diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
index 004f3edea1d..84d9b0e3fed 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.test;
 
 import com.carrotsearch.hppc.ObjectArrayList;
+import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedContext;
+import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.SeedUtils;
 import com.google.common.base.Joiner;
 import org.apache.lucene.util.AbstractRandomizedTest;
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchIllegalArgumentException;
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.search.SearchService;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.client.RandomizingClient;
 import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.BeforeClass;
 import org.junit.Ignore;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -76,7 +79,6 @@ import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.clusterName;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.assertAcked;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.assertNoFailures;
@@ -133,7 +135,6 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
  * This class supports the following system properties (passed with -Dkey=value to the application)
  * <ul>
  * <li>-D{@value #TESTS_CLIENT_RATIO} - a double value in the interval [0..1] which defines the ration between node and transport clients used</li>
- * <li>-D{@value TestCluster#TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED} - a random seed used to initialize the clusters random context.
  * <li>-D{@value TestCluster#TESTS_ENABLE_MOCK_MODULES} - a boolean value to enable or disable mock modules. This is
  * useful to test the system without asserting modules that to make sure they don't hide any bugs in production.</li>
  * <li>-D{@value #INDEX_SEED_SETTING} - a random seed used to initialize the index random context.
@@ -143,8 +144,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 @Ignore
 @AbstractRandomizedTest.IntegrationTests
 public abstract class ElasticsearchIntegrationTest extends ElasticsearchTestCase {
-
-    private static final TestCluster GLOBAL_CLUSTER = new TestCluster(SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED, clusterName("shared", ElasticsearchTestCase.CHILD_VM_ID, SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED));
+    private static TestCluster GLOBAL_CLUSTER;
 
     /**
      * Key used to set the transport client ratio via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_CLIENT_RATIO}
@@ -169,6 +169,16 @@ public abstract class ElasticsearchIntegrationTest extends ElasticsearchTestCase
 
     private static final Map<Class<?>, TestCluster> clusters = new IdentityHashMap<Class<?>, TestCluster>();
 
+    @BeforeClass
+    public final static void beforeClass() throws Exception {
+        // Initialize lazily. No need for volatiles/ CASs since each JVM runs at most one test
+        // suite at any given moment.
+        if (GLOBAL_CLUSTER == null) {
+            long masterSeed = SeedUtils.parseSeed(RandomizedContext.current().getRunnerSeedAsString());
+            GLOBAL_CLUSTER = new TestCluster(masterSeed, clusterName("shared", ElasticsearchTestCase.CHILD_VM_ID, masterSeed));
+        }
+    }
+    
     @Before
     public final void before() throws IOException {
         assert Thread.getDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler() instanceof ElasticsearchUncaughtExceptionHandler;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/TestCluster.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/TestCluster.java
index d714454522e..fe729d43823 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/TestCluster.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/TestCluster.java
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ import org.elasticsearch.cluster.ClusterState;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodes;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
-import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.FileSystemUtils;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
@@ -91,17 +90,11 @@ public final class TestCluster implements Iterable<Client> {
     private final ESLogger logger = Loggers.getLogger(getClass());
 
     /**
-     * The random seed for the shared  test cluster used in the current JVM.
-     */
-    public static final long SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED = clusterSeed();
-
-    /**
-     * Key used to set the shared cluster random seed via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED}
-     */
-    public static final String TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED = "tests.cluster_seed";
-
-    /**
-     * Key used to set the shared cluster random seed via the commandline -D{@value #TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED}
+     * A boolean value to enable or disable mock modules. This is useful to test the
+     * system without asserting modules that to make sure they don't hide any bugs in
+     * production.
+     * 
+     * @see ElasticsearchIntegrationTest
      */
     public static final String TESTS_ENABLE_MOCK_MODULES = "tests.enable_mock_modules";
 
@@ -118,14 +111,6 @@ public final class TestCluster implements Iterable<Client> {
 
     static final int DEFAULT_MAX_NUM_NODES = 6;
 
-    private static long clusterSeed() {
-        String property = System.getProperty(TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED);
-        if (!Strings.hasLength(property)) {
-            return System.nanoTime();
-        }
-        return SeedUtils.parseSeed(property);
-    }
-
     /* sorted map to make traverse order reproducible */
     private final TreeMap<String, NodeAndClient> nodes = newTreeMap();
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
index e45b90cdffc..9f96310f83d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@ package org.elasticsearch.test.junit.listeners;
 
 import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedContext;
 import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.ReproduceErrorMessageBuilder;
-import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.SeedUtils;
 import com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.TraceFormatting;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.Strings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchIntegrationTest;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.ElasticsearchTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster;
 import org.junit.internal.AssumptionViolatedException;
@@ -34,8 +32,6 @@ import org.junit.runner.notification.Failure;
 import org.junit.runner.notification.RunListener;
 
 import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.SysGlobals.SYSPROP_ITERATIONS;
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED;
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED;
 
 /**
  * A {@link RunListener} that emits to {@link System#err} a string with command
@@ -66,11 +62,7 @@ public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
         final StringBuilder b = new StringBuilder();
         b.append("FAILURE  : ").append(d.getDisplayName()).append("\n");
         b.append("REPRODUCE WITH  : mvn test");
-        ReproduceErrorMessageBuilder builder = reproduceErrorMessageBuilder(b).appendAllOpts(failure.getDescription());
-
-        if (mustAppendClusterSeed(failure)) {
-            appendClusterSeed(builder);
-        }
+        reproduceErrorMessageBuilder(b).appendAllOpts(failure.getDescription());
 
         b.append("\n");
         b.append("Throwable:\n");
@@ -81,14 +73,6 @@ public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
         logger.error(b.toString());
     }
 
-    protected boolean mustAppendClusterSeed(Failure failure) {
-        return ElasticsearchIntegrationTest.class.isAssignableFrom(failure.getDescription().getTestClass());
-    }
-
-    protected void appendClusterSeed(ReproduceErrorMessageBuilder builder) {
-        builder.appendOpt(TESTS_CLUSTER_SEED, SeedUtils.formatSeed(SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED));
-    }
-
     protected ReproduceErrorMessageBuilder reproduceErrorMessageBuilder(StringBuilder b) {
         return new MavenMessageBuilder(b);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestReproduceInfoPrinter.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestReproduceInfoPrinter.java
index 67a9126ea95..735fbf66d05 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestReproduceInfoPrinter.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestReproduceInfoPrinter.java
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.Loggers;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.junit.listeners.ReproduceInfoPrinter;
 import org.elasticsearch.test.rest.ElasticsearchRestTests;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.rest.junit.RestTestSuiteRunner.RunMode;
 import org.junit.runner.Description;
-import org.junit.runner.notification.Failure;
 
 import java.util.Arrays;
 
@@ -42,11 +42,6 @@ class RestReproduceInfoPrinter extends ReproduceInfoPrinter {
 
     protected static final ESLogger logger = Loggers.getLogger(RestReproduceInfoPrinter.class);
 
-    @Override
-    protected boolean mustAppendClusterSeed(Failure failure) {
-        return isTestCluster();
-    }
-
     private static boolean isTestCluster() {
         return runMode() == RunMode.TEST_CLUSTER;
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestTestSuiteRunner.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestTestSuiteRunner.java
index ffd0e157b6a..96cf24aa8bf 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestTestSuiteRunner.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/junit/RestTestSuiteRunner.java
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.SeedUtils.parseSeedChain;
 import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.StandaloneRandomizedContext.*;
 import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.SysGlobals.*;
-import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.TestCluster.clusterName;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.rest.junit.DescriptionHelper.*;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
@@ -184,8 +183,8 @@ public class RestTestSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<RestTestCandidate> {
 
         List<InetSocketAddress> addresses = Lists.newArrayList();
         if (runMode == RunMode.TEST_CLUSTER) {
-            this.testCluster = new TestCluster(SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED, 1, 3,
-                    clusterName("REST-tests", ElasticsearchTestCase.CHILD_VM_ID, SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED));
+            this.testCluster = new TestCluster(initialSeed, 1, 3,
+                    clusterName("REST-tests", ElasticsearchTestCase.CHILD_VM_ID, initialSeed));
             this.testCluster.beforeTest(runnerRandomness.getRandom(), 0.0f);
             for (HttpServerTransport httpServerTransport : testCluster.getInstances(HttpServerTransport.class)) {
                 addresses.add(((InetSocketTransportAddress) httpServerTransport.boundAddress().publishAddress()).address());
@@ -353,7 +352,7 @@ public class RestTestSuiteRunner extends ParentRunner<RestTestCandidate> {
             return "elasticsearch REST Tests - not run";
         }
         if (runMode == RunMode.TEST_CLUSTER) {
-            return String.format(Locale.ROOT, "elasticsearch REST Tests - test cluster %s", SeedUtils.formatSeed(SHARED_CLUSTER_SEED));
+            return String.format(Locale.ROOT, "elasticsearch REST Tests - test cluster");
         }
         if (runMode == RunMode.EXTERNAL_CLUSTER) {
             return String.format(Locale.ROOT, "elasticsearch REST Tests - external cluster %s", System.getProperty(REST_TESTS_MODE));