diff --git a/zun/db/api.py b/zun/db/api.py
index e02bc162b..06b95f356 100644
--- a/zun/db/api.py
+++ b/zun/db/api.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ _BACKEND_MAPPING = {'sqlalchemy': 'zun.db.sqlalchemy.api'}
 IMPL = db_api.DBAPI.from_config(CONF,
                                 backend_mapping=_BACKEND_MAPPING,
                                 lazy=True)
+_etcd_instance = None
 
 
 @profiler.trace("db")
@@ -37,8 +38,11 @@ def _get_dbdriver_instance():
     if CONF.db_type == 'sql':
         return IMPL
     elif CONF.db_type == 'etcd':
-        import zun.db.etcd.api as etcd_api
-        return etcd_api.get_connection()
+        global _etcd_instance
+        if _etcd_instance is None:
+            import zun.db.etcd.api as etcd_api
+            _etcd_instance = etcd_api.get_connection()
+        return _etcd_instance
     else:
         raise exception.ConfigInvalid(
             _("db_type value of %s is invalid, "
diff --git a/zun/tests/unit/db/test_zun_service.py b/zun/tests/unit/db/test_zun_service.py
index 99137dd7e..8fd6abcca 100644
--- a/zun/tests/unit/db/test_zun_service.py
+++ b/zun/tests/unit/db/test_zun_service.py
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ from zun.tests.unit.db.utils import FakeEtcdResult
 
 class DbZunServiceTestCase(base.DbTestCase):
 
+    def setUp(self):
+        cfg.CONF.set_override('db_type', 'sql')
+        super(DbZunServiceTestCase, self).setUp()
+
     def test_create_zun_service(self):
         utils.create_test_zun_service()