diff --git a/nova/test.py b/nova/test.py
index c96b05dbd114..af5e4131bb74 100644
--- a/nova/test.py
+++ b/nova/test.py
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         svc = self.useFixture(
             nova_fixtures.ServiceFixture(name, host, **kwargs))
 
-        if name == 'compute':
+        if name == 'compute' and self.USES_DB:
             ctxt = context.get_context()
             cell = self.cell_mappings[kwargs.pop('cell', CELL1_NAME)]
             hm = objects.HostMapping(context=ctxt,
diff --git a/nova/tests/functional/api_sample_tests/api_sample_base.py b/nova/tests/functional/api_sample_tests/api_sample_base.py
index 65a5cdea531b..aab616f76d45 100644
--- a/nova/tests/functional/api_sample_tests/api_sample_base.py
+++ b/nova/tests/functional/api_sample_tests/api_sample_base.py
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ CONF = nova.conf.CONF
 
 class ApiSampleTestBaseV21(testscenarios.WithScenarios,
                           api_samples_test_base.ApiSampleTestBase):
+    SUPPORTS_CELLS = False
+
     api_major_version = 'v2'
     # any additional fixtures needed for this scenario
     _additional_fixtures = []
@@ -87,13 +89,29 @@ class ApiSampleTestBaseV21(testscenarios.WithScenarios,
         for fix in self._additional_fixtures:
             self.useFixture(fix())
 
+        if not self.SUPPORTS_CELLS:
+            # NOTE(danms): Disable base automatic DB (and cells) config
+            self.USES_DB = False
+            self.USES_DB_SELF = True
+
         # super class call is delayed here so that we have the right
         # paste and conf before loading all the services, as we can't
         # change these later.
         super(ApiSampleTestBaseV21, self).setUp()
 
+        if not self.SUPPORTS_CELLS:
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.Database())
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.Database(database='api'))
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.DefaultFlavorsFixture())
+            self.useFixture(fixtures.SingleCellSimple())
+
+        super(ApiSampleTestBaseV21, self)._setup_services()
+
         self.useFixture(test.SampleNetworks(host=self.network.host))
         fake_network.stub_compute_with_ips(self.stubs)
         self.useFixture(fixtures.SpawnIsSynchronousFixture())
         # this is used to generate sample docs
         self.generate_samples = os.getenv('GENERATE_SAMPLES') is not None
+
+    def _setup_services(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/nova/tests/functional/integrated_helpers.py b/nova/tests/functional/integrated_helpers.py
index d59297fcf4dd..192b465592c0 100644
--- a/nova/tests/functional/integrated_helpers.py
+++ b/nova/tests/functional/integrated_helpers.py
@@ -79,19 +79,6 @@ class _IntegratedTestBase(test.TestCase):
         nova.tests.unit.image.fake.stub_out_image_service(self)
         self._setup_services()
 
-        self.api_fixture = self.useFixture(
-            nova_fixtures.OSAPIFixture(self.api_major_version))
-
-        # if the class needs to run as admin, make the api endpoint
-        # the admin, otherwise it's safer to run as non admin user.
-        if self.ADMIN_API:
-            self.api = self.api_fixture.admin_api
-        else:
-            self.api = self.api_fixture.api
-
-        if hasattr(self, 'microversion'):
-            self.api.microversion = self.microversion
-
         self.useFixture(cast_as_call.CastAsCall(self.stubs))
 
         self.addCleanup(nova.tests.unit.image.fake.FakeImageService_reset)
@@ -104,14 +91,32 @@ class _IntegratedTestBase(test.TestCase):
         return self.start_service('scheduler')
 
     def _setup_services(self):
+        # NOTE(danms): Set the global MQ connection to that of our first cell
+        # for any cells-ignorant code. Normally this is defaulted in the tests
+        # which will result in us not doing the right thing.
+        if 'cell1' in self.cell_mappings:
+            self.flags(transport_url=self.cell_mappings['cell1'].transport_url)
         self.conductor = self.start_service('conductor')
-        self.compute = self._setup_compute_service()
         self.consoleauth = self.start_service('consoleauth')
 
         self.network = self.start_service('network',
                                           manager=CONF.network_manager)
         self.scheduler = self._setup_scheduler_service()
 
+        self.compute = self._setup_compute_service()
+        self.api_fixture = self.useFixture(
+            nova_fixtures.OSAPIFixture(self.api_major_version))
+
+        # if the class needs to run as admin, make the api endpoint
+        # the admin, otherwise it's safer to run as non admin user.
+        if self.ADMIN_API:
+            self.api = self.api_fixture.admin_api
+        else:
+            self.api = self.api_fixture.api
+
+        if hasattr(self, 'microversion'):
+            self.api.microversion = self.microversion
+
     def get_unused_server_name(self):
         servers = self.api.get_servers()
         server_names = [server['name'] for server in servers]
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/cmd/test_status.py b/nova/tests/unit/cmd/test_status.py
index fbb43066d6a6..6e53419a7487 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/cmd/test_status.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/cmd/test_status.py
@@ -370,9 +370,13 @@ class TestUpgradeCheckCellsV2(test.NoDBTestCase):
         """Tests a successful cells v2 upgrade check."""
         # create the cell0 and first cell mappings
         self._setup_cells()
-        # create the host mapping indirectly - host mappings existing implies
-        # there is a compute node so that's not checked.
-        self.start_service('compute')
+        # Start a compute service and create a hostmapping for it
+        svc = self.start_service('compute')
+        cell = self.cell_mappings[test.CELL1_NAME]
+        hm = objects.HostMapping(context=context.get_admin_context(),
+                                 host=svc.host,
+                                 cell_mapping=cell)
+        hm.create()
 
         result = self.cmd._check_cellsv2()
         self.assertEqual(status.UpgradeCheckCode.SUCCESS, result.code)