diff --git a/nova/tests/test_migrations.py b/nova/tests/test_migrations.py
index 6987c2a29..d8fc1a78c 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_migrations.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_migrations.py
@@ -68,10 +68,11 @@ def _is_mysql_avail(user="openstack_citest",
         return True
 
 
-def _missing_mysql():
-    if "NOVA_TEST_MYSQL_PRESENT" in os.environ:
-        return True
-    return not _is_mysql_avail()
+def _have_mysql():
+    present = os.environ.get('NOVA_TEST_MYSQL_PRESENT')
+    if present is None:
+        return _is_mysql_avail()
+    return present.lower() in ('', 'true')
 
 
 class TestMigrations(test.TestCase):
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ class TestMigrations(test.TestCase):
         if _is_mysql_avail(user="openstack_cifail"):
             self.fail("Shouldn't have connected")
 
-    @test.skip_if(_missing_mysql(), "mysql not available")
+    @test.skip_unless(_have_mysql(), "mysql not available")
     def test_mysql_innodb(self):
         """
         Test that table creation on mysql only builds InnoDB tables