diff --git a/oft b/oft
index 4ca4d64..28de9f7 100755
--- a/oft
+++ b/oft
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@
 
             # Find all testcases defined in the module
             tests = dict((k, v) for (k, v) in mod.__dict__.items() if type(v) == type and
-                                                                      issubclass(v, unittest.TestCase))
+                                                                      issubclass(v, unittest.TestCase) and
+                                                                      hasattr(v, "runTest"))
             if tests:
                 for (testname, test) in tests.items():
                     # Set default annotation values
diff --git a/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py b/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
index 9d905f9..a1eec43 100644
--- a/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
+++ b/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
@@ -78,12 +78,6 @@
         self.controller.join()
         del self.controller
 
-    def runTest(self):
-        # Just a simple sanity check as illustration
-        logging.info("Running simple proto test")
-        self.assertTrue(self.controller.switch_socket is not None,
-                        str(self) + 'No connection to switch')
-
     def assertTrue(self, cond, msg):
         if not cond:
             logging.error("** FAILED ASSERTION: " + msg)
@@ -112,12 +106,6 @@
         SimpleProtocol.tearDown(self)
         logging.info("Teardown done")
 
-    def runTest(self):
-        self.assertTrue(self.controller.switch_socket is not None,
-                        str(self) + 'No connection to switch')
-        # self.dataplane.show()
-        # Would like an assert that checks the data plane
-
 class DataPlaneOnly(unittest.TestCase):
     """
     Root class that sets up only the dataplane
@@ -131,8 +119,3 @@
     def tearDown(self):
         logging.info("Teardown for simple dataplane test")
         logging.info("Teardown done")
-
-    def runTest(self):
-        logging.info("DataPlaneOnly")
-        # self.dataplane.show()
-        # Would like an assert that checks the data plane