diff --git a/src/com/android/email/Controller.java b/src/com/android/email/Controller.java
index 015b4c3ff..4b89ee43c 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/Controller.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/Controller.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.os.RemoteCallbackList;
 import android.os.RemoteException;
-import android.test.IsolatedContext;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import com.android.email.mail.store.Pop3Store.Pop3Message;
@@ -117,6 +116,8 @@ public class Controller {
     private static RemoteCallbackList<IEmailServiceCallback> sCallbackList =
         new RemoteCallbackList<IEmailServiceCallback>();
 
+    private volatile boolean mInUnitTests = false;
+
     protected Controller(Context _context) {
         mContext = _context.getApplicationContext();
         mProviderContext = _context;
@@ -124,6 +125,15 @@ public class Controller {
         mLegacyController.addListener(mLegacyListener);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Mark this controller as being in use in a unit test.
+     * This is a kludge vs having proper mocks and dependency injection; since the Controller is a
+     * global singleton there isn't much else we can do.
+     */
+    public void markForUnitTest(boolean inUnitTests) {
+        mInUnitTests = inUnitTests;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Cleanup for test.  Mustn't be called for the regular {@link Controller}, as it's a
      * singleton and lives till the process finishes.
@@ -472,7 +482,7 @@ public class Controller {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Look for a specific mailbox, creating it if necessary, and return the mailbox id.
+     * Look for a specific system mailbox, creating it if necessary, and return the mailbox id.
      * This is a blocking operation and should not be called from the UI thread.
      *
      * Synchronized so multiple threads can call it (and not risk creating duplicate boxes).
@@ -1148,8 +1158,10 @@ public class Controller {
             Uri uri = ContentUris.withAppendedId(Account.CONTENT_URI, accountId);
             context.getContentResolver().delete(uri, null, null);
 
-            // For unit tests, don't run backup, security, and ui pieces
-            if (context instanceof IsolatedContext) return;
+            // For unit tests, don't run backup, security, and ui pieces.
+            if (mInUnitTests) {
+                return;
+            }
 
             // Clean up
             AccountBackupRestore.backup(context);
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/email/ControllerProviderOpsTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/email/ControllerProviderOpsTests.java
index fa974e30e..a0beb27c1 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/email/ControllerProviderOpsTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/email/ControllerProviderOpsTests.java
@@ -136,15 +136,6 @@ public class ControllerProviderOpsTests extends ProviderTestCase2<EmailProvider>
         assertNotNull(testMailbox);
         assertEquals(8, testMailbox.mFlags);        // Flags should be "holds mail"
         assertEquals(-1L, testMailbox.mParentKey);  // Parent is off the top-level
-
-        // Test creating user mailbox; some fields have changed
-        mTestController.createMailbox(1L, Mailbox.TYPE_MAIL);
-        testMailboxId = Mailbox.findMailboxOfType(mProviderContext, 1L, Mailbox.TYPE_MAIL);
-        assertTrue(testMailboxId != Mailbox.NO_MAILBOX);
-        testMailbox = Mailbox.restoreMailboxWithId(mProviderContext, testMailboxId);
-        assertNotNull(testMailbox);
-        assertEquals(0, testMailbox.mFlags);        // Flags are not set
-        assertEquals(0L, testMailbox.mParentKey);   // Parent is not set
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/src/com/android/email/SecurityPolicyTests.java b/tests/src/com/android/email/SecurityPolicyTests.java
index ae1157563..7e1756415 100644
--- a/tests/src/com/android/email/SecurityPolicyTests.java
+++ b/tests/src/com/android/email/SecurityPolicyTests.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public class SecurityPolicyTests extends ProviderTestCase2<EmailProvider> {
         mMockContext = new MockContext2(getMockContext(), mContext);
         // Invalidate all caches, since we reset the database for each test
         ContentCache.invalidateAllCaches();
+        Controller.getInstance(mMockContext).markForUnitTest(true);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ public class SecurityPolicyTests extends ProviderTestCase2<EmailProvider> {
      */
     @Override
     protected void tearDown() throws Exception {
+        Controller.getInstance(mMockContext).markForUnitTest(false);
         super.tearDown();
     }
 
@@ -398,10 +400,10 @@ public class SecurityPolicyTests extends ProviderTestCase2<EmailProvider> {
      * Lightweight subclass of the Controller class allows injection of mock context
      */
     public static class TestController extends Controller {
-
         protected TestController(Context providerContext, Context systemContext) {
             super(systemContext);
             setProviderContext(providerContext);
+            markForUnitTest(true);
         }
     }