diff --git a/etc/tempest.conf.sample b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
index 8a7ad9c..c3e2c5f 100644
--- a/etc/tempest.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
@@ -409,6 +409,10 @@
 # Does the test environment support pausing? (boolean value)
 #pause=true
 
+# Does the test environment support shelving/unshelving?
+# (boolean value)
+#shelve=true
+
 # Does the test environment support suspend/resume? (boolean
 # value)
 #suspend=true
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_delete_server.py b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_delete_server.py
index 9e34922..9c8271f 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_delete_server.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_delete_server.py
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@
         self.assertEqual('204', resp['status'])
         self.client.wait_for_server_termination(server['id'])
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type='gate')
     def test_delete_server_while_in_shelved_state(self):
         # Delete a server while it's VM state is Shelved
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
index 71fcbff..ee525e7 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_server_actions.py
@@ -403,6 +403,8 @@
         self.assertEqual(202, resp.status)
         self.client.wait_for_server_status(self.server_id, 'ACTIVE')
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type='gate')
     def test_shelve_unshelve_server(self):
         resp, server = self.client.shelve_server(self.server_id)
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_servers_negative.py b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_servers_negative.py
index d3297ce..792b523 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_servers_negative.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/servers/test_servers_negative.py
@@ -425,6 +425,8 @@
                           self.client.restore_soft_deleted_server,
                           self.server_id)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_shelve_non_existent_server(self):
         # shelve a non existent server
@@ -432,6 +434,8 @@
         self.assertRaises(exceptions.NotFound, self.client.shelve_server,
                           nonexistent_server)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_shelve_shelved_server(self):
         # shelve a shelved server.
@@ -460,6 +464,8 @@
 
         self.client.unshelve_server(self.server_id)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_unshelve_non_existent_server(self):
         # unshelve a non existent server
@@ -467,6 +473,8 @@
         self.assertRaises(exceptions.NotFound, self.client.unshelve_server,
                           nonexistent_server)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_unshelve_server_invalid_state(self):
         # unshelve an active server.
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_delete_server.py b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_delete_server.py
index add69ab..e2b47ee 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_delete_server.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_delete_server.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@
         self.assertEqual('204', resp['status'])
         self.client.wait_for_server_termination(server['id'])
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type='gate')
     def test_delete_server_while_in_shelved_state(self):
         # Delete a server while it's VM state is Shelved
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_server_actions.py b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_server_actions.py
index 3ee8050..4404043 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_server_actions.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_server_actions.py
@@ -394,6 +394,8 @@
         self.assertEqual(202, resp.status)
         self.client.wait_for_server_status(self.server_id, 'ACTIVE')
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type='gate')
     def test_shelve_unshelve_server(self):
         resp, server = self.client.shelve_server(self.server_id)
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_servers_negative.py b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_servers_negative.py
index 90deaa9..f8ff7c8 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_servers_negative.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/v3/servers/test_servers_negative.py
@@ -397,6 +397,8 @@
                           self.client.restore_soft_deleted_server,
                           self.server_id)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_shelve_non_existent_server(self):
         # shelve a non existent server
@@ -404,6 +406,8 @@
         self.assertRaises(exceptions.NotFound, self.client.shelve_server,
                           nonexistent_server)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_shelve_shelved_server(self):
         # shelve a shelved server.
@@ -431,6 +435,8 @@
 
         self.client.unshelve_server(self.server_id)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_unshelve_non_existent_server(self):
         # unshelve a non existent server
@@ -438,6 +444,8 @@
         self.assertRaises(exceptions.NotFound, self.client.unshelve_server,
                           nonexistent_server)
 
+    @testtools.skipUnless(CONF.compute_feature_enabled.shelve,
+                          'Shelve is not available.')
     @test.attr(type=['negative', 'gate'])
     def test_unshelve_server_invalid_state(self):
         # unshelve an active server.
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index 0796d98..7495149 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@
     cfg.BoolOpt('pause',
                 default=True,
                 help="Does the test environment support pausing?"),
+    cfg.BoolOpt('shelve',
+                default=True,
+                help="Does the test environment support shelving/unshelving?"),
     cfg.BoolOpt('suspend',
                 default=True,
                 help="Does the test environment support suspend/resume?"),