diff --git a/run_tests.sh b/run_tests.sh
index 14b38ad0dc5..498f506d30a 100755
--- a/run_tests.sh
+++ b/run_tests.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 pwd_dir=$(pwd)
 cd `dirname $0`
 
-./scripts/common_startup.sh
-
 # A good place to look for nose info: http://somethingaboutorange.com/mrl/projects/nose/
 rm -f run_functional_tests.log
 
@@ -46,6 +44,7 @@ Extra options:
  --debug               On python test error or failure invoke a pdb shell for interactive debugging of the test
  --report_file         Path of HTML report to produce (for Python Galaxy functional tests).
  --xunit_report_file   Path of XUnit report to produce (for Python Galaxy functional tests).
+ --skip-venv           Do not create .venv (passes this flag to common_startup.sh)
  --dockerize           Run tests in a pre-configured Docker container (must be first argument if present).
  --db <type>           For use with --dockerize, run tests using partially migrated 'postgres', 'mysql', 
                        or 'sqlite' databases.
@@ -267,6 +266,10 @@ do
           watch=1
           shift
           ;;
+      --skip-venv)
+          skip_venv='--skip-venv'
+          shift
+          ;;
       --) 
           shift
           break
@@ -282,6 +285,8 @@ do
     esac
 done
 
+./scripts/common_startup.sh $skip_venv
+
 if [ -n "$migrated_test" ] ; then
     [ -n "$test_id" ] && class=":TestForTool_$test_id" || class=""
     extra_args="functional.test_toolbox$class -migrated"
diff --git a/scripts/common_startup.sh b/scripts/common_startup.sh
index 6a33228d332..394b8ef0295 100755
--- a/scripts/common_startup.sh
+++ b/scripts/common_startup.sh
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ if [ ! -f $GALAXY_CONFIG_FILE ]; then
 fi
 
 if [ $SET_VENV -eq 1 ]; then
-    # If not already in a virtualenv and .venv does not exist, attempt to create it.
-    if [ -z "$VIRTUAL_ENV" -a ! -d .venv ]
+    # If .venv does not exist, attempt to create it.
+    if [ ! -d .venv ]
     then
         vvers=13.1.0
         vurl="https://pypi.python.org/packages/source/v/virtualenv/virtualenv-${vvers}.tar.gz"
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3aa17c11e1f..24bf4de692e 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ whitelist_externals = bash
 deps = flake8
 
 [testenv:py27-unit]
-commands = bash run_tests.sh -u
+commands = bash run_tests.sh --skip-venv -u
 whitelist_externals = bash
 deps =
     nose
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ deps =
     mock
 
 [testenv:py26-unit]
-commands = bash run_tests.sh -u
+commands = bash run_tests.sh --skip-venv -u
 whitelist_externals = bash
 deps =
     unittest2