diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/admin.py b/tests/gis_tests/admin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f693ef34de3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/admin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+try:
+    from django.contrib.gis import admin
+except ImportError:
+    from django.contrib import admin
+
+    admin.OSMGeoAdmin = admin.ModelAdmin
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/distapp/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/distapp/models.py
index 255bc08bb01..c04659f5245 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/distapp/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/distapp/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
 from ..utils import gisfield_may_be_null
 
 
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class NamedModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/models.py
index 9575966e75a..fb741ca05c1 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
+
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
 class NamedModel(models.Model):
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ class NamedModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ class SimpleModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class Point2D(SimpleModel):
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/tests.py b/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/tests.py
index b05201d0bfb..7f5112a82fc 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/tests.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/geo3d/tests.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ if HAS_GEOS:
     from .models import (City3D, Interstate2D, Interstate3D, InterstateProj2D,
         InterstateProj3D, Point2D, Point3D, MultiPoint3D, Polygon2D, Polygon3D)
 
-if HAS_GDAL:
-    from django.contrib.gis.utils import LayerMapping, LayerMapError
+    if HAS_GDAL:
+        from django.contrib.gis.utils import LayerMapping, LayerMapError
 
 
 data_path = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(upath(__file__)), '..', 'data'))
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/geoadmin/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/geoadmin/models.py
index 9769558f48b..b7d3b53c60d 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/geoadmin/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/geoadmin/models.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-from django.contrib.gis import admin
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..admin import admin
+from ..models import models
+
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
 class City(models.Model):
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ class City(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geoadmin'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/geoapp/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/geoapp/models.py
index 877eb7d72c5..2349b29659c 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/geoapp/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/geoapp/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
 from ..utils import gisfield_may_be_null
 
 
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class NamedModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ class City(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geoapp'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 # This is an inherited model from City
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ class PennsylvaniaCity(City):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geoapp'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class State(NamedModel):
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ class State(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geoapp'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class Track(NamedModel):
@@ -59,6 +63,7 @@ class MultiFields(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         unique_together = ('city', 'point')
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class Truth(models.Model):
@@ -66,6 +71,9 @@ class Truth(models.Model):
 
     objects = models.GeoManager()
 
+    class Meta:
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
+
 
 class Feature(NamedModel):
     geom = models.GeometryField()
@@ -76,6 +84,9 @@ class MinusOneSRID(models.Model):
 
     objects = models.GeoManager()
 
+    class Meta:
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
+
 
 class NonConcreteField(models.IntegerField):
 
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/geogapp/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/geogapp/models.py
index 75102d22c9f..d756a0c2a25 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/geogapp/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/geogapp/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
+
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
 class NamedModel(models.Model):
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ class NamedModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ class City(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geogapp'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class Zipcode(NamedModel):
@@ -33,6 +36,7 @@ class County(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'geogapp'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return ' County, '.join([self.name, self.state])
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/gis_migrations/migrations/0001_initial.py b/tests/gis_tests/gis_migrations/migrations/0001_initial.py
index aceaaa301e0..bf2966ee790 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/gis_migrations/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/gis_migrations/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import django.contrib.gis.db.models.fields
 from django.db import migrations, models
 
+from ...models import models as gis_models
+
 
 class Migration(migrations.Migration):
     """
@@ -12,9 +13,10 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
             fields=[
                 ('id', models.AutoField(verbose_name='ID', serialize=False, auto_created=True, primary_key=True)),
                 ('name', models.CharField(max_length=100, unique=True)),
-                ('geom', django.contrib.gis.db.models.fields.MultiPolygonField(srid=4326)),
+                ('geom', gis_models.MultiPolygonField(srid=4326)),
             ],
             options={
+                'required_db_features': ['gis_enabled'],
             },
             bases=(models.Model,),
         ),
@@ -25,9 +27,10 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
                 ('neighborhood', models.ForeignKey(to='gis_migrations.Neighborhood', to_field='id', null=True)),
                 ('address', models.CharField(max_length=100)),
                 ('zip_code', models.IntegerField(null=True, blank=True)),
-                ('geom', django.contrib.gis.db.models.fields.PointField(srid=4326, geography=True)),
+                ('geom', gis_models.PointField(srid=4326, geography=True)),
             ],
             options={
+                'required_db_features': ['gis_enabled'],
             },
             bases=(models.Model,),
         ),
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/inspectapp/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/inspectapp/models.py
index fd343b78034..75c4bcfa229 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/inspectapp/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/inspectapp/models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
+from ..models import models
 
 
 class AllOGRFields(models.Model):
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ class AllOGRFields(models.Model):
 
     objects = models.GeoManager()
 
+    class Meta:
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
+
 
 class Fields3D(models.Model):
     point = models.PointField(dim=3)
@@ -22,3 +25,6 @@ class Fields3D(models.Model):
     poly = models.PolygonField(dim=3)
 
     objects = models.GeoManager()
+
+    class Meta:
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/layermap/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/layermap/models.py
index f2c78825476..4ffcad0486f 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/layermap/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/layermap/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
+
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
 class NamedModel(models.Model):
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ class NamedModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ class City(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'layermap'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 class Interstate(NamedModel):
@@ -46,6 +49,7 @@ class Interstate(NamedModel):
 
     class Meta:
         app_label = 'layermap'
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 # Same as `City` above, but for testing model inheritance.
@@ -72,6 +76,9 @@ class ICity2(ICity1):
 class Invalid(models.Model):
     point = models.PointField()
 
+    class Meta:
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
+
 
 # Mapping dictionaries for the models above.
 co_mapping = {
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/layermap/tests.py b/tests/gis_tests/layermap/tests.py
index e4477189cb4..a0abd4030cb 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/layermap/tests.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/layermap/tests.py
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ from unittest import skipUnless
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal import HAS_GDAL
+from django.contrib.gis.geos import HAS_GEOS
 from django.db import connection
 from django.test import TestCase, override_settings, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from django.utils._os import upath
 
-if HAS_GDAL:
+if HAS_GEOS and HAS_GDAL:
     from django.contrib.gis.utils.layermapping import (LayerMapping,
         LayerMapError, InvalidDecimal, InvalidString, MissingForeignKey)
     from django.contrib.gis.gdal import DataSource
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/models.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cfb7f966563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+
+try:
+    from django.contrib.gis.db import models
+except ImproperlyConfigured:
+    from django.db import models
+
+    class DummyField(models.Field):
+        def __init__(self, dim=None, srid=None, geography=None, *args, **kwargs):
+            super(DummyField, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    models.GeoManager = models.Manager
+    models.GeometryField = DummyField
+    models.LineStringField = DummyField
+    models.MultiPointField = DummyField
+    models.MultiPolygonField = DummyField
+    models.PointField = DummyField
+    models.PolygonField = DummyField
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/relatedapp/models.py b/tests/gis_tests/relatedapp/models.py
index 2bcd2ebc5f9..baa1e7ff33f 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/relatedapp/models.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/relatedapp/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from django.contrib.gis.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 
+from ..models import models
+
 
 class SimpleModel(models.Model):
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ class SimpleModel(models.Model):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+        required_db_features = ['gis_enabled']
 
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
diff --git a/tests/gis_tests/test_geoforms.py b/tests/gis_tests/test_geoforms.py
index bcbb5f08045..a7388d03536 100644
--- a/tests/gis_tests/test_geoforms.py
+++ b/tests/gis_tests/test_geoforms.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 from unittest import skipUnless
 
 from django.contrib.gis.gdal import HAS_GDAL
+from django.contrib.gis.geos import HAS_GEOS
 from django.forms import ValidationError
 from django.test import SimpleTestCase, skipUnlessDBFeature
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.html import escape
 
-if HAS_GDAL:
+if HAS_GEOS and HAS_GDAL:
     from django.contrib.gis import forms
     from django.contrib.gis.geos import GEOSGeometry
 
diff --git a/tests/runtests.py b/tests/runtests.py
index f81fe74c3f7..a1c1dfdb1b7 100755
--- a/tests/runtests.py
+++ b/tests/runtests.py
@@ -73,12 +73,9 @@ def get_test_modules():
     modules = []
     discovery_paths = [
         (None, RUNTESTS_DIR),
+        # GIS tests are in nested apps
+        ('gis_tests', os.path.join(RUNTESTS_DIR, 'gis_tests')),
     ]
-    # GIS tests are in nested apps
-    if connection.features.gis_enabled:
-        discovery_paths.append(
-            ('gis_tests', os.path.join(RUNTESTS_DIR, 'gis_tests'))
-        )
 
     for modpath, dirpath in discovery_paths:
         for f in os.listdir(dirpath):