diff --git a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/protocols/amqp/driver.py b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/protocols/amqp/driver.py
index 4dca34ba8..0a3f889e7 100644
--- a/oslo_messaging/_drivers/protocols/amqp/driver.py
+++ b/oslo_messaging/_drivers/protocols/amqp/driver.py
@@ -233,7 +233,6 @@ class ProtonDriver(base.BaseDriver):
         if retry is not None:
             raise NotImplementedError('"retry" not implemented by '
                                       'this transport driver')
-
         request = marshal_request(message, ctxt, envelope)
         expire = 0
         if timeout:
@@ -246,14 +245,16 @@ class ProtonDriver(base.BaseDriver):
         self._ctrl.add_task(task)
         # wait for the eventloop to process the command. If the command is
         # an RPC call retrieve the reply message
-        reply = task.wait(timeout)
-        if reply:
-            # TODO(kgiusti) how to handle failure to un-marshal?  Must log, and
-            # determine best way to communicate this failure back up to the
-            # caller
-            reply = unmarshal_response(reply, self._allowed_remote_exmods)
-        LOG.debug("Send to %s returning", target)
-        return reply
+
+        if wait_for_reply:
+            reply = task.wait(timeout)
+            if reply:
+                # TODO(kgiusti) how to handle failure to un-marshal?
+                # Must log, and determine best way to communicate this failure
+                # back up to the caller
+                reply = unmarshal_response(reply, self._allowed_remote_exmods)
+            LOG.debug("Send to %s returning", target)
+            return reply
 
     @_ensure_connect_called
     def send_notification(self, target, ctxt, message, version,
diff --git a/oslo_messaging/tests/test_amqp_driver.py b/oslo_messaging/tests/test_amqp_driver.py
index 7d0320054..0c355170f 100644
--- a/oslo_messaging/tests/test_amqp_driver.py
+++ b/oslo_messaging/tests/test_amqp_driver.py
@@ -295,7 +295,6 @@ class TestAmqpNotification(_AmqpBrokerTestCase):
                    'topic-2.debug']
 
         excepted_targets = []
-        exception_count = 0
         for version in (1.0, 2.0):
             for t in targets:
                 try:
@@ -303,7 +302,6 @@ class TestAmqpNotification(_AmqpBrokerTestCase):
                                              "context", {'target': t},
                                              version)
                 except oslo_messaging.MessageDeliveryFailure:
-                    exception_count += 1
                     excepted_targets.append(t)
 
         listener.join(timeout=30)
@@ -314,9 +312,8 @@ class TestAmqpNotification(_AmqpBrokerTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(topics.count('topic-1.error'), 2)
         self.assertEqual(topics.count('topic-2.debug'), 2)
         self.assertEqual(self._broker.dropped_count, 4)
-        self.assertEqual(exception_count, 4)
-        self.assertEqual(excepted_targets.count('topic-1.bad'), 2)
-        self.assertEqual(excepted_targets.count('bad-topic.debug'), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(excepted_targets.count('topic-1.bad'), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(excepted_targets.count('bad-topic.debug'), 0)
         driver.cleanup()