diff --git a/nova/tests/test_api.py b/nova/tests/test_api.py
index 2d3d4b60..cb33df2b 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_api.py
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ class FakeHttplibConnection(object):
         resp = "HTTP/1.0 %s" % resp
         self.sock = FakeHttplibSocket(resp)
         self.http_response = httplib.HTTPResponse(self.sock)
+        # NOTE(vish): boto is accessing private variables for some reason
+        self._HTTPConnection__response = self.http_response
         self.http_response.begin()
 
     def getresponse(self):