diff --git a/tests/check_samples/__init__.py b/tests/check_samples/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_task_samples.py b/tests/check_samples/test_task_samples.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/functional/test_task_samples.py
rename to tests/check_samples/test_task_samples.py
diff --git a/tests/ci/pytest_launcher.py b/tests/ci/pytest_launcher.py
index d1e76d1072..911acd44bd 100755
--- a/tests/ci/pytest_launcher.py
+++ b/tests/ci/pytest_launcher.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ PYTEST_ARGUMENTS = ("py.test"  # base command
                     " --html=%(html_report)s"  # html report
                     " --self-contained-html"  # embedded css
                     " --durations=10"  # get a list of the slowest 10 tests
-                    " -n auto"  # launch tests in parallel
+                    " -n %(concurrency)s"  # launch tests in parallel
                     " %(path)s"
                     )
 
@@ -42,9 +42,8 @@ def main(args):
     parser.add_argument("--posargs", metavar="<str>", type=str, default="",
                         help="TOX posargs. Currently supported only string to "
                              "partial test or tests group to launch.")
-    parser.add_argument("--timeout", metavar="<seconds>", type=int, default=60,
-                        help="Timeout for individual test execution. "
-                             "Defaults to 60")
+    parser.add_argument("--concurrency", metavar="<N>", type=int,
+                        help="Number of parallel processes.")
     args = parser.parse_args(args[1:])
 
     # We allow only one parameter - path to partial test or tests group
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ def main(args):
 
     args = PYTEST_ARGUMENTS % {"html_report": pytest_report,
                                "path": path,
-                               "timeout": args.timeout}
+                               "concurrency": args.concurrency or "auto"}
     try:
         subprocess.check_call(args.split(" "),
                               stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
diff --git a/tests/ci/rally_cli_job.sh b/tests/ci/rally_cli_job.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..1fe87b47b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ci/rally_cli_job.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+LOCAL_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"
+
+DB_CONNECTION="$(rally-manage db show)"
+
+if [[ $DB_CONNECTION == sqlite* ]]; then
+    CONCURRENCY=0
+else
+    # in case of not sqlite db backends we cannot launch tests in parallel due
+    # to possible conflicts
+    CONCURRENCY=1
+    # currently, RCI_KEEP_DB variable is used to not create new databases per
+    # each test
+    export RCI_KEEP_DB=1
+fi
+
+
+python $LOCAL_DIR/pytest_launcher.py "tests/functional" --concurrency $CONCURRENCY
+
+python $LOCAL_DIR/pytest_launcher.py "tests/check_samples"
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index f132cde34d..599f44909d 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ commands = oslo_debug_helper -t tests {posargs}
 sitepackages = True
 commands =
   find . -type f -name "*.pyc" -delete
-  python {toxinidir}/tests/ci/pytest_launcher.py "tests/functional" --timeout -1 --posargs={posargs}
+  {toxinidir}/tests/ci/rally_cli_job.sh
 
 [testenv:cover]
 commands = {toxinidir}/tests/ci/cover.sh {posargs}