diff --git a/bin/nova-compute b/bin/nova-compute
index d93ddb5bd3c3..8826015d4104 100755
--- a/bin/nova-compute
+++ b/bin/nova-compute
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     logging.setup('nova')
     utils.monkey_patch()
     server = service.Service.create(binary='nova-compute',
-                                    topic=CONF.compute_topic)
+                                    topic=CONF.compute_topic,
+                                    db_allowed=False)
     service.serve(server)
     service.wait()
diff --git a/nova/compute/manager.py b/nova/compute/manager.py
index 98ed1286eac6..a517f8ffb911 100644
--- a/nova/compute/manager.py
+++ b/nova/compute/manager.py
@@ -478,15 +478,12 @@ class ComputeManager(manager.SchedulerDependentManager):
                 LOG.warning(_('Hypervisor driver does not support '
                               'firewall rules'), instance=instance)
 
-    def _get_instances_at_startup(self, context):
-        self.conductor_api.wait_until_ready(context)
-        return self.conductor_api.instance_get_all_by_host(context, self.host)
-
     def init_host(self):
         """Initialization for a standalone compute service."""
         self.driver.init_host(host=self.host)
         context = nova.context.get_admin_context()
-        instances = self._get_instances_at_startup(context)
+        instances = self.conductor_api.instance_get_all_by_host(context,
+                                                                self.host)
 
         if CONF.defer_iptables_apply:
             self.driver.filter_defer_apply_on()
diff --git a/nova/service.py b/nova/service.py
index 86f022f61801..05049d464250 100644
--- a/nova/service.py
+++ b/nova/service.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import time
 import eventlet
 import greenlet
 
+from nova import conductor
 from nova import context
 from nova import db
 from nova import exception
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ from nova.openstack.common import eventlet_backdoor
 from nova.openstack.common import importutils
 from nova.openstack.common import log as logging
 from nova.openstack.common import rpc
+from nova.openstack.common.rpc import common as rpc_common
 from nova import servicegroup
 from nova import utils
 from nova import version
@@ -392,7 +394,7 @@ class Service(object):
 
     def __init__(self, host, binary, topic, manager, report_interval=None,
                  periodic_enable=None, periodic_fuzzy_delay=None,
-                 periodic_interval_max=None,
+                 periodic_interval_max=None, db_allowed=True,
                  *args, **kwargs):
         self.host = host
         self.binary = binary
@@ -407,6 +409,9 @@ class Service(object):
         self.saved_args, self.saved_kwargs = args, kwargs
         self.timers = []
         self.backdoor_port = None
+        self.db_allowed = db_allowed
+        self.conductor_api = conductor.API(use_local=db_allowed)
+        self.conductor_api.wait_until_ready(context.get_admin_context())
         self.servicegroup_api = servicegroup.API()
 
     def start(self):
@@ -481,7 +486,8 @@ class Service(object):
     @classmethod
     def create(cls, host=None, binary=None, topic=None, manager=None,
                report_interval=None, periodic_enable=None,
-               periodic_fuzzy_delay=None, periodic_interval_max=None):
+               periodic_fuzzy_delay=None, periodic_interval_max=None,
+               db_allowed=True):
         """Instantiates class and passes back application object.
 
         :param host: defaults to CONF.host
@@ -514,7 +520,8 @@ class Service(object):
                           report_interval=report_interval,
                           periodic_enable=periodic_enable,
                           periodic_fuzzy_delay=periodic_fuzzy_delay,
-                          periodic_interval_max=periodic_interval_max)
+                          periodic_interval_max=periodic_interval_max,
+                          db_allowed=db_allowed)
 
         return service_obj
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py b/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
index 23df703bea56..2239e243a1b3 100644
--- a/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
+++ b/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
@@ -3175,8 +3175,8 @@ class ComputeTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         def _do_mock_calls(defer_iptables_apply):
             self.compute.driver.init_host(host=our_host)
             context.get_admin_context().AndReturn(fake_context)
-            self.compute._get_instances_at_startup(fake_context).AndReturn(
-                    startup_instances)
+            self.compute.conductor_api.instance_get_all_by_host(
+                    fake_context, our_host).AndReturn(startup_instances)
             if defer_iptables_apply:
                 self.compute.driver.filter_defer_apply_on()
             self.compute._destroy_evacuated_instances(fake_context)
@@ -3193,8 +3193,8 @@ class ComputeTestCase(BaseTestCase):
                                  'filter_defer_apply_on')
         self.mox.StubOutWithMock(self.compute.driver,
                 'filter_defer_apply_off')
-        self.mox.StubOutWithMock(self.compute,
-                                 '_get_instances_at_startup')
+        self.mox.StubOutWithMock(self.compute.conductor_api,
+                                 'instance_get_all_by_host')
         self.mox.StubOutWithMock(context, 'get_admin_context')
         self.mox.StubOutWithMock(self.compute,
                 '_destroy_evacuated_instances')