diff --git a/tests/base.py b/tests/base.py
index a51eedd..7e63129 100755
--- a/tests/base.py
+++ b/tests/base.py
@@ -1432,7 +1432,8 @@
         self.log.debug("hostlist")
         hosts = super(RecordingAnsibleJob, self).getHostList(args)
         for host in hosts:
-            host['host_vars']['ansible_connection'] = 'local'
+            if not host['host_vars'].get('ansible_connection'):
+                host['host_vars']['ansible_connection'] = 'local'
 
         hosts.append(dict(
             name=['localhost'],
@@ -1738,6 +1739,9 @@
                     executor='fake-nodepool')
         if 'fakeuser' in node_type:
             data['username'] = 'fakeuser'
+        if 'windows' in node_type:
+            data['connection_type'] = 'winrm'
+
         data = json.dumps(data).encode('utf8')
         path = self.client.create(path, data,
                                   makepath=True,
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/config/inventory/git/common-config/zuul.yaml b/tests/fixtures/config/inventory/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
index ad530a7..36789a3 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/config/inventory/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/config/inventory/git/common-config/zuul.yaml
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
         label: default-label
       - name: fakeuser
         label: fakeuser-label
+      - name: windows
+        label: windows-label
 
 - job:
     name: base
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_inventory.py b/tests/unit/test_inventory.py
index 1c41f5f..be50447 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_inventory.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_inventory.py
@@ -119,5 +119,15 @@
             self.assertEqual(
                 inventory['all']['hosts'][node_name]['ansible_user'], username)
 
+            # check if the nodes use the correct or no ansible_connection
+            if node_name == 'windows':
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    inventory['all']['hosts'][node_name]['ansible_connection'],
+                    'winrm')
+            else:
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    'local',
+                    inventory['all']['hosts'][node_name]['ansible_connection'])
+
         self.executor_server.release()
         self.waitUntilSettled()