diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/license-plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/license/plugin/LicensePlugin.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/license-plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/license/plugin/LicensePlugin.java
index dadb239372f..1525e27e686 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/license-plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/license/plugin/LicensePlugin.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/license-plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/license/plugin/LicensePlugin.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ public class LicensePlugin extends Plugin {
 
     public static final String NAME = "license";
     private final boolean isEnabled;
+    protected final boolean transportClient;
 
     static {
         MetaData.registerPrototype(LicensesMetaData.TYPE, LicensesMetaData.PROTO);
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ public class LicensePlugin extends Plugin {
         } else {
             this.isEnabled = true;
         }
+        transportClient = "transport".equals(settings.get(Client.CLIENT_TYPE_SETTING));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -61,9 +63,11 @@ public class LicensePlugin extends Plugin {
     }
 
     public void onModule(NetworkModule module) {
-        module.registerRestHandler(RestPutLicenseAction.class);
-        module.registerRestHandler(RestGetLicenseAction.class);
-        module.registerRestHandler(RestDeleteLicenseAction.class);
+        if (transportClient == false) {
+            module.registerRestHandler(RestPutLicenseAction.class);
+            module.registerRestHandler(RestGetLicenseAction.class);
+            module.registerRestHandler(RestDeleteLicenseAction.class);
+        }
     }
 
     public void onModule(ActionModule module) {
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/marvel/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/marvel/test/MarvelIntegTestCase.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/marvel/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/marvel/test/MarvelIntegTestCase.java
index edb7e97c1a1..5c973fa091d 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/marvel/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/marvel/test/MarvelIntegTestCase.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/marvel/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/marvel/test/MarvelIntegTestCase.java
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.shield.authc.support.SecuredString;
 import org.elasticsearch.shield.crypto.InternalCryptoService;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESIntegTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.AssertingLocalTransport;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.MockTransportService;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.XPackPlugin;
 import org.hamcrest.Matcher;
 import org.jboss.netty.util.internal.SystemPropertyUtil;
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -99,6 +102,14 @@ public abstract class MarvelIntegTestCase extends ESIntegTestCase {
                 .build();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> getMockPlugins() {
+        Set<Class<? extends Plugin>> plugins = new HashSet<>(super.getMockPlugins());
+        plugins.remove(MockTransportService.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport service
+        plugins.remove(AssertingLocalTransport.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport
+        return plugins;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> nodePlugins() {
         return Collections.singletonList(XPackPlugin.class);
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldPlugin.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldPlugin.java
index fdf1ce197c7..d1d7471904d 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldPlugin.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/ShieldPlugin.java
@@ -192,8 +192,10 @@ public class ShieldPlugin extends Plugin {
     }
 
     public void onModule(NetworkModule module) {
-        // we want to expose the shield rest action even when the plugin is disabled
-        module.registerRestHandler(RestShieldInfoAction.class);
+        if (clientMode == false) {
+            // we want to expose the shield rest action even when the plugin is disabled
+            module.registerRestHandler(RestShieldInfoAction.class);
+        }
 
         if (enabled == false) {
             return;
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/AuditTrailModuleTests.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/AuditTrailModuleTests.java
index 1ce2aeb1a62..f4a67e90f6d 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/AuditTrailModuleTests.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/AuditTrailModuleTests.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.shield.audit.logfile.LoggingAuditTrail;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
 import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPoolModule;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.Transport;
+import org.elasticsearch.transport.local.LocalTransport;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.instanceOf;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
@@ -54,11 +56,16 @@ public class AuditTrailModuleTests extends ESTestCase {
         try {
             Injector injector = Guice.createInjector(
                     new SettingsModule(settings, new SettingsFilter(settings)),
+                    new NetworkModule(new NetworkService(settings), settings, false) {
+                        @Override
+                        protected void configure() {
+                            bind(Transport.class).to(LocalTransport.class).asEagerSingleton();
+                        }
+                    },
                     new AuditTrailModule(settings),
                     new CircuitBreakerModule(settings),
                     new ThreadPoolModule(pool),
-                    new Version.Module(Version.CURRENT),
-                    new NetworkModule(new NetworkService(settings), settings, false)
+                    new Version.Module(Version.CURRENT)
             );
             AuditTrail auditTrail = injector.getInstance(AuditTrail.class);
             assertThat(auditTrail, instanceOf(AuditTrailService.class));
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailTests.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailTests.java
index ecac2284805..522f0710b94 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailTests.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/IndexAuditTrailTests.java
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public class IndexAuditTrailTests extends ShieldIntegTestCase {
                         return builder.build();
                     }
             };
-            cluster2 = new InternalTestCluster("network", randomLong(), createTempDir(), numNodes, numNodes, cluster2Name, cluster2SettingsSource, 0, false, SECOND_CLUSTER_NODE_PREFIX, true);
+            cluster2 = new InternalTestCluster("network", randomLong(), createTempDir(), numNodes, numNodes, cluster2Name, cluster2SettingsSource, 0, false, SECOND_CLUSTER_NODE_PREFIX, getMockPlugins());
             cluster2.beforeTest(getRandom(), 0.5);
             remoteClient = cluster2.client();
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/RemoteIndexAuditTrailStartingTests.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/RemoteIndexAuditTrailStartingTests.java
index decd5f6630b..dd83018bcd6 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/RemoteIndexAuditTrailStartingTests.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/audit/index/RemoteIndexAuditTrailStartingTests.java
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public class RemoteIndexAuditTrailStartingTests extends ShieldIntegTestCase {
                 return builder.build();
             }
         };
-        remoteCluster = new InternalTestCluster("network", randomLong(), createTempDir(), numNodes, numNodes, cluster2Name, cluster2SettingsSource, 0, false, SECOND_CLUSTER_NODE_PREFIX, true);
+        remoteCluster = new InternalTestCluster("network", randomLong(), createTempDir(), numNodes, numNodes, cluster2Name, cluster2SettingsSource, 0, false, SECOND_CLUSTER_NODE_PREFIX, getMockPlugins());
         remoteCluster.beforeTest(getRandom(), 0.5);
     }
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/transport/TransportFilterTests.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/transport/TransportFilterTests.java
index 3bf60884e1a..734503e168e 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/transport/TransportFilterTests.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/shield/transport/TransportFilterTests.java
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ public class TransportFilterTests extends ESIntegTestCase {
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected boolean enableMockModules() {
-        return false;
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> getMockPlugins() {
+        return Collections.emptyList();
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ShieldIntegTestCase.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ShieldIntegTestCase.java
index de09dcddbaa..c9d715e08ed 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ShieldIntegTestCase.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/shield/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ShieldIntegTestCase.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.plugins.Plugin;
 import org.elasticsearch.shield.authc.support.SecuredString;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESIntegTestCase.SuppressLocalMode;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.AssertingLocalTransport;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.MockTransportService;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.XPackPlugin;
 import org.junit.AfterClass;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -23,6 +25,8 @@ import org.junit.rules.ExternalResource;
 
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.assertNoTimeout;
@@ -145,6 +149,14 @@ public abstract class ShieldIntegTestCase extends ESIntegTestCase {
                 .build();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> getMockPlugins() {
+        Set<Class<? extends Plugin>> plugins = new HashSet<>(super.getMockPlugins());
+        plugins.remove(MockTransportService.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport service
+        plugins.remove(AssertingLocalTransport.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport
+        return plugins;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> nodePlugins() {
         return customShieldSettingsSource.nodePlugins();
diff --git a/elasticsearch/x-pack/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/AbstractWatcherIntegrationTestCase.java b/elasticsearch/x-pack/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/AbstractWatcherIntegrationTestCase.java
index 0f938d7aca2..d0e9ca88bf5 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/x-pack/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/AbstractWatcherIntegrationTestCase.java
+++ b/elasticsearch/x-pack/watcher/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/watcher/test/AbstractWatcherIntegrationTestCase.java
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.shield.crypto.InternalCryptoService;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESIntegTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ESIntegTestCase.ClusterScope;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.AssertingLocalTransport;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.transport.MockTransportService;
 import org.elasticsearch.watcher.WatcherLifeCycleService;
 import org.elasticsearch.watcher.WatcherModule;
 import org.elasticsearch.watcher.WatcherService;
@@ -127,6 +129,14 @@ public abstract class AbstractWatcherIntegrationTestCase extends ESIntegTestCase
         return excludes;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> getMockPlugins() {
+        Set<Class<? extends Plugin>> plugins = new HashSet<>(super.getMockPlugins());
+        plugins.remove(MockTransportService.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport service
+        plugins.remove(AssertingLocalTransport.TestPlugin.class); // shield has its own transport
+        return plugins;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Collection<Class<? extends Plugin>> nodePlugins() {
         return pluginTypes();