diff --git a/channels/tests/base.py b/channels/tests/base.py
index 7e7ddc9..46faf85 100644
--- a/channels/tests/base.py
+++ b/channels/tests/base.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from functools import wraps
 
 from asgiref.inmemory import ChannelLayer as InMemoryChannelLayer
 from django.test.testcases import TestCase, TransactionTestCase
+from django.db import close_old_connections
 
 from .. import DEFAULT_CHANNEL_LAYER
 from ..asgi import ChannelLayerWrapper, channel_layers
@@ -134,7 +135,10 @@ class Client(object):
                     consumer_started.send(sender=self.__class__)
                     return consumer(message, **kwargs)
                 finally:
+                    # Copy Django's workaround so we don't actually close DB conns
+                    consumer_finished.disconnect(close_old_connections)
                     consumer_finished.send(sender=self.__class__)
+                    consumer_finished.connect(close_old_connections)
             elif fail_on_none:
                 raise AssertionError("Can't find consumer for message %s" % message)
         elif fail_on_none: