diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
index cb1ec33b95f..8bb3e158308 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/api/test_util.py
@@ -124,5 +124,5 @@ def test_status(self):
         assert_equal(res['locale_default'], 'en')
 
         assert_equal(type(res['extensions']), list)
-        expected_extensions = set(('stats',))
+        expected_extensions = set(('stats', 'test_tag_vocab_plugin'))
         assert_equal(set(res['extensions']), expected_extensions)
diff --git a/ckan/tests/functional/test_tag_vocab.py b/ckan/tests/functional/test_tag_vocab.py
index 8a6df883a5b..2fa82c9a3e5 100644
--- a/ckan/tests/functional/test_tag_vocab.py
+++ b/ckan/tests/functional/test_tag_vocab.py
@@ -1,17 +1,11 @@
 import json
-from pylons import request, tmpl_context as c
-from genshi.input import HTML
-from genshi.filters import Transformer
 import paste.fixture
 from ckan import model
-from ckan.logic import get_action
-from ckan.logic.converters import convert_to_tags, convert_from_tags, free_tags_only
-from ckan.logic.schema import package_form_schema, default_package_schema
-from ckan.lib.navl.validators import ignore_missing, keep_extras
 from ckan.lib.create_test_data import CreateTestData
 import ckan.lib.helpers as h
-from ckan import plugins
 from ckan.tests import WsgiAppCase
+# ensure that test_tag_vocab_plugin is added as a plugin in the testing .ini file
+from ckanext.test_tag_vocab_plugin import MockVocabTagsPlugin
 
 TEST_VOCAB_NAME = 'test-vocab'
 
@@ -78,6 +72,7 @@ def value__get(self):
 class TestWUI(WsgiAppCase):
     @classmethod
     def setup_class(cls):
+        MockVocabTagsPlugin().set_active(True)
         CreateTestData.create(package_type='mock_vocab_tags_plugin')
         cls.sysadmin_user = model.User.get('testsysadmin')
         cls.dset = model.Package.get('warandpeace')
@@ -109,6 +104,7 @@ def setup_class(cls):
 
     @classmethod
     def teardown_class(cls):
+        MockVocabTagsPlugin().set_active(False)
         paste.fixture.Field.classes['select'] = cls.old_select
         model.repo.rebuild_db()
 
diff --git a/ckanext/test_tag_vocab_plugin.py b/ckanext/test_tag_vocab_plugin.py
index ff9044b82b2..10c79470fbb 100644
--- a/ckanext/test_tag_vocab_plugin.py
+++ b/ckanext/test_tag_vocab_plugin.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+''' THIS PLUGIN IS FOR TESTING PURPOSES ONLY.
+Currently this is used in tests/functional/test_tag_vocab.py'''
+
+
 from pylons import request, tmpl_context as c
 from genshi.input import HTML
 from genshi.filters import Transformer
@@ -13,7 +17,7 @@ class MockVocabTagsPlugin(plugins.SingletonPlugin):
     plugins.implements(plugins.IDatasetForm, inherit=True)
     plugins.implements(plugins.IGenshiStreamFilter)
 
-    active = True
+    active = False
 
     def is_fallback(self):
         return False
@@ -44,6 +48,9 @@ def db_to_form_schema(self):
         })
         return schema
 
+    def set_active(self, state):
+        self.active = state
+
     def filter(self, stream):
         if self.active:
             routes = request.environ.get('pylons.routes_dict')
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index fc5f5845192..00ca8089d84 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
     stats=ckanext.stats.plugin:StatsPlugin
     publisher_form=ckanext.publisher_form.forms:PublisherForm
     publisher_dataset_form=ckanext.publisher_form.forms:PublisherDatasetForm
-    test_tag_vocab=ckanext.test_tag_vocab_plugin:MockVocabTagsPlugin
+    test_tag_vocab_plugin=ckanext.test_tag_vocab_plugin:MockVocabTagsPlugin
 
     [ckan.system_plugins]
     domain_object_mods = ckan.model.modification:DomainObjectModificationExtension
diff --git a/test-core.ini b/test-core.ini
index 5a6d2896989..e877c45d5f9 100644
--- a/test-core.ini
+++ b/test-core.ini
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ search_backend = sql
 # Change API key HTTP header to something non-standard.
 apikey_header_name = X-Non-Standard-CKAN-API-Key
 
-ckan.plugins = stats test_tag_vocab
+ckan.plugins = stats test_tag_vocab_plugin
 
 # use <strong> so we can check that html is *not* escaped
 ckan.template_head_end = <link rel="stylesheet" href="TEST_TEMPLATE_HEAD_END.css" type="text/css">