diff --git a/mopidy/audio/__init__.py b/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
index 5adb333c..d38358c4 100644
--- a/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
+++ b/mopidy/audio/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 # flake8: noqa
 from .actor import Audio
+from .dummy import DummyAudio
 from .listener import AudioListener
 from .constants import PlaybackState
 from .utils import (calculate_duration, create_buffer, millisecond_to_clocktime,
diff --git a/mopidy/audio/dummy.py b/mopidy/audio/dummy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ad14390f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mopidy/audio/dummy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+"""A dummy audio actor for use in tests.
+
+This class implements the audio API in the simplest way possible. It is used in
+tests of the core and backends.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
+import pykka
+
+from .constants import PlaybackState
+from .listener import AudioListener
+
+
+class DummyAudio(pykka.ThreadingActor):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super(DummyAudio, self).__init__()
+        self.state = PlaybackState.STOPPED
+        self._position = 0
+
+    def set_on_end_of_track(self, callback):
+        pass
+
+    def set_uri(self, uri):
+        pass
+
+    def set_appsrc(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+    def emit_data(self, buffer_):
+        pass
+
+    def emit_end_of_stream(self):
+        pass
+
+    def get_position(self):
+        return self._position
+
+    def set_position(self, position):
+        self._position = position
+        return True
+
+    def start_playback(self):
+        return self._change_state(PlaybackState.PLAYING)
+
+    def pause_playback(self):
+        return self._change_state(PlaybackState.PAUSED)
+
+    def prepare_change(self):
+        return True
+
+    def stop_playback(self):
+        return self._change_state(PlaybackState.STOPPED)
+
+    def get_volume(self):
+        return 0
+
+    def set_volume(self, volume):
+        pass
+
+    def set_metadata(self, track):
+        pass
+
+    def _change_state(self, new_state):
+        old_state, self.state = self.state, new_state
+        AudioListener.send(
+            'state_changed', old_state=old_state, new_state=new_state)
+        return True
diff --git a/tests/backends/base/events.py b/tests/backends/base/events.py
index 2b6df347..1d31a721 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base/events.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base/events.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from mopidy.backends import listener
 @mock.patch.object(listener.BackendListener, 'send')
 class BackendEventsTest(object):
     def setUp(self):
-        self.audio = mock.Mock(spec=audio.Audio)
+        self.audio = audio.DummyAudio.start().proxy()
         self.backend = self.backend_class.start(audio=self.audio).proxy()
         self.core = core.Core.start(backends=[self.backend]).proxy()
 
diff --git a/tests/backends/base/playback.py b/tests/backends/base/playback.py
index 155fa661..d7979018 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base/playback.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base/playback.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import mock
 import random
 import time
 
+import pykka
+
 from mopidy import audio, core
 from mopidy.core import PlaybackState
 from mopidy.models import Track
@@ -18,7 +20,7 @@ class PlaybackControllerTest(object):
     tracks = []
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.audio = mock.Mock(spec=audio.Audio)
+        self.audio = audio.DummyAudio.start().proxy()
         self.backend = self.backend_class.start(audio=self.audio).proxy()
         self.core = core.Core(backends=[self.backend])
         self.playback = self.core.playback
@@ -29,6 +31,9 @@ class PlaybackControllerTest(object):
         assert self.tracks[0].length >= 2000, \
             'First song needs to be at least 2000 miliseconds'
 
+    def tearDown(self):
+        pykka.ActorRegistry.stop_all()
+
     def test_initial_state_is_stopped(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.playback.state, PlaybackState.STOPPED)
 
diff --git a/tests/backends/base/playlists.py b/tests/backends/base/playlists.py
index c162e500..2184168f 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base/playlists.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base/playlists.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import os
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 
-import mock
 import pykka
 
 from mopidy import audio, core, settings
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ class PlaylistsControllerTest(object):
         settings.LOCAL_TAG_CACHE_FILE = path_to_data_dir('library_tag_cache')
         settings.LOCAL_MUSIC_PATH = path_to_data_dir('')
 
-        self.audio = mock.Mock(spec=audio.Audio)
+        self.audio = audio.DummyAudio.start().proxy()
         self.backend = self.backend_class.start(audio=self.audio).proxy()
         self.core = core.Core(backends=[self.backend])
 
diff --git a/tests/backends/base/tracklist.py b/tests/backends/base/tracklist.py
index 39536edc..39fb020d 100644
--- a/tests/backends/base/tracklist.py
+++ b/tests/backends/base/tracklist.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
-import mock
 import random
 
 import pykka
@@ -16,7 +15,7 @@ class TracklistControllerTest(object):
     tracks = []
 
     def setUp(self):
-        self.audio = mock.Mock(spec=audio.Audio)
+        self.audio = audio.DummyAudio.start().proxy()
         self.backend = self.backend_class.start(audio=self.audio).proxy()
         self.core = core.Core(audio=self.audio, backends=[self.backend])
         self.controller = self.core.tracklist