diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngineTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngineTests.java
index 01b7c4d3b05..b1b67960616 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngineTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/index/engine/InternalEngineTests.java
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ import org.apache.lucene.store.Directory;
 import org.apache.lucene.store.MockDirectoryWrapper;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.IOUtils;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.LuceneTestCase.SuppressFileSystems;
-import org.apache.lucene.util.TestUtil;
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchException;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
@@ -103,14 +102,9 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
-import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedTest.randomBoolean;
-import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedTest.randomDouble;
-import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedTest.randomIntBetween;
 import static org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings.Builder.EMPTY_SETTINGS;
 import static org.elasticsearch.index.engine.Engine.Operation.Origin.PRIMARY;
 import static org.elasticsearch.index.engine.Engine.Operation.Origin.REPLICA;
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase.assertBusy;
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase.terminate;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.greaterThan;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/analysis/PreBuiltAnalyzerIntegrationTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/analysis/PreBuiltAnalyzerIntegrationTests.java
index c3360dcd2b6..4a346f4bb82 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/analysis/PreBuiltAnalyzerIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/indices/analysis/PreBuiltAnalyzerIntegrationTests.java
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchIntegrationTest;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 
 @ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.ClusterScope(scope = ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.Scope.SUITE)
-@ElasticsearchTestCase.CompatibilityVersion(version = Version.V_1_2_0_ID) // we throw an exception if we create an index with _field_names that is 1.3
+@ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.CompatibilityVersion(version = Version.V_1_2_0_ID) // we throw an exception if we create an index with _field_names that is 1.3
 public class PreBuiltAnalyzerIntegrationTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.java
index 0ba1f875813..cba934593a0 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.java
@@ -18,11 +18,13 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.test;
 
+import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.annotations.TestGroup;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.IndexRoutingTable;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.IndexShardRoutingTable;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.PathUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.regex.Regex;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings;
@@ -34,14 +36,18 @@ import org.elasticsearch.transport.Transport;
 import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportModule;
 import org.elasticsearch.transport.TransportService;
 import org.elasticsearch.transport.netty.NettyTransport;
-import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
+import java.lang.annotation.Inherited;
+import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
+import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
+import java.lang.annotation.Target;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.nio.file.Paths;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Random;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 
@@ -58,12 +64,12 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
  * <p>
  *   Note: this base class is still experimental and might have bugs or leave external processes running behind.
  * </p>
- * Backwards compatibility tests are disabled by default via {@link org.apache.lucene.util.AbstractRandomizedTest.Backwards} annotation.
+ * Backwards compatibility tests are disabled by default via {@link Backwards} annotation.
  * The following system variables control the test execution:
  * <ul>
  *     <li>
  *          <tt>{@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY}</tt> enables / disables
- *          tests annotated with {@link org.apache.lucene.util.AbstractRandomizedTest.Backwards} (defaults to
+ *          tests annotated with {@link Backwards} (defaults to
  *          <tt>false</tt>)
  *     </li>
  *     <li>
@@ -81,11 +87,29 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
  *
  */
 // the transportClientRatio is tricky here since we don't fully control the cluster nodes
-@ElasticsearchTestCase.Backwards
+@ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.Backwards
 @ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.ClusterScope(minNumDataNodes = 0, maxNumDataNodes = 2, scope = ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.Scope.SUITE, numClientNodes = 0, transportClientRatio = 0.0)
 @Ignore
 public abstract class ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
 
+    /**
+     * Key used to set the path for the elasticsearch executable used to run backwards compatibility tests from
+     * via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY}
+     */
+    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY = "tests.bwc";
+    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION = "tests.bwc.version";
+    /**
+     * Key used to set the path for the elasticsearch executable used to run backwards compatibility tests from
+     * via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_PATH}
+     */
+    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_PATH = "tests.bwc.path";
+    /**
+     * Property that allows to adapt the tests behaviour to older features/bugs based on the input version
+     */
+    private static final String TESTS_COMPATIBILITY = "tests.compatibility";
+
+    private static final Version GLOABL_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION = Version.fromString(compatibilityVersionProperty());
+
     private static Path backwardsCompatibilityPath() {
         String path = System.getProperty(TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_PATH);
         if (path == null || path.isEmpty()) {
@@ -109,6 +133,53 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest extends Elasti
         return file;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected ImmutableSettings.Builder setRandomSettings(Random random, ImmutableSettings.Builder builder) {
+        if (globalCompatibilityVersion().before(Version.V_1_3_2)) {
+            // if we test against nodes before 1.3.2 we disable all the compression due to a known bug
+            // see #7210
+            builder.put(RecoverySettings.INDICES_RECOVERY_COMPRESS, false);
+        }
+        return builder;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Retruns the tests compatibility version.
+     */
+    public Version compatibilityVersion() {
+        return compatibilityVersion(getClass());
+    }
+
+    private Version compatibilityVersion(Class<?> clazz) {
+        if (clazz == Object.class || clazz == ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.class) {
+            return globalCompatibilityVersion();
+        }
+        CompatibilityVersion annotation = clazz.getAnnotation(CompatibilityVersion.class);
+        if (annotation != null) {
+            return Version.smallest(Version.fromId(annotation.version()), compatibilityVersion(clazz.getSuperclass()));
+        }
+        return compatibilityVersion(clazz.getSuperclass());
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns a global compatibility version that is set via the
+     * {@value #TESTS_COMPATIBILITY} or {@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION} system property.
+     * If both are unset the current version is used as the global compatibility version. This
+     * compatibility version is used for static randomization. For per-suite compatibility version see
+     * {@link #compatibilityVersion()}
+     */
+    public static Version globalCompatibilityVersion() {
+        return GLOABL_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION;
+    }
+
+    private static String compatibilityVersionProperty() {
+        final String version = System.getProperty(TESTS_COMPATIBILITY);
+        if (Strings.hasLength(version)) {
+            return version;
+        }
+        return System.getProperty(TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION);
+    }
+
     public CompositeTestCluster backwardsCluster() {
         return (CompositeTestCluster) cluster();
     }
@@ -193,4 +264,25 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest extends Elasti
     protected Settings externalNodeSettings(int nodeOrdinal) {
         return addLoggerSettings(commonNodeSettings(nodeOrdinal));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Annotation for backwards compat tests
+     */
+    @Inherited
+    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+    @Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+    @TestGroup(enabled = false, sysProperty = ElasticsearchBackwardsCompatIntegrationTest.TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY)
+    public @interface Backwards {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * If a test is annotated with {@link CompatibilityVersion}
+     * all randomized settings will only contain settings or mappings which are compatible with the specified version ID.
+     */
+    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+    @Target({ElementType.TYPE})
+    @Ignore
+    public @interface CompatibilityVersion {
+        int version();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
index ba4dfb44ba7..ab1f73c664b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchIntegrationTest extends ElasticsearchTestCase
         }
     }
 
-    private static ImmutableSettings.Builder setRandomSettings(Random random, ImmutableSettings.Builder builder) {
+    protected ImmutableSettings.Builder setRandomSettings(Random random, ImmutableSettings.Builder builder) {
         setRandomMerge(random, builder);
         setRandomTranslogSettings(random, builder);
         setRandomNormsLoading(random, builder);
@@ -502,11 +502,6 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchIntegrationTest extends ElasticsearchTestCase
             builder.put(IndicesFieldDataCache.FIELDDATA_CACHE_CONCURRENCY_LEVEL, RandomInts.randomIntBetween(random, 1, 32));
             builder.put(IndicesFilterCache.INDICES_CACHE_FILTER_CONCURRENCY_LEVEL, RandomInts.randomIntBetween(random, 1, 32));
         }
-        if (globalCompatibilityVersion().before(Version.V_1_3_2)) {
-            // if we test against nodes before 1.3.2 we disable all the compression due to a known bug
-            // see #7210
-            builder.put(RecoverySettings.INDICES_RECOVERY_COMPRESS, false);
-        }
         if (random.nextBoolean()) {
             builder.put(NettyTransport.PING_SCHEDULE, RandomInts.randomIntBetween(random, 100, 2000) + "ms");
         }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchTestCase.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchTestCase.java
index 3e810b37030..f935442d245 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchTestCase.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchTestCase.java
@@ -40,13 +40,11 @@ import org.apache.lucene.uninverting.UninvertingReader;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.LuceneTestCase;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.TestUtil;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.TimeUnits;
-import org.apache.lucene.util.LuceneTestCase.Nightly;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.LuceneTestCase.SuppressCodecs;
 import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.client.Requests;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetaData;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.DjbHashFunction;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.PathUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
@@ -178,30 +176,6 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchTestCase extends LuceneTestCase {
      */
     public static final int CHILD_JVM_ID = Integer.parseInt(System.getProperty(SysGlobals.CHILDVM_SYSPROP_JVM_ID, "0"));
 
-    /**
-     * Annotation for backwards compat tests
-     */
-    @Inherited
-    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
-    @Target(ElementType.TYPE)
-    @TestGroup(enabled = false, sysProperty = TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY)
-    public @interface Backwards {
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Key used to set the path for the elasticsearch executable used to run backwards compatibility tests from
-     * via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY}
-     */
-    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY = "tests.bwc";
-
-    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION = "tests.bwc.version";
-
-    /**
-     * Key used to set the path for the elasticsearch executable used to run backwards compatibility tests from
-     * via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_PATH}
-     */
-    public static final String TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_PATH = "tests.bwc.path";
-
     /**
      * Annotation for REST tests
      */
@@ -434,12 +408,7 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchTestCase extends LuceneTestCase {
 
     protected final ESLogger logger = Loggers.getLogger(getClass());
 
-    /**
-     * Property that allows to adapt the tests behaviour to older features/bugs based on the input version
-     */
-    private static final String TESTS_COMPATIBILITY = "tests.compatibility";
 
-    private static final Version GLOABL_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION = Version.fromString(compatibilityVersionProperty());
 
     static {
         SecurityHack.ensureInitialized();
@@ -803,55 +772,6 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchTestCase extends LuceneTestCase {
     }
 
 
-    /**
-     * If a test is annotated with {@link org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase.CompatibilityVersion}
-     * all randomized settings will only contain settings or mappings which are compatible with the specified version ID.
-     */
-    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
-    @Target({ElementType.TYPE})
-    @Ignore
-    public @interface CompatibilityVersion {
-        int version();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Returns a global compatibility version that is set via the
-     * {@value #TESTS_COMPATIBILITY} or {@value #TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION} system property.
-     * If both are unset the current version is used as the global compatibility version. This
-     * compatibility version is used for static randomization. For per-suite compatibility version see
-     * {@link #compatibilityVersion()}
-     */
-    public static Version globalCompatibilityVersion() {
-        return GLOABL_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Retruns the tests compatibility version.
-     */
-    public Version compatibilityVersion() {
-        return compatibilityVersion(getClass());
-    }
-
-    private Version compatibilityVersion(Class<?> clazz) {
-        if (clazz == Object.class || clazz == ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.class) {
-            return globalCompatibilityVersion();
-        }
-        CompatibilityVersion annotation = clazz.getAnnotation(CompatibilityVersion.class);
-        if (annotation != null) {
-            return Version.smallest(Version.fromId(annotation.version()), compatibilityVersion(clazz.getSuperclass()));
-        }
-        return compatibilityVersion(clazz.getSuperclass());
-    }
-
-    private static String compatibilityVersionProperty() {
-        final String version = System.getProperty(TESTS_COMPATIBILITY);
-        if (Strings.hasLength(version)) {
-            return version;
-        }
-        return System.getProperty(TESTS_BACKWARDS_COMPATIBILITY_VERSION);
-    }
-
-
     public static boolean terminate(ExecutorService... services) throws InterruptedException {
         boolean terminated = true;
         for (ExecutorService service : services) {