diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index bd7ffb7..3725f58 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
 
+# TODO(marun) Replace use of oslo_config's global ConfigOpts
+# (cfg.CONF) instance with a local instance (cfg.ConfigOpts()) once
+# the cli tests move to the clients.  The cli tests rely on oslo
+# incubator modules that use the global cfg.CONF.
+_CONF = cfg.CONF
+
+
 def register_opt_group(conf, opt_group, options):
     conf.register_group(opt_group)
     for opt in options:
@@ -1105,7 +1112,7 @@
 
 def register_opts():
     for g, o in _opts:
-        register_opt_group(cfg.CONF, g, o)
+        register_opt_group(_CONF, g, o)
 
 
 def list_opts():
@@ -1129,45 +1136,44 @@
 
     def __getattr__(self, attr):
         # Handles config options from the default group
-        return getattr(cfg.CONF, attr)
+        return getattr(_CONF, attr)
 
     def _set_attrs(self):
-        self.auth = cfg.CONF.auth
-        self.compute = cfg.CONF.compute
-        self.compute_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF['compute-feature-enabled']
-        self.identity = cfg.CONF.identity
-        self.identity_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF['identity-feature-enabled']
-        self.image = cfg.CONF.image
-        self.image_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF['image-feature-enabled']
-        self.network = cfg.CONF.network
-        self.network_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF['network-feature-enabled']
-        self.volume = cfg.CONF.volume
-        self.volume_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF['volume-feature-enabled']
-        self.object_storage = cfg.CONF['object-storage']
-        self.object_storage_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF[
+        self.auth = _CONF.auth
+        self.compute = _CONF.compute
+        self.compute_feature_enabled = _CONF['compute-feature-enabled']
+        self.identity = _CONF.identity
+        self.identity_feature_enabled = _CONF['identity-feature-enabled']
+        self.image = _CONF.image
+        self.image_feature_enabled = _CONF['image-feature-enabled']
+        self.network = _CONF.network
+        self.network_feature_enabled = _CONF['network-feature-enabled']
+        self.volume = _CONF.volume
+        self.volume_feature_enabled = _CONF['volume-feature-enabled']
+        self.object_storage = _CONF['object-storage']
+        self.object_storage_feature_enabled = _CONF[
             'object-storage-feature-enabled']
-        self.database = cfg.CONF.database
-        self.orchestration = cfg.CONF.orchestration
-        self.messaging = cfg.CONF.messaging
-        self.telemetry = cfg.CONF.telemetry
-        self.dashboard = cfg.CONF.dashboard
-        self.data_processing = cfg.CONF.data_processing
-        self.data_processing_feature_enabled = cfg.CONF[
+        self.database = _CONF.database
+        self.orchestration = _CONF.orchestration
+        self.messaging = _CONF.messaging
+        self.telemetry = _CONF.telemetry
+        self.dashboard = _CONF.dashboard
+        self.data_processing = _CONF.data_processing
+        self.data_processing_feature_enabled = _CONF[
             'data_processing-feature-enabled']
-        self.boto = cfg.CONF.boto
-        self.stress = cfg.CONF.stress
-        self.scenario = cfg.CONF.scenario
-        self.service_available = cfg.CONF.service_available
-        self.debug = cfg.CONF.debug
-        self.baremetal = cfg.CONF.baremetal
-        self.input_scenario = cfg.CONF['input-scenario']
-        self.cli = cfg.CONF.cli
-        self.negative = cfg.CONF.negative
-        cfg.CONF.set_default('domain_name', self.identity.admin_domain_name,
-                             group='identity')
-        cfg.CONF.set_default('alt_domain_name',
-                             self.identity.admin_domain_name,
-                             group='identity')
+        self.boto = _CONF.boto
+        self.stress = _CONF.stress
+        self.scenario = _CONF.scenario
+        self.service_available = _CONF.service_available
+        self.debug = _CONF.debug
+        self.baremetal = _CONF.baremetal
+        self.input_scenario = _CONF['input-scenario']
+        self.cli = _CONF.cli
+        self.negative = _CONF.negative
+        _CONF.set_default('domain_name', self.identity.admin_domain_name,
+                          group='identity')
+        _CONF.set_default('alt_domain_name', self.identity.admin_domain_name,
+                          group='identity')
 
     def __init__(self, parse_conf=True, config_path=None):
         """Initialize a configuration from a conf directory and conf file."""
@@ -1193,18 +1199,18 @@
         # to remove an issue with the config file up to date checker.
         if parse_conf:
             config_files.append(path)
-        logging.register_options(cfg.CONF)
+        logging.register_options(_CONF)
         if os.path.isfile(path):
-            cfg.CONF([], project='tempest', default_config_files=config_files)
+            _CONF([], project='tempest', default_config_files=config_files)
         else:
-            cfg.CONF([], project='tempest')
-        logging.setup(cfg.CONF, 'tempest')
+            _CONF([], project='tempest')
+        logging.setup(_CONF, 'tempest')
         LOG = logging.getLogger('tempest')
         LOG.info("Using tempest config file %s" % path)
         register_opts()
         self._set_attrs()
         if parse_conf:
-            cfg.CONF.log_opt_values(LOG, std_logging.DEBUG)
+            _CONF.log_opt_values(LOG, std_logging.DEBUG)
 
 
 class TempestConfigProxy(object):