diff --git a/tempest/api/volume/base.py b/tempest/api/volume/base.py
index 403d18e..9ba9949 100644
--- a/tempest/api/volume/base.py
+++ b/tempest/api/volume/base.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 from tempest.lib.common.utils import data_utils
 from tempest.lib.common.utils import test_utils
 from tempest.lib.decorators import cleanup_order
+from tempest.lib import exceptions as lib_exc
 import tempest.test
 
 CONF = config.CONF
@@ -126,12 +127,32 @@
 
         volume = self.volumes_client.create_volume(**kwargs)['volume']
         self.cleanup(test_utils.call_and_ignore_notfound_exc,
-                     self.delete_volume, self.volumes_client, volume['id'])
+                     self._delete_volume_for_cleanup,
+                     self.volumes_client, volume['id'])
         if wait_until:
             waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
                                                     volume['id'], wait_until)
         return volume
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _delete_volume_for_cleanup(volumes_client, volume_id):
+        """Delete a volume (only) for cleanup.
+
+        If it is attached to a server, wait for it to become available,
+        assuming we have already deleted the server and just need nova to
+        complete the delete operation before it is available to be deleted.
+        Otherwise proceed to the regular delete_volume().
+        """
+        try:
+            vol = volumes_client.show_volume(volume_id)['volume']
+            if vol['status'] == 'in-use':
+                waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(volumes_client,
+                                                        volume_id,
+                                                        'available')
+        except lib_exc.NotFound:
+            pass
+        BaseVolumeTest.delete_volume(volumes_client, volume_id)
+
     @cleanup_order
     def create_snapshot(self, volume_id=1, **kwargs):
         """Wrapper utility that returns a test snapshot."""
@@ -183,16 +204,17 @@
         snapshots_client.delete_snapshot(snapshot_id)
         snapshots_client.wait_for_resource_deletion(snapshot_id)
 
-    def attach_volume(self, server_id, volume_id):
+    def attach_volume(self, server_id, volume_id, wait_for_detach=True):
         """Attach a volume to a server"""
         self.servers_client.attach_volume(
             server_id, volumeId=volume_id,
             device='/dev/%s' % CONF.compute.volume_device_name)
         waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status(self.volumes_client,
                                                 volume_id, 'in-use')
-        self.addCleanup(waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status,
-                        self.volumes_client, volume_id, 'available',
-                        server_id, self.servers_client)
+        if wait_for_detach:
+            self.addCleanup(waiters.wait_for_volume_resource_status,
+                            self.volumes_client, volume_id, 'available',
+                            server_id, self.servers_client)
         self.addCleanup(self.servers_client.detach_volume, server_id,
                         volume_id)
 
diff --git a/tempest/api/volume/test_volumes_snapshots.py b/tempest/api/volume/test_volumes_snapshots.py
index c6cef69..95521e7 100644
--- a/tempest/api/volume/test_volumes_snapshots.py
+++ b/tempest/api/volume/test_volumes_snapshots.py
@@ -51,7 +51,10 @@
         # Create a test instance
         server = self.create_server(wait_until='SSHABLE')
 
-        self.attach_volume(server['id'], volume['id'])
+        # NOTE(danms): We are attaching this volume to a server, but we do
+        # not need to block on detach during cleanup because we will be
+        # deleting the server anyway.
+        self.attach_volume(server['id'], volume['id'], wait_for_detach=False)
 
         # Snapshot a volume which attached to an instance with force=False
         self.assertRaises(lib_exc.BadRequest, self.create_snapshot,
@@ -83,7 +86,11 @@
 
         # Create a server and attach it
         server = self.create_server(wait_until='SSHABLE')
-        self.attach_volume(server['id'], self.volume_origin['id'])
+        # NOTE(danms): We are attaching this volume to a server, but we do
+        # not need to block on detach during cleanup because we will be
+        # deleting the server anyway.
+        self.attach_volume(server['id'], self.volume_origin['id'],
+                           wait_for_detach=False)
 
         # Now that the volume is attached, create other snapshots
         snapshot2 = self.create_snapshot(self.volume_origin['id'], force=True)