis-formatted debug log will get caught."""
 
     def test_bad_debug_log(self):
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ class BadLogTestCase(test.TestCase):
             LOG.debug, "this is a misformated %(log)s", {'nothing': 'nothing'})
 
 
-class MatchTypeTestCase(test.TestCase):
+class MatchTypeTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
     def test_match_type_simple(self):
         matcher = test.MatchType(dict)