diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 7bd9ba17..5c7b0cb2 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import mongoose from 'mongoose';
+import { Mockgoose } from 'mockgoose';
 import util from 'util';
 
 // config should be imported before importing any other file
@@ -15,7 +16,17 @@ mongoose.Promise = Promise;
 
 // connect to mongo db
 const mongoUri = `${config.mongo.host}:${config.mongo.port}`;
-mongoose.connect(mongoUri, { server: { socketOptions: { keepAlive: 1 } } });
+
+if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test') {
+  const mockgoose = new Mockgoose(mongoose);
+
+  mockgoose.prepareStorage().then(() => {
+    mongoose.connect('mongodb://example.com/test-db');
+  });
+} else {
+  mongoose.connect(mongoUri, { server: { socketOptions: { keepAlive: 1 } } });
+}
+
 mongoose.connection.on('error', () => {
   throw new Error(`unable to connect to database: ${config.db}`);
 });
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index efbac4fa..739392d4 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@
     "lint": "esw *.js server config --color",
     "lint:watch": "yarn lint -- --watch",
     "precommit": "yarn lint && yarn test",
-    "test": "cross-env NODE_ENV=test ./node_modules/.bin/mocha --ui bdd --reporter spec --colors --compilers js:babel-core/register server/tests --recursive",
+    "test": "cross-env NODE_ENV=test ./node_modules/.bin/mocha --timeout 12000 --ui bdd --reporter spec --colors --compilers js:babel-core/register server/tests --recursive",
     "test:watch": "yarn test -- --watch",
-    "test:coverage": "cross-env NODE_ENV=test ./node_modules/.bin/istanbul cover _mocha -- --ui bdd --reporter spec --colors --compilers js:babel-core/register server/tests --recursive",
+    "test:coverage": "cross-env NODE_ENV=test ./node_modules/.bin/istanbul cover _mocha -- --timeout 12000 --ui bdd --reporter spec --colors --compilers js:babel-core/register server/tests --recursive",
     "test:check-coverage": "yarn test:coverage && istanbul check-coverage",
     "report-coverage": "coveralls < ./coverage/lcov.info"
   },
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
     "husky": "^0.13.1",
     "istanbul": "1.1.0-alpha.1",
     "mocha": "3.2.0",
+    "mockgoose": "^7.0.7",
     "run-sequence": "^1.1.5",
     "supertest": "2.0.1",
     "supertest-as-promised": "4.0.2",
diff --git a/server/tests/user.test.js b/server/tests/user.test.js
index 351f4e03..2347bb0f 100644
--- a/server/tests/user.test.js
+++ b/server/tests/user.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import mongoose from 'mongoose';
 import request from 'supertest-as-promised';
 import httpStatus from 'http-status';
 import chai, { expect } from 'chai';
@@ -6,17 +5,6 @@ import app from '../../index';
 
 chai.config.includeStack = true;
 
-/**
- * root level hooks
- */
-after((done) => {
-  // required because https://github.com/Automattic/mongoose/issues/1251#issuecomment-65793092
-  mongoose.models = {};
-  mongoose.modelSchemas = {};
-  mongoose.connection.close();
-  done();
-});
-
 describe('## User APIs', () => {
   let user = {
     username: 'KK123',