diff --git a/roles/mailman/files/settings_test.py b/roles/mailman/files/settings_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..30a515164d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/mailman/files/settings_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#-*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+"""
+Copy of the Django settings file, but with the database set for unit tests.
+"""
+
+from settings import *
+try:
+    from settings_local import *
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+
+DATABASES = {
+    'default': {
+        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
+        'NAME': ':memory:',
+    }
+}
diff --git a/roles/mailman/tasks/main.yml b/roles/mailman/tasks/main.yml
index d46951530d..751a7a5860 100644
--- a/roles/mailman/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/mailman/tasks/main.yml
@@ -151,6 +151,13 @@
   tags:
   - config
 
+- name: install the hyperkitty settings test file
+  copy: src=settings_test.py
+            dest="{{ mailman_webui_confdir }}/settings_test.py"
+            owner=root group=root mode=0600
+  tags:
+  - config
+
 - name: install the hyperkitty urls file
   copy: src=urls.py
         dest="{{ mailman_webui_confdir }}/urls.py"