diff --git a/etc/tempest.conf.sample b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
index f5e51cd..ed98473 100644
--- a/etc/tempest.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
@@ -348,3 +348,7 @@
 enabled = True
 # directory where python client binaries are located
 cli_dir = /usr/local/bin
+
+[service_available]
+# Whether or not cinder is expected to be available
+cinder = True
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_attach_volume.py b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_attach_volume.py
index b507e03..6571491 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_attach_volume.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_attach_volume.py
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
     def setUpClass(cls):
         super(AttachVolumeTestJSON, cls).setUpClass()
         cls.device = 'vdb'
+        if not cls.config.service_available.cinder:
+            skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder is not available" % cls.__name__)
+            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
 
     def _detach(self, server_id, volume_id):
         self.servers_client.detach_volume(server_id, volume_id)
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_get.py b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_get.py
index 1acc57d..363cd6a 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_get.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_get.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
     def setUpClass(cls):
         super(VolumesGetTestJSON, cls).setUpClass()
         cls.client = cls.volumes_extensions_client
+        if not cls.config.service_available.cinder:
+            skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder is not available" % cls.__name__)
+            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
 
     @attr(type='smoke')
     def test_volume_create_get_delete(self):
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_list.py b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_list.py
index d52349e..02cc4e1 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_list.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_list.py
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@
     def setUpClass(cls):
         super(VolumesTestJSON, cls).setUpClass()
         cls.client = cls.volumes_extensions_client
+        if not cls.config.service_available.cinder:
+            skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder is not available" % cls.__name__)
+            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
         # Create 3 Volumes
         cls.volume_list = []
         cls.volume_id_list = []
diff --git a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_negative.py b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_negative.py
index de214fc..f1ef5a4 100644
--- a/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_negative.py
+++ b/tempest/api/compute/volumes/test_volumes_negative.py
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
     def setUpClass(cls):
         super(VolumesNegativeTest, cls).setUpClass()
         cls.client = cls.volumes_extensions_client
+        if not cls.config.service_available.cinder:
+            skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder is not available" % cls.__name__)
+            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
 
     @attr(type='gate')
     def test_volume_get_nonexistant_volume_id(self):
diff --git a/tempest/api/volume/base.py b/tempest/api/volume/base.py
index fc510cb..5770d28 100644
--- a/tempest/api/volume/base.py
+++ b/tempest/api/volume/base.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 from tempest import clients
 from tempest.common import log as logging
 from tempest.common.utils.data_utils import rand_name
-from tempest import exceptions
 import tempest.test
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -34,6 +33,10 @@
     def setUpClass(cls):
         cls.isolated_creds = []
 
+        if not cls.config.service_available.cinder:
+            skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder is not available" % cls.__name__)
+            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
+
         if cls.config.compute.allow_tenant_isolation:
             creds = cls._get_isolated_creds()
             username, tenant_name, password = creds
@@ -55,17 +58,11 @@
         cls.snapshots = []
         cls.volumes = []
 
-        skip_msg = ("%s skipped as Cinder endpoint is not available" %
-                    cls.__name__)
-        try:
-            cls.volumes_client.keystone_auth(cls.os.username,
-                                             cls.os.password,
-                                             cls.os.auth_url,
-                                             cls.volumes_client.service,
-                                             cls.os.tenant_name)
-        except exceptions.EndpointNotFound:
-            cls.clear_isolated_creds()
-            raise cls.skipException(skip_msg)
+        cls.volumes_client.keystone_auth(cls.os.username,
+                                         cls.os.password,
+                                         cls.os.auth_url,
+                                         cls.volumes_client.service,
+                                         cls.os.tenant_name)
 
     @classmethod
     def _get_identity_admin_client(cls):
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index 2e56628..025a2f6 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -538,6 +538,22 @@
         conf.register_opt(opt, group='scenario')
 
 
+service_available_group = cfg.OptGroup(name="service_available",
+                                       title="Available OpenStack Services")
+
+ServiceAvailableGroup = [
+    cfg.BoolOpt('cinder',
+                default=True,
+                help="Whether or not cinder is expected to be available"),
+]
+
+
+def register_service_available_opts(conf):
+    conf.register_group(scenario_group)
+    for opt in ServiceAvailableGroup:
+        conf.register_opt(opt, group='service_available')
+
+
 @singleton
 class TempestConfig:
     """Provides OpenStack configuration information."""
@@ -588,6 +604,7 @@
         register_compute_admin_opts(cfg.CONF)
         register_stress_opts(cfg.CONF)
         register_scenario_opts(cfg.CONF)
+        register_service_available_opts(cfg.CONF)
         self.compute = cfg.CONF.compute
         self.whitebox = cfg.CONF.whitebox
         self.identity = cfg.CONF.identity
@@ -600,6 +617,7 @@
         self.compute_admin = cfg.CONF['compute-admin']
         self.stress = cfg.CONF.stress
         self.scenario = cfg.CONF.scenario
+        self.service_available = cfg.CONF.service_available
         if not self.compute_admin.username:
             self.compute_admin.username = self.identity.admin_username
             self.compute_admin.password = self.identity.admin_password