diff --git a/awx/main/tests/base.py b/awx/main/tests/base.py
index c33c6fa8e8..354158eff5 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/base.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/base.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class QueueStartStopTestMixin(QueueTestMixin):
         super(QueueStartStopTestMixin, self).tearDown()
         self.terminate_queue()
 
-
+ansible_version = get_ansible_version()
 class BaseTestMixin(QueueTestMixin):
     '''
     Mixin with shared code for use by all test cases.
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ class BaseTestMixin(QueueTestMixin):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super(BaseTestMixin, self).setUp()
+        global ansible_version
 
         self.object_ctr = 0
         # Save sys.path before tests.
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ class BaseTestMixin(QueueTestMixin):
         self._temp_paths = []
         self._current_auth = None
         self._user_passwords = {}
-        self.ansible_version = get_ansible_version()
+        self.ansible_version = ansible_version
         self.assertNotEqual(self.ansible_version, 'unknown')
         # Wrap settings so we can redefine them within each test.
         self._wrapped = settings._wrapped
diff --git a/awx/settings/development.py b/awx/settings/development.py
index 77e5156c4c..f0c66ffaed 100644
--- a/awx/settings/development.py
+++ b/awx/settings/development.py
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ if 'django_jenkins' in INSTALLED_APPS:
     JSHINT_CHECKED_FILES = [os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'ui/static/js'),
                             os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'ui/static/lib/ansible'),]
 
+# Much faster than the default
+# https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.6/topics/auth/passwords/#how-django-stores-passwords
+PASSWORD_HASHERS = (
+    'django.contrib.auth.hashers.MD5PasswordHasher',
+)
+
 # Configure a default UUID for development only.
 SYSTEM_UUID = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000'