diff --git a/lib/setup.js b/lib/setup.js
index 2861880..90c7641 100644
--- a/lib/setup.js
+++ b/lib/setup.js
@@ -12,18 +12,22 @@ function setup_test_instance(opt, cb) {
     var support_server = undefined;
     var bouncer = undefined;
     var Tunnel;
+    var tunnel;
+
     if (typeof opt.tunnel === 'string') {
         Tunnel = require('zuul-' + opt.tunnel);
         debug('using zuul-%s to tunnel', opt.tunnel);
     } else if (typeof opt.tunnel === 'object' && opt.tunnel.type) {
         Tunnel = require('zuul-' + opt.tunnel.type);
         debug('using zuul-%s to tunnel', opt.tunnel.type);
-    } else {
+    } else if (opt.tunnel !== false) {
         Tunnel = require('zuul-localtunnel');
         debug('using zuul-localhost to tunnel');
     }
 
-    var tunnel = new Tunnel(opt);
+    if (Tunnel) {
+        tunnel = new Tunnel(opt);
+    }
 
     if (opt.server) {
         user_server(opt.server, setup);
@@ -100,7 +104,7 @@ function setup_test_instance(opt, cb) {
             var app_port = bouncer.address().port;
             debug('bouncer active on port %d', app_port);
 
-            if (!config.tunnel) {
+            if (!tunnel) {
                 return cb(null, 'http://' + loopback + ':' + app_port + '/__zuul');
             }
 
@@ -110,7 +114,10 @@ function setup_test_instance(opt, cb) {
 
     function shutdown() {
         bouncer.close();
-        tunnel.close();
+
+        if (tunnel) {
+            tunnel.close();
+        }
 
         if (support_server) {
             support_server.process.kill('SIGKILL');