diff --git a/nova/rpc/__init__.py b/nova/rpc/__init__.py
index 10b69c8b..2a47ba87 100644
--- a/nova/rpc/__init__.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/__init__.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from nova import flags
 
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
 flags.DEFINE_string('rpc_backend',
-                    'carrot',
+                    'kombu',
                     "The messaging module to use, defaults to carrot.")
 
 impl_table = {'kombu': 'nova.rpc.impl_kombu',
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def create_connection(new=True):
 
 
 def create_consumer(conn, topic, proxy, fanout=False):
-    return RPCIMPL.create_consumer(conn, topic, proxy, fanout)
+    RPCIMPL.create_consumer(conn, topic, proxy, fanout)
 
 
 def call(context, topic, msg):
diff --git a/nova/rpc/common.py b/nova/rpc/common.py
index 1d3065a8..b8c28063 100644
--- a/nova/rpc/common.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/common.py
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 from nova import exception
+from nova import flags
 from nova import log as logging
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger('nova.rpc')
 
+flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_thread_pool_size', 1024,
+                             'Size of RPC thread pool')
+flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_conn_pool_size', 30,
+                             'Size of RPC connection pool')
+
 
 class RemoteError(exception.Error):
     """Signifies that a remote class has raised an exception.
diff --git a/nova/rpc/impl_carrot.py b/nova/rpc/impl_carrot.py
index efff788a..07af0a11 100644
--- a/nova/rpc/impl_carrot.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/impl_carrot.py
@@ -49,10 +49,6 @@ from nova.rpc.common import RemoteError, LOG
 eventlet.monkey_patch()
 
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
-flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_thread_pool_size', 1024,
-                     'Size of RPC thread pool')
-flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_conn_pool_size', 30,
-                     'Size of RPC connection pool')
 
 
 class Connection(carrot_connection.BrokerConnection):
diff --git a/nova/rpc/impl_kombu.py b/nova/rpc/impl_kombu.py
index bd83bc52..49bca1d8 100644
--- a/nova/rpc/impl_kombu.py
+++ b/nova/rpc/impl_kombu.py
@@ -40,11 +40,6 @@ eventlet.monkey_patch()
 
 FLAGS = flags.FLAGS
 
-flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_conn_pool_size', 30,
-                     'Size of RPC connection pool')
-flags.DEFINE_integer('rpc_thread_pool_size', 1024,
-                     'Size of RPC thread pool')
-
 
 class ConsumerBase(object):
     """Consumer base class."""
@@ -328,6 +323,9 @@ class Connection(object):
                 pass
             time.sleep(1)
         self.connection = kombu.connection.Connection(**self.params)
+        if FLAGS.fake_rabbit:
+            # Kludge to speed up tests.
+            self.connection.transport.polling_interval = 0.0
         self.consumer_num = itertools.count(1)
 
         try:
@@ -422,13 +420,13 @@ class Connection(object):
                 self.consume()
             except greenlet.GreenletExit:
                 return
-        if not self.consumer_thread:
+        if self.consumer_thread is None:
             self.consumer_thread = eventlet.spawn(_consumer_thread)
         return self.consumer_thread
 
     def cancel_consumer_thread(self):
         """Cancel a consumer thread"""
-        if self.consumer_thread:
+        if self.consumer_thread is not None:
             self.consumer_thread.kill()
             try:
                 self.consumer_thread.wait()
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py b/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 2215a908..00000000
--- a/nova/tests/test_rpc_amqp.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,88 +0,0 @@
-# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
-
-# Copyright (c) 2010 Openstack, LLC.
-# Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
-# All Rights Reserved.
-#
-#    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.
-
-"""
-Tests For RPC AMQP.
-"""
-
-from nova import context
-from nova import log as logging
-from nova import rpc
-from nova.rpc import amqp
-from nova import test
-
-
-LOG = logging.getLogger('nova.tests.rpc')
-
-
-class RpcAMQPTestCase(test.TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        super(RpcAMQPTestCase, self).setUp()
-        self.conn = rpc.create_connection(True)
-        self.receiver = TestReceiver()
-        self.consumer = rpc.create_consumer(self.conn,
-                                            'test',
-                                            self.receiver,
-                                            False)
-        self.consumer.attach_to_eventlet()
-        self.context = context.get_admin_context()
-
-    def test_connectionpool_single(self):
-        """Test that ConnectionPool recycles a single connection."""
-        conn1 = amqp.ConnectionPool.get()
-        amqp.ConnectionPool.put(conn1)
-        conn2 = amqp.ConnectionPool.get()
-        amqp.ConnectionPool.put(conn2)
-        self.assertEqual(conn1, conn2)
-
-
-class TestReceiver(object):
-    """Simple Proxy class so the consumer has methods to call.
-
-    Uses static methods because we aren't actually storing any state.
-
-    """
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def echo(context, value):
-        """Simply returns whatever value is sent in."""
-        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), value)
-        return value
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def context(context, value):
-        """Returns dictionary version of context."""
-        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), context)
-        return context.to_dict()
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def echo_three_times(context, value):
-        context.reply(value)
-        context.reply(value + 1)
-        context.reply(value + 2)
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def echo_three_times_yield(context, value):
-        yield value
-        yield value + 1
-        yield value + 2
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def fail(context, value):
-        """Raises an exception with the value sent in."""
-        raise Exception(value)
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_rpc_carrot.py b/nova/tests/test_rpc_carrot.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cf84980a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/tests/test_rpc_carrot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2010 United States Government as represented by the
+# Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    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.
+"""
+Unit Tests for remote procedure calls using queue
+"""
+
+from nova import context
+from nova import log as logging
+from nova.rpc import impl_carrot as rpc
+from nova import test
+
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger('nova.tests.rpc')
+
+
+class RpcCarrotTestCase(test.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(RpcCarrotTestCase, self).setUp()
+        self.conn = rpc.create_connection(True)
+        self.receiver = TestReceiver()
+        rpc.create_consumer(self.conn,
+                'test',
+                self.receiver,
+                False)
+        self.conn.consume_in_thread()
+        self.context = context.get_admin_context()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.conn.close()
+        super(RpcCarrotTestCase, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_connectionpool_single(self):
+        """Test that ConnectionPool recycles a single connection."""
+        conn1 = rpc.ConnectionPool.get()
+        rpc.ConnectionPool.put(conn1)
+        conn2 = rpc.ConnectionPool.get()
+        rpc.ConnectionPool.put(conn2)
+        self.assertEqual(conn1, conn2)
+
+    def test_call_succeed(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test', {"method": "echo",
+                                                 "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value, result)
+
+    def test_call_succeed_despite_multiple_returns(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test', {"method": "echo_three_times",
+                                                 "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value + 2, result)
+
+    def test_call_succeed_despite_multiple_returns_yield(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test',
+                          {"method": "echo_three_times_yield",
+                           "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value + 2, result)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_once(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            if i > 0:
+                self.fail('should only receive one response')
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_three_times(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo_three_times",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_three_times_yield(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo_three_times_yield",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_context_passed(self):
+        """Makes sure a context is passed through rpc call."""
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context,
+                          'test', {"method": "context",
+                                   "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(self.context.to_dict(), result)
+
+    def test_call_exception(self):
+        """Test that exception gets passed back properly.
+
+        rpc.call returns a RemoteError object.  The value of the
+        exception is converted to a string, so we convert it back
+        to an int in the test.
+
+        """
+        value = 42
+        self.assertRaises(rpc.RemoteError,
+                          rpc.call,
+                          self.context,
+                          'test',
+                          {"method": "fail",
+                           "args": {"value": value}})
+        try:
+            rpc.call(self.context,
+                     'test',
+                     {"method": "fail",
+                      "args": {"value": value}})
+            self.fail("should have thrown rpc.RemoteError")
+        except rpc.RemoteError as exc:
+            self.assertEqual(int(exc.value), value)
+
+    def test_nested_calls(self):
+        """Test that we can do an rpc.call inside another call."""
+        class Nested(object):
+            @staticmethod
+            def echo(context, queue, value):
+                """Calls echo in the passed queue"""
+                LOG.debug(_("Nested received %(queue)s, %(value)s")
+                        % locals())
+                # TODO: so, it will replay the context and use the same REQID?
+                # that's bizarre.
+                ret = rpc.call(context,
+                               queue,
+                               {"method": "echo",
+                                "args": {"value": value}})
+                LOG.debug(_("Nested return %s"), ret)
+                return value
+
+        nested = Nested()
+        conn = rpc.create_connection(True)
+        rpc.create_consumer(conn,
+                'nested',
+                nested,
+                False)
+        conn.consume_in_thread()
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context,
+                          'nested', {"method": "echo",
+                                     "args": {"queue": "test",
+                                              "value": value}})
+        conn.close()
+        self.assertEqual(value, result)
+
+
+class TestReceiver(object):
+    """Simple Proxy class so the consumer has methods to call.
+
+    Uses static methods because we aren't actually storing any state.
+
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo(context, value):
+        """Simply returns whatever value is sent in."""
+        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), value)
+        return value
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def context(context, value):
+        """Returns dictionary version of context."""
+        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), context)
+        return context.to_dict()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo_three_times(context, value):
+        context.reply(value)
+        context.reply(value + 1)
+        context.reply(value + 2)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo_three_times_yield(context, value):
+        yield value
+        yield value + 1
+        yield value + 2
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def fail(context, value):
+        """Raises an exception with the value sent in."""
+        raise Exception(value)
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_rpc_kombu.py b/nova/tests/test_rpc_kombu.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..457dfdec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/tests/test_rpc_kombu.py
@@ -0,0 +1,266 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2010 United States Government as represented by the
+# Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    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.
+"""
+Unit Tests for remote procedure calls using queue
+"""
+
+from nova import context
+from nova import log as logging
+from nova.rpc import impl_kombu as rpc
+from nova import test
+
+
+LOG = logging.getLogger('nova.tests.rpc')
+
+
+class RpcKombuTestCase(test.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(RpcKombuTestCase, self).setUp()
+        self.conn = rpc.create_connection()
+        self.receiver = TestReceiver()
+        rpc.create_consumer(self.conn,
+                'test',
+                self.receiver,
+                False)
+        self.conn.consume_in_thread()
+        self.context = context.get_admin_context()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.conn.close()
+        super(RpcKombuTestCase, self).tearDown()
+
+    def test_reusing_connection(self):
+        """Test that reusing a connection returns same one."""
+        conn_context = rpc.create_connection(new=False)
+        conn1 = conn_context.connection
+        conn_context.close()
+        conn_context = rpc.create_connection(new=False)
+        conn2 = conn_context.connection
+        conn_context.close()
+        self.assertEqual(conn1, conn2)
+
+    def test_topic_send_receive(self):
+        """Test sending to a topic exchange/queue"""
+
+        conn = rpc.create_connection()
+        message = 'topic test message'
+
+        self.received_message = None
+
+        def _callback(message):
+            self.received_message = message
+
+        conn.declare_topic_consumer('a_topic', _callback)
+        conn.topic_send('a_topic', message)
+        conn.consume(limit=1)
+        conn.close()
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.received_message, message)
+
+    def test_direct_send_receive(self):
+        """Test sending to a direct exchange/queue"""
+        conn = rpc.create_connection()
+        message = 'direct test message'
+
+        self.received_message = None
+
+        def _callback(message):
+            self.received_message = message
+
+        conn.declare_direct_consumer('a_direct', _callback)
+        conn.direct_send('a_direct', message)
+        conn.consume(limit=1)
+        conn.close()
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.received_message, message)
+
+    @test.skip_test("kombu memory transport seems buggy with fanout queues "
+            "as this test passes when you use rabbit (fake_rabbit=False)")
+    def test_fanout_send_receive(self):
+        """Test sending to a fanout exchange and consuming from 2 queues"""
+
+        conn = rpc.create_connection()
+        conn2 = rpc.create_connection()
+        message = 'fanout test message'
+
+        self.received_message = None
+
+        def _callback(message):
+            self.received_message = message
+
+        conn.declare_fanout_consumer('a_fanout', _callback)
+        conn2.declare_fanout_consumer('a_fanout', _callback)
+        conn.fanout_send('a_fanout', message)
+
+        conn.consume(limit=1)
+        conn.close()
+        self.assertEqual(self.received_message, message)
+
+        self.received_message = None
+        conn2.consume(limit=1)
+        conn2.close()
+        self.assertEqual(self.received_message, message)
+
+    def test_call_succeed(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test', {"method": "echo",
+                                                 "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value, result)
+
+    def test_call_succeed_despite_multiple_returns(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test', {"method": "echo_three_times",
+                                                 "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value + 2, result)
+
+    def test_call_succeed_despite_multiple_returns_yield(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context, 'test',
+                          {"method": "echo_three_times_yield",
+                           "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(value + 2, result)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_once(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            if i > 0:
+                self.fail('should only receive one response')
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_three_times(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo_three_times",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_multicall_succeed_three_times_yield(self):
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.multicall(self.context,
+                              'test',
+                              {"method": "echo_three_times_yield",
+                               "args": {"value": value}})
+        for i, x in enumerate(result):
+            self.assertEqual(value + i, x)
+
+    def test_context_passed(self):
+        """Makes sure a context is passed through rpc call."""
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context,
+                          'test', {"method": "context",
+                                   "args": {"value": value}})
+        self.assertEqual(self.context.to_dict(), result)
+
+    def test_call_exception(self):
+        """Test that exception gets passed back properly.
+
+        rpc.call returns a RemoteError object.  The value of the
+        exception is converted to a string, so we convert it back
+        to an int in the test.
+
+        """
+        value = 42
+        self.assertRaises(rpc.RemoteError,
+                          rpc.call,
+                          self.context,
+                          'test',
+                          {"method": "fail",
+                           "args": {"value": value}})
+        try:
+            rpc.call(self.context,
+                     'test',
+                     {"method": "fail",
+                      "args": {"value": value}})
+            self.fail("should have thrown rpc.RemoteError")
+        except rpc.RemoteError as exc:
+            self.assertEqual(int(exc.value), value)
+
+    def test_nested_calls(self):
+        """Test that we can do an rpc.call inside another call."""
+        class Nested(object):
+            @staticmethod
+            def echo(context, queue, value):
+                """Calls echo in the passed queue"""
+                LOG.debug(_("Nested received %(queue)s, %(value)s")
+                        % locals())
+                # TODO: so, it will replay the context and use the same REQID?
+                # that's bizarre.
+                ret = rpc.call(context,
+                               queue,
+                               {"method": "echo",
+                                "args": {"value": value}})
+                LOG.debug(_("Nested return %s"), ret)
+                return value
+
+        nested = Nested()
+        conn = rpc.create_connection(True)
+        rpc.create_consumer(conn,
+                'nested',
+                nested,
+                False)
+        conn.consume_in_thread()
+        value = 42
+        result = rpc.call(self.context,
+                          'nested', {"method": "echo",
+                                     "args": {"queue": "test",
+                                              "value": value}})
+        conn.close()
+        self.assertEqual(value, result)
+
+
+class TestReceiver(object):
+    """Simple Proxy class so the consumer has methods to call.
+
+    Uses static methods because we aren't actually storing any state.
+
+    """
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo(context, value):
+        """Simply returns whatever value is sent in."""
+        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), value)
+        return value
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def context(context, value):
+        """Returns dictionary version of context."""
+        LOG.debug(_("Received %s"), context)
+        return context.to_dict()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo_three_times(context, value):
+        context.reply(value)
+        context.reply(value + 1)
+        context.reply(value + 2)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def echo_three_times_yield(context, value):
+        yield value
+        yield value + 1
+        yield value + 2
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def fail(context, value):
+        """Raises an exception with the value sent in."""
+        raise Exception(value)