diff --git a/lib/galaxy_test/base/api.py b/lib/galaxy_test/base/api.py
index 26aa1d0932f1..4e6c096d3e50 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy_test/base/api.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy_test/base/api.py
@@ -49,11 +49,22 @@ def handle_galaxy_config_kwds(cls, config):
         config["celery_broker"] = CELERY_BROKER
         config["celery_backend"] = CELERY_BACKEND
 
-    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope="session")
     def _request_celery_app(self, celery_session_app, celery_config):
-        self._celery_app = celery_session_app
+        try:
+            self._celery_app = celery_session_app
+            yield
+        finally:
+            if os.environ.get("GALAXY_TEST_EXTERNAL") is None:
+                try:
+                    from galaxy.celery import celery_app
+                except ImportError:
+                    return
+
+                celery_app.fork_pool.stop()
+                celery_app.fork_pool.join(timeout=5)
 
-    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope="session")
     def _request_celery_worker(self, celery_session_worker, celery_config):
         self._celery_worker = celery_session_worker
 
diff --git a/lib/galaxy_test/conftest.py b/lib/galaxy_test/conftest.py
index e02521849418..1e7e3b45106f 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy_test/conftest.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy_test/conftest.py
@@ -12,15 +12,7 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session", autouse=True)
 def celery_includes():
-    try:
-        yield ["galaxy.celery.tasks"]
-    finally:
-        from galaxy.celery import celery_app
-
-        fork_pool = getattr(celery_app, "fork_pool", None)
-        if fork_pool:
-            fork_pool.stop()
-            fork_pool.join(timeout=5)
+    yield ["galaxy.celery.tasks"]
 
 
 def get_timings(test_uuid):