diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index a75d36b..7fc828b 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -537,11 +537,11 @@
         self.daemon = True
         self.worker = worker
         self.job = job
-        self.name = job.name.split(':')[1]
         self.number = number
         self.node = node
         self.parameters = json.loads(job.arguments)
         self.unique = self.parameters['ZUUL_UUID']
+        self.name = self.parameters['job']
         self.wait_condition = threading.Condition()
         self.waiting = False
         self.aborted = False
@@ -643,6 +643,7 @@
     def __init__(self, *args, **kw):
         super(RecordingLaunchServer, self).__init__(*args, **kw)
         self.job_history = []
+        self.build_history = []
 
     def launch(self, job):
         self.job_history.append(job)
@@ -650,6 +651,14 @@
 
         def sendWorkComplete(data=b''):
             job.data.append(data)
+            params = json.loads(job.arguments)
+            result = json.loads(job.data[-1])
+            build = BuildHistory(job=job,
+                                 uuid=job.unique,
+                                 name=params['job'],
+                                 parameters=params,
+                                 result=result['result'])
+            self.build_history.append(build)
             gear.WorkerJob.sendWorkComplete(job, data)
 
         job.sendWorkComplete = sendWorkComplete
@@ -666,6 +675,7 @@
         self.fail_tests = {}
         self.test = test
 
+        self.registerFunction('launcher:launch')
         self.hold_jobs_in_build = False
         self.lock = threading.Lock()
         self.__work_thread = threading.Thread(target=self.work)
@@ -674,20 +684,17 @@
 
     def handleJob(self, job):
         parts = job.name.split(":")
-        cmd = parts[0]
-        name = parts[1]
-        if len(parts) > 2:
-            node = parts[2]
-        else:
-            node = None
-        if cmd == 'build':
-            self.handleBuild(job, name, node)
+        cmd = parts[1]
+        if cmd == 'launch':
+            self.handleLaunch(job)
         elif cmd == 'stop':
-            self.handleStop(job, name)
+            self.handleStop(job)
         elif cmd == 'set_description':
-            self.handleSetDescription(job, name)
+            self.handleSetDescription(job)
 
-    def handleBuild(self, job, name, node):
+    def handleLaunch(self, job):
+        # TODOv3(jeblair): handle nodes
+        node = None
         build = FakeBuild(self, job, self.build_counter, node)
         job.build = build
         self.gearman_jobs[job.unique] = job
@@ -696,7 +703,7 @@
         self.running_builds.append(build)
         build.start()
 
-    def handleStop(self, job, name):
+    def handleStop(self, job):
         self.log.debug("handle stop")
         parameters = json.loads(job.arguments)
         name = parameters['name']
@@ -709,7 +716,7 @@
                 return
         job.sendWorkFail()
 
-    def handleSetDescription(self, job, name):
+    def handleSetDescription(self, job):
         self.log.debug("handle set description")
         parameters = json.loads(job.arguments)
         name = parameters['name']
@@ -910,6 +917,27 @@
 class ZuulTestCase(BaseTestCase):
     config_file = 'zuul.conf'
 
+    def _startWorker(self):
+        self.worker = FakeWorker('fake_worker', self)
+        self.worker.addServer('127.0.0.1', self.gearman_server.port)
+        self.gearman_server.worker = self.worker
+        self.builds = self.worker.running_builds
+        self.history = self.worker.build_history
+
+    def _stopWorker(self):
+        self.worker.shutdown()
+
+    def _lockWorker(self):
+        self.worker.lock.acquire()
+
+    def _unlockWorker(self):
+        self.worker.lock.release()
+
+    def _startMerger(self):
+        self.merge_server = zuul.merger.server.MergeServer(self.config,
+                                                           self.connections)
+        self.merge_server.start()
+
     def setUp(self):
         super(ZuulTestCase, self).setUp()
         if USE_TEMPDIR:
@@ -988,10 +1016,6 @@
         self.configure_connections()
         self.sched.registerConnections(self.connections)
 
-        self.ansible_server = RecordingLaunchServer(
-            self.config, self.connections)
-        self.ansible_server.start()
-
         def URLOpenerFactory(*args, **kw):
             if isinstance(args[0], urllib.request.Request):
                 return old_urlopen(*args, **kw)
@@ -1000,6 +1024,9 @@
         old_urlopen = urllib.request.urlopen
         urllib.request.urlopen = URLOpenerFactory
 
+        self._startMerger()
+        self._startWorker()
+
         self.launcher = zuul.launcher.client.LaunchClient(
             self.config, self.sched, self.swift)
         self.merge_client = zuul.merger.client.MergeClient(
@@ -1149,7 +1176,10 @@
     def shutdown(self):
         self.log.debug("Shutting down after tests")
         self.launcher.stop()
+        self.merge_server.stop()
+        self.merge_server.join()
         self.merge_client.stop()
+        self._stopWorker()
         self.sched.stop()
         self.sched.join()
         self.statsd.stop()
@@ -1292,15 +1322,15 @@
         # Find out if every build that the worker has completed has been
         # reported back to Zuul.  If it hasn't then that means a Gearman
         # event is still in transit and the system is not stable.
-        for job in self.ansible_server.job_history:
-            zbuild = self.launcher.builds.get(job.unique)
+        for build in self.history:
+            zbuild = self.launcher.builds.get(build.uuid)
             if not zbuild:
                 # It has already been reported
                 continue
             # It hasn't been reported yet.
             return False
         # Make sure that none of the worker connections are in GRAB_WAIT
-        for connection in self.ansible_server.worker.active_connections:
+        for connection in self.worker.active_connections:
             if connection.state == 'GRAB_WAIT':
                 return False
         return True
@@ -1363,6 +1393,8 @@
                                (self.areAllBuildsWaiting(),))
                 raise Exception("Timeout waiting for Zuul to settle")
             # Make sure no new events show up while we're checking
+
+            self._lockWorker()
             # have all build states propogated to zuul?
             if self.haveAllBuildsReported():
                 # Join ensures that the queue is empty _and_ events have been
@@ -1374,9 +1406,11 @@
                     self.haveAllBuildsReported() and
                     self.areAllBuildsWaiting()):
                     self.sched.run_handler_lock.release()
+                    self._unlockWorker()
                     self.log.debug("...settled.")
                     return
                 self.sched.run_handler_lock.release()
+            self._unlockWorker()
             self.sched.wake_event.wait(0.1)
 
     def countJobResults(self, jobs, result):
@@ -1384,16 +1418,11 @@
         return len(jobs)
 
     def getJobFromHistory(self, name, project=None):
-        history = self.ansible_server.job_history
-        for job in history:
-            params = json.loads(job.arguments)
-            if (params['job'] == name and
-                (project is None or params['ZUUL_PROJECT'] == project)):
-                result = json.loads(job.data[-1])
-                ret = BuildHistory(job=job,
-                                   name=params['job'],
-                                   result=result['result'])
-                return ret
+        for job in self.history:
+            if (job.name == name and
+                (project is None or
+                 job.parameters['ZUUL_PROJECT'] == project)):
+                return job
         raise Exception("Unable to find job %s in history" % name)
 
     def assertEmptyQueues(self):
@@ -1461,3 +1490,23 @@
         repo.heads[branch].checkout()
         if tag:
             repo.create_tag(tag)
+
+
+class AnsibleZuulTestCase(ZuulTestCase):
+    """ZuulTestCase but with an actual ansible launcher running"""
+
+    def _startWorker(self):
+        self.ansible_server = RecordingLaunchServer(
+            self.config, self.connections)
+        self.ansible_server.start()
+        self.history = self.ansible_server.build_history
+        self.worker = self.ansible_server.worker
+
+    def _stopWorker(self):
+        self.ansible_server.stop()
+
+    def _lockWorker(self):
+        pass
+
+    def _unlockWorker(self):
+        pass
diff --git a/tests/test_v3.py b/tests/test_v3.py
index 50e20c8..f3064e5 100644
--- a/tests/test_v3.py
+++ b/tests/test_v3.py
@@ -17,16 +17,14 @@
 import logging
 import textwrap
 
-from tests.base import (
-    ZuulTestCase,
-)
+from tests.base import AnsibleZuulTestCase
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG,
                     format='%(asctime)s %(name)-32s '
                     '%(levelname)-8s %(message)s')
 
 
-class TestMultipleTenants(ZuulTestCase):
+class TestMultipleTenants(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
     # A temporary class to hold new tests while others are disabled
 
     tenant_config_file = 'config/multi-tenant/main.yaml'
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@
                          "not affect tenant one")
 
 
-class TestInRepoConfig(ZuulTestCase):
+class TestInRepoConfig(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
     # A temporary class to hold new tests while others are disabled
 
     tenant_config_file = 'config/in-repo/main.yaml'
@@ -114,7 +112,7 @@
                       "A should transit tenant-one gate")
 
 
-class TestProjectTemplate(ZuulTestCase):
+class TestProjectTemplate(AnsibleZuulTestCase):
     tenant_config_file = 'config/project-template/main.yaml'
 
     def test(self):