diff --git a/opsdroid/core.py b/opsdroid/core.py
index 5b5575312..72075b0dd 100644
--- a/opsdroid/core.py
+++ b/opsdroid/core.py
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ def start_connectors(self, connectors):
         elif len(connectors) == 1:
             for name, cls in connectors[0]["module"].__dict__.items():
                 if isinstance(cls, type) and \
-                   isinstance(cls({}), Connector):
+                   issubclass(cls, Connector) and\
+                   cls is not Connector:
                     logging.debug("Adding connector: " + name)
                     connectors[0]["config"]["bot-name"] = self.bot_name
                     connector = cls(connectors[0]["config"])
@@ -67,7 +68,8 @@ def start_connectors(self, connectors):
             for connector_module in connectors:
                 for name, cls in connector_module["module"].__dict__.items():
                     if isinstance(cls, type) and \
-                       isinstance(cls({}), Connector):
+                       issubclass(cls, Connector) and\
+                       cls is not Connector:
                         connector_module["config"]["bot-name"] = self.bot_name
                         connector = cls(connector_module["config"])
                         self.connectors.append(connector)
@@ -84,7 +86,8 @@ def start_databases(self, databases):
         for database_module in databases:
             for name, cls in database_module["module"].__dict__.items():
                 if isinstance(cls, type) and \
-                   isinstance(cls({}), Database):
+                   issubclass(cls, Database) and \
+                   cls is not Database:
                     logging.debug("Adding database: " + name)
                     database = cls(database_module["config"])
                     self.memory.databases.append(database)
diff --git a/tests/mockmodules/connectors/connector.py b/tests/mockmodules/connectors/connector.py
index 0938160c6..cc20c7f6d 100644
--- a/tests/mockmodules/connectors/connector.py
+++ b/tests/mockmodules/connectors/connector.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 """A mocked connector module."""
 
-import unittest.mock as mock
-
 from opsdroid.connector import Connector
 
 
@@ -10,5 +8,4 @@ class ConnectorTest(Connector):
 
     def __init__(self, config):
         """Start the class."""
-        self.connect = mock.MagicMock()
-        self.respond = mock.MagicMock()
+        pass
diff --git a/tests/mockmodules/databases/database.py b/tests/mockmodules/databases/database.py
index 3a5ae8640..0b8ac5500 100644
--- a/tests/mockmodules/databases/database.py
+++ b/tests/mockmodules/databases/database.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 """A mocked database module."""
 
-import unittest.mock as mock
-
 from opsdroid.database import Database
 
 
@@ -10,4 +8,4 @@ class DatabaseTest(Database):
 
     def __init__(self, config):
         """Start the class."""
-        self.connect = mock.MagicMock()
+        pass
diff --git a/tests/test_core.py b/tests/test_core.py
index e309f8b5e..d6cb03886 100644
--- a/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_core.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ def test_start_databases(self):
                 "tests.mockmodules.databases.database")
             with self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError):
                 opsdroid.start_databases([module])
+                self.assertEqual(1, len(opsdroid.memory.databases))
 
     def test_start_connectors(self):
         with OpsDroid() as opsdroid:
@@ -68,8 +69,10 @@ def test_start_connectors(self):
 
             with self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError):
                 opsdroid.start_connectors([module])
+                self.assertEqual(1, len(opsdroid.connectors))
 
             opsdroid.start_connectors([module, module])
+            self.assertEqual(3, len(opsdroid.connectors))
 
     def test_multiple_opsdroids(self):
         with OpsDroid() as opsdroid: