diff --git a/awx/main/tests/base.py b/awx/main/tests/base.py
index 09b30b5523..281515dc41 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/base.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/base.py
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ class BaseTestMixin(object):
             self._temp_paths.append(callback_queue_path)
             settings.CALLBACK_QUEUE_PORT = 'ipc://%s' % callback_queue_path
             settings.TASK_COMMAND_PORT = 'ipc:///tmp/task_command_receiver_%d.ipc' % callback_port
+        # Disable socket notifications for unit tests.
+        settings.SOCKETIO_NOTIFICATION_PORT = None
         # Make temp job status directory for unit tests.
         job_status_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
         self._temp_paths.append(job_status_dir)
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/commands.py b/awx/main/tests/commands.py
index f9411f1512..3a118287e2 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/commands.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/commands.py
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ class CleanupJobsTest(BaseCommandMixin, BaseLiveServerTest):
         self.project = None
         self.credential = None
         settings.INTERNAL_API_URL = self.live_server_url
-        self.start_queue(settings.CALLBACK_CONSUMER_PORT, settings.CALLBACK_QUEUE_PORT)
+        if settings.CALLBACK_CONSUMER_PORT:
+            self.start_queue(settings.CALLBACK_CONSUMER_PORT, settings.CALLBACK_QUEUE_PORT)
 
     def tearDown(self):
         super(CleanupJobsTest, self).tearDown()
diff --git a/awx/main/utils.py b/awx/main/utils.py
index a9a582b03a..81b5763e55 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils.py
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ from Crypto.Cipher import AES
 # ZeroMQ
 import zmq
 
-# Django
-from django.conf import settings
-
 __all__ = ['get_object_or_400', 'get_object_or_403', 'camelcase_to_underscore',
            'get_ansible_version', 'get_awx_version', 'update_scm_url',
            'get_type_for_model', 'get_model_for_type']
@@ -345,9 +342,11 @@ def get_system_task_capacity():
     return 50 + ((int(total_mem_value) / 1024) - 2) * 75
 
 def emit_websocket_notification(endpoint, event, payload):
-    emit_context = zmq.Context()
-    emit_socket = emit_context.socket(zmq.PUSH)
-    emit_socket.connect(settings.SOCKETIO_NOTIFICATION_PORT)
-    payload['event'] = event
-    payload['endpoint'] = endpoint
-    emit_socket.send_json(payload);
+    from django.conf import settings
+    if getattr(settings, 'SOCKETIO_NOTIFICATION_PORT', None):
+        emit_context = zmq.Context()
+        emit_socket = emit_context.socket(zmq.PUSH)
+        emit_socket.connect(settings.SOCKETIO_NOTIFICATION_PORT)
+        payload['event'] = event
+        payload['endpoint'] = endpoint
+        emit_socket.send_json(payload);