diff --git a/barbicanclient/client.py b/barbicanclient/client.py
index 7f02da03..5b3085e1 100644
--- a/barbicanclient/client.py
+++ b/barbicanclient/client.py
@@ -38,19 +38,17 @@ class _HTTPClient(adapter.Adapter):
     def __init__(self, session, project_id=None, **kwargs):
         kwargs.setdefault('interface', _DEFAULT_SERVICE_INTERFACE)
         kwargs.setdefault('service_type', _DEFAULT_SERVICE_TYPE)
-
-        self._base_url = None
-
-        try:
-            endpoint = kwargs.pop('endpoint')
-        except KeyError:
-            pass
-        else:
-            self._base_url = '{0}/{1}'.format(endpoint, _DEFAULT_API_VERSION)
-            kwargs.setdefault('endpoint_override', self._base_url)
+        endpoint = kwargs.pop('endpoint', None)
 
         super(_HTTPClient, self).__init__(session, **kwargs)
 
+        if not endpoint:
+            endpoint = self.get_endpoint()
+
+        self.endpoint_override = '{0}/{1}'.format(endpoint,
+                                                  _DEFAULT_API_VERSION)
+        self._base_url = self.endpoint_override
+
         if project_id is None:
             self._default_headers = dict()
         else:
@@ -159,7 +157,7 @@ class Client(object):
             session = ks_session.Session(verify=kwargs.pop('verify', True))
 
         if session.auth is None and kwargs.get('auth') is None:
-            if kwargs.get('endpoint') is None:
+            if not kwargs.get('endpoint'):
                 raise ValueError('Barbican endpoint url must be provided when '
                                  'not using auth in the Keystone Session.')
 
diff --git a/functionaltests/client/test_client_connectivity.py b/functionaltests/client/test_client_connectivity.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..31d5e121
--- /dev/null
+++ b/functionaltests/client/test_client_connectivity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2015 Ericsson AB.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or
+# implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+import logging
+
+from functionaltests.base import BaseTestCase
+from barbicanclient import client
+from keystoneclient.auth import identity
+from keystoneclient import session
+from tempest import config
+
+CONF = config.CONF
+
+
+class WhenTestingClientConnectivity(BaseTestCase):
+
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        super(WhenTestingClientConnectivity, cls).setUpClass()
+        if 'v2' in CONF.identity.auth_version:
+            cls.auth = identity.v2.Password(
+                auth_url=CONF.identity.uri,
+                username=CONF.keymanager.username,
+                password=CONF.keymanager.password,
+                tenant_name=CONF.keymanager.project_name)
+        else:
+            cls.auth = identity.v3.Password(
+                auth_url=CONF.identity.uri_v3,
+                username=CONF.keymanager.username,
+                user_domain_name=CONF.identity.domain_name,
+                password=CONF.keymanager.password,
+                project_name=CONF.keymanager.project_name,
+                project_domain_name=CONF.keymanager.project_domain_name)
+
+        # enables the tests in this class to share a keystone token
+        cls.sess = session.Session(auth=cls.auth)
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.LOG.info('Starting: %s', self._testMethodName)
+        super(WhenTestingClientConnectivity, self).setUp()
+
+    def assert_client_can_contact_barbican(self, client):
+        """Asserts that the client has connectivity to Barbican.
+
+        If there was an error with the connectivity, the operations that are
+        attempted through the client would throw an exception.
+        """
+        containers = client.containers.list()
+        orders = client.orders.list()
+        secrets = client.secrets.list()
+
+        self.assertIsNotNone(containers)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(orders)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(secrets)
+
+    def test_can_access_server_if_endpoint_and_session_specified(self):
+        barbicanclient = client.Client(
+            endpoint=CONF.keymanager.url,
+            project_id=CONF.keymanager.project_id,
+            session=self.sess)
+
+        self.assert_client_can_contact_barbican(barbicanclient)
+
+    def test_client_can_access_server_if_no_endpoint_specified(self):
+        barbicanclient = client.Client(
+            project_id=CONF.keymanager.project_id,
+            session=self.sess)
+
+        self.assert_client_can_contact_barbican(barbicanclient)
+
+    def test_client_can_access_server_if_no_session_specified(self):
+        barbicanclient = client.Client(
+            endpoint=CONF.keymanager.url,
+            project_id=CONF.keymanager.project_id,
+            auth=self.auth)
+
+        self.assert_client_can_contact_barbican(barbicanclient)