diff --git a/cinderclient/base.py b/cinderclient/base.py
index b263aec1a..da8357376 100644
--- a/cinderclient/base.py
+++ b/cinderclient/base.py
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ class Manager(common_base.HookableMixin):
             except KeyError:
                 pass
 
+        # FIXME(eharney): This is probably a bug - we should only call
+        # completion_cache for the shell, not here.
         with self.completion_cache('human_id', obj_class, mode="w"):
             with self.completion_cache('uuid', obj_class, mode="w"):
                 items_new = [obj_class(self, res, loaded=True)
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/unit/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/unit/test_shell.py
index e611ace7a..b94b8b9bf 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/unit/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/unit/test_shell.py
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             self.useFixture(fixtures.EnvironmentVariable(var,
                                                          self.FAKE_ENV[var]))
 
+        self.mock_completion()
+
     def shell(self, argstr):
         orig = sys.stdout
         try:
@@ -294,6 +296,11 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
 
 class CinderClientArgumentParserTest(utils.TestCase):
 
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(CinderClientArgumentParserTest, self).setUp()
+
+        self.mock_completion()
+
     def test_ambiguity_solved_for_one_visible_argument(self):
         parser = shell.CinderClientArgumentParser(add_help=False)
         parser.add_argument('--test-parameter',
@@ -336,6 +343,10 @@ class CinderClientArgumentParserTest(utils.TestCase):
 
 
 class TestLoadVersionedActions(utils.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestLoadVersionedActions, self).setUp()
+
+        self.mock_completion()
 
     def test_load_versioned_actions(self):
         parser = cinderclient.shell.CinderClientArgumentParser()
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/unit/utils.py b/cinderclient/tests/unit/utils.py
index a19f71047..124b71498 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/unit/utils.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/unit/utils.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import json
 import os
 
 import fixtures
+import mock
 import requests
 from requests_mock.contrib import fixture as requests_mock_fixture
 import six
@@ -40,6 +41,9 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
             stderr = self.useFixture(fixtures.StringStream('stderr')).stream
             self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch('sys.stderr', stderr))
 
+        # FIXME(eharney) - this should only be needed for shell tests
+        self.mock_completion()
+
     def _assert_request_id(self, obj, count=1):
         self.assertTrue(hasattr(obj, 'request_ids'))
         self.assertEqual(REQUEST_ID * count, obj.request_ids)
@@ -49,6 +53,16 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         return self.shell.cs.assert_called_anytime(method, url, body,
                                                    partial_body)
 
+    def mock_completion(self):
+        patcher = mock.patch(
+            'cinderclient.base.Manager.write_to_completion_cache')
+        patcher.start()
+        self.addCleanup(patcher.stop)
+
+        patcher = mock.patch('cinderclient.base.Manager.completion_cache')
+        patcher.start()
+        self.addCleanup(patcher.stop)
+
 
 class FixturedTestCase(TestCase):
 
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v1/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v1/test_shell.py
index 698542cc5..ef5948d5f 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v1/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v1/test_shell.py
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             self.useFixture(fixtures.EnvironmentVariable(var,
                                                          self.FAKE_ENV[var]))
 
+        self.mock_completion()
+
         self.shell = shell.OpenStackCinderShell()
 
         # HACK(bcwaldon): replace this when we start using stubs
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
index 4e966dd9c..50aad0ea8 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v2/test_shell.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             self.useFixture(fixtures.EnvironmentVariable(var,
                                                          self.FAKE_ENV[var]))
 
+        self.mock_completion()
+
         self.shell = shell.OpenStackCinderShell()
 
         self.requests = self.useFixture(requests_mock_fixture.Fixture())
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v3/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v3/test_shell.py
index eaba63f9c..b145d8e5e 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/unit/v3/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/unit/v3/test_shell.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             self.useFixture(fixtures.EnvironmentVariable(var,
                                                          self.FAKE_ENV[var]))
 
+        self.mock_completion()
+
         self.shell = shell.OpenStackCinderShell()
 
         self.requests = self.useFixture(requests_mock_fixture.Fixture())