diff --git a/common_test.go b/common_test.go
index 340718a7..22751ca6 100644
--- a/common_test.go
+++ b/common_test.go
@@ -9,12 +9,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/conformal/btcchain"
 	"github.com/conformal/btcdb"
 	_ "github.com/conformal/btcdb/ldb"
+	_ "github.com/conformal/btcdb/memdb"
 	"github.com/conformal/btcutil"
 	"github.com/conformal/btcwire"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 )
 
+// testDbType is the database backend type to use for the tests.
+const testDbType = "memdb"
+
 // testDbRoot is the root directory used to create all test databases.
 const testDbRoot = "testdbs"
 
@@ -28,41 +32,78 @@ func fileExists(name string) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// isSupportedDbType returns whether or not the passed database type is
+// currently supported.
+func isSupportedDbType(dbType string) bool {
+	supportedDBs := btcdb.SupportedDBs()
+	for _, sDbType := range supportedDBs {
+		if dbType == sDbType {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 // chainSetup is used to create a new db and chain instance with the genesis
 // block already inserted.  In addition to the new chain instnce, it returns
 // a teardown function the caller should invoke when done testing to clean up.
 func chainSetup(dbName string) (*btcchain.BlockChain, func(), error) {
-	// Create the root directory for test databases.
-	if !fileExists(testDbRoot) {
-		if err := os.MkdirAll(testDbRoot, 0700); err != nil {
-			err := fmt.Errorf("unable to create test db root: %v", err)
-			return nil, nil, err
+	if !isSupportedDbType(testDbType) {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported db type %v", testDbType)
+	}
+
+	// Handle memory database specially since it doesn't need the disk
+	// specific handling.
+	var db btcdb.Db
+	var teardown func()
+	if testDbType == "memdb" {
+		ndb, err := btcdb.CreateDB(testDbType, "")
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating db: %v", err)
 		}
-	}
+		db = ndb
 
-	// Create a new database to store the accepted blocks into.
-	dbPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName)
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
-	db, err := btcdb.CreateDB("leveldb", dbPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating db: %v", err)
-	}
+		// Setup a teardown function for cleaning up.  This function is
+		// returned to the caller to be invoked when it is done testing.
+		teardown = func() {
+			db.Close()
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Create the root directory for test databases.
+		if !fileExists(testDbRoot) {
+			if err := os.MkdirAll(testDbRoot, 0700); err != nil {
+				err := fmt.Errorf("unable to create test db "+
+					"root: %v", err)
+				return nil, nil, err
+			}
+		}
 
-	// Setup a teardown function for cleaning up.  This function is returned
-	// to the caller to be invoked when it is done testing.
-	teardown := func() {
-		dbVersionPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName+".ver")
-		db.Sync()
-		db.Close()
-		os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
-		os.Remove(dbVersionPath)
-		os.RemoveAll(testDbRoot)
+		// Create a new database to store the accepted blocks into.
+		dbPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName)
+		_ = os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
+		ndb, err := btcdb.CreateDB(testDbType, dbPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating db: %v", err)
+		}
+		db = ndb
+
+		// Setup a teardown function for cleaning up.  This function is
+		// returned to the caller to be invoked when it is done testing.
+		teardown = func() {
+			dbVersionPath := filepath.Join(testDbRoot, dbName+".ver")
+			db.Sync()
+			db.Close()
+			os.RemoveAll(dbPath)
+			os.Remove(dbVersionPath)
+			os.RemoveAll(testDbRoot)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Insert the main network genesis block.  This is part of the initial
 	// database setup.
 	genesisBlock := btcutil.NewBlock(&btcwire.GenesisBlock)
-	_, err = db.InsertBlock(genesisBlock)
+	_, err := db.InsertBlock(genesisBlock)
 	if err != nil {
 		teardown()
 		err := fmt.Errorf("failed to insert genesis block: %v", err)