diff --git a/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am b/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
index 7bafd29e3e..24b0d513ec 100644
--- a/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ tests_intfmgrd_INCLUDES = $(tests_INCLUDES) -I$(top_srcdir)/cfgmgr -I$(top_srcdi
 tests_intfmgrd_CFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_GTEST) $(CFLAGS_SAI)
 tests_intfmgrd_CPPFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_GTEST) $(CFLAGS_SAI) $(tests_intfmgrd_INCLUDES)
 tests_intfmgrd_LDADD = $(LDADD_GTEST) $(LDADD_SAI) -lnl-genl-3 -lhiredis -lhiredis \
-        -lswsscommon -lswsscommon -lgtest -lgtest_main -lzmq -lnl-3 -lnl-route-3 -lpthread
+        -lswsscommon -lswsscommon -lgtest -lgtest_main -lzmq -lnl-3 -lnl-route-3 -lpthread -lgmock -lgmock_main
 
 ## teammgrd unit tests
 
diff --git a/tests/mock_tests/fake_response_publisher.cpp b/tests/mock_tests/fake_response_publisher.cpp
index c2cbc9fcd6..5e6aa0f2a0 100644
--- a/tests/mock_tests/fake_response_publisher.cpp
+++ b/tests/mock_tests/fake_response_publisher.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "response_publisher.h"
+#include "mock_response_publisher.h"
+
+/* This mock plugs into this fake response publisher implementation
+ * when needed to test code that uses response publisher. */
+std::unique_ptr<MockResponsePublisher> gMockResponsePublisher;
 
 ResponsePublisher::ResponsePublisher(const std::string& dbName, bool buffered, bool db_write_thread) :
     m_db(std::make_unique<swss::DBConnector>(dbName, 0)), m_buffered(buffered) {}
@@ -12,12 +17,24 @@ void ResponsePublisher::publish(
     const std::string& table, const std::string& key,
     const std::vector<swss::FieldValueTuple>& intent_attrs,
     const ReturnCode& status,
-    const std::vector<swss::FieldValueTuple>& state_attrs, bool replace) {}
+    const std::vector<swss::FieldValueTuple>& state_attrs, bool replace)
+{
+    if (gMockResponsePublisher)
+    {
+        gMockResponsePublisher->publish(table, key, intent_attrs, status, state_attrs, replace);
+    }
+}
 
 void ResponsePublisher::publish(
     const std::string& table, const std::string& key,
     const std::vector<swss::FieldValueTuple>& intent_attrs,
-    const ReturnCode& status, bool replace) {}
+    const ReturnCode& status, bool replace)
+{
+    if (gMockResponsePublisher)
+    {
+        gMockResponsePublisher->publish(table, key, intent_attrs, status, replace);
+    }
+}
 
 void ResponsePublisher::writeToDB(
     const std::string& table, const std::string& key,