diff --git a/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/ProviderUtilities.cs b/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/ProviderUtilities.cs
index cf7b76f17..8f7f3a12e 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/ProviderUtilities.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Tests/Data/ProviderUtilities.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Data.SqlClient;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
 using Autofac.Features.Metadata;
 using NHibernate;
@@ -13,35 +14,22 @@ namespace Orchard.Tests.Data {
 
         public static void RunWithSqlServer(IEnumerable<RecordBlueprint> recordDescriptors, Action<ISessionFactory> action) {
             var temporaryPath = Path.GetTempFileName();
-            if(File.Exists(temporaryPath))
+            if (File.Exists(temporaryPath))
                 File.Delete(temporaryPath);
             Directory.CreateDirectory(temporaryPath);
             var databasePath = Path.Combine(temporaryPath, "Orchard.mdf");
             var databaseName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(databasePath);
             try {
-
                 // create database
-                using ( var connection = new SqlConnection(
-                    "Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=tempdb;Integrated Security=true;User Instance=True;") ) {
-                    connection.Open();
-                    using ( var command = connection.CreateCommand() ) {
-                        command.CommandText =
-                            "CREATE DATABASE " + databaseName +
-                            " ON PRIMARY (NAME=" + databaseName +
-                            ", FILENAME='" + databasePath.Replace("'", "''") + "')";
-                        command.ExecuteNonQuery();
+                if (!TryCreateSqlServerDatabase(databasePath, databaseName))
+                    return;
 
-                        command.CommandText =
-                            "EXEC sp_detach_db '" + databaseName + "', 'true'";
-                        command.ExecuteNonQuery();
-                    }
-                }
+                var meta = new Meta<CreateDataServicesProvider>((dataFolder, connectionString) =>
+                    new SqlServerDataServicesProvider(dataFolder, connectionString),
+                    new Dictionary<string, object> { { "ProviderName", "SqlServer" } });
+
+                var manager = (IDataServicesProviderFactory)new DataServicesProviderFactory(new[] { meta });
 
-                var manager = (IDataServicesProviderFactory)new DataServicesProviderFactory(new[] {
-                    new Meta<CreateDataServicesProvider>(
-                                                                                                 (dataFolder, connectionString) => new SqlServerDataServicesProvider(dataFolder, connectionString),
-                                                                                                 new Dictionary<string, object> {{"ProviderName", "SqlServer"}})
-                });
                 var parameters = new SessionFactoryParameters {
                     Provider = "SqlServer",
                     DataFolder = temporaryPath,
@@ -55,7 +43,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Tests.Data {
 
                 new SchemaExport(configuration).Execute(false, true, false);
 
-                using ( var sessionFactory = configuration.BuildSessionFactory() ) {
+                using (var sessionFactory = configuration.BuildSessionFactory()) {
                     action(sessionFactory);
                 }
             }
@@ -63,13 +51,46 @@ namespace Orchard.Tests.Data {
                 try {
                     Directory.Delete(temporaryPath, true);
                 }
-                catch (IOException) {}
+                catch (IOException) { }
+            }
+        }
+
+        private static bool TryCreateSqlServerDatabase(string databasePath, string databaseName) {
+            var connection = TryOpenSqlServerConnection();
+            if (connection == null)
+                return false;
+
+            using (connection) {
+                using (var command = connection.CreateCommand()) {
+                    command.CommandText =
+                        "CREATE DATABASE " + databaseName +
+                        " ON PRIMARY (NAME=" + databaseName +
+                        ", FILENAME='" + databasePath.Replace("'", "''") + "')";
+                    command.ExecuteNonQuery();
+
+                    command.CommandText =
+                        "EXEC sp_detach_db '" + databaseName + "', 'true'";
+                    command.ExecuteNonQuery();
+                }
+            }
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        private static SqlConnection TryOpenSqlServerConnection() {
+            try {
+                var connection = new SqlConnection("Data Source=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Initial Catalog=tempdb;Integrated Security=true;User Instance=True;");
+                connection.Open();
+                return connection;
+            }
+            catch (SqlException e) {
+                Trace.WriteLine(string.Format("Error opening connection to Sql Server ('{0}'). Skipping test.", e.Message));
+                return null;
             }
         }
 
         public static void RunWithSqlCe(IEnumerable<RecordBlueprint> recordDescriptors, Action<ISessionFactory> action) {
             var temporaryPath = Path.GetTempFileName();
-            if ( File.Exists(temporaryPath) )
+            if (File.Exists(temporaryPath))
                 File.Delete(temporaryPath);
             Directory.CreateDirectory(temporaryPath);
             var databasePath = Path.Combine(temporaryPath, "Orchard.mdf");
@@ -94,7 +115,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Tests.Data {
 
                 new SchemaExport(configuration).Execute(false, true, false);
 
-                using ( var sessionFactory = configuration.BuildSessionFactory() ) {
+                using (var sessionFactory = configuration.BuildSessionFactory()) {
                     action(sessionFactory);
                 }
 
@@ -103,7 +124,7 @@ namespace Orchard.Tests.Data {
                 try {
                     Directory.Delete(temporaryPath, true);
                 }
-                catch (IOException) {}
+                catch (IOException) { }
             }
         }
     }