diff --git a/SAS/TMSS/test/test_utils.py b/SAS/TMSS/test/test_utils.py
index 8a50fe4468f007a6350f0b4b90e468620c2aaad5..09540b44988c423cba7374e5eac8797c5289e436 100644
--- a/SAS/TMSS/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/SAS/TMSS/test/test_utils.py
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ class TMSSTestEnvironment:
                  populate_schemas:bool=False, populate_test_data:bool=False,
                  start_ra_test_environment: bool=False, start_postgres_listener: bool=False,
                  start_subtask_scheduler: bool=False, start_dynamic_scheduler: bool=False,
-                 enable_viewflow: bool=False):
+                 start_pipeline_control: bool=False, enable_viewflow: bool=False):
         self._exchange = exchange
         self._broker = broker
         self._populate_schemas = populate_schemas
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ class TMSSTestEnvironment:
         self._start_dynamic_scheduler = start_dynamic_scheduler
         self.dynamic_scheduler = None
 
+        self._start_pipeline_control = start_pipeline_control
+        self.pipeline_control = None
+
         if enable_viewflow:
             os.environ['TMSS_ENABLE_VIEWFLOW'] = 'True'
 
@@ -353,6 +356,11 @@ class TMSSTestEnvironment:
             self.dynamic_scheduler = create_dynamic_scheduling_service(exchange=self._exchange, broker=self._broker)
             self.dynamic_scheduler.start_listening()
 
+        if self._start_pipeline_control:
+            from lofar.mac.PipelineControl import PipelineControlTMSS
+            self.pipeline_control = PipelineControlTMSS(exchange=self._exchange, broker=self._broker)
+            self.pipeline_control.start_listening()
+
         if self._populate_schemas or self._populate_test_data:
             self.populate_schemas()
 
@@ -373,6 +381,10 @@ class TMSSTestEnvironment:
             self.dynamic_scheduler.stop_listening()
             self.dynamic_scheduler = None
 
+        if self.pipeline_control is not None:
+            self.pipeline_control.stop_listening()
+            self.pipeline_control = None
+
         if self.ra_test_environment is not None:
             self.ra_test_environment.stop()
             self.ra_test_environment = None
@@ -471,7 +483,7 @@ def main_test_environment():
                              populate_schemas=options.schemas, populate_test_data=options.data,
                              start_ra_test_environment=options.services, start_postgres_listener=options.services,
                              start_subtask_scheduler=options.services, start_dynamic_scheduler=options.services,
-                             enable_viewflow=options.viewflow) as tmss_test_env:
+                             start_pipeline_control=options.services, enable_viewflow=options.viewflow) as tmss_test_env:
 
             # print some nice info for the user to use the test servers...
             # use print instead of log for clean lines.