diff --git a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
@@ -255,6 +255,9 @@
                 % (", ".join(missing_keys),)
             )
 
+    elif cls == "noop":
+        raise EnvironmentError("Noop implementations should not be used in production.")
+
     return cfg
 
 
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/backends/noop.py b/swh/objstorage/backends/noop.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/objstorage/backends/noop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2021  The Software Heritage developers
+# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
+# License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
+# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
+
+from swh.objstorage.objstorage import ObjStorage
+
+
+class NoopObjStorage(ObjStorage):
+    """Noop objstorage. Basic implementation which does no operations at all.
+
+    Only intended for test purposes to avoid either memory or i/o operations. This
+    allows swh clients to use the swh stack without having to deal with objstorage
+    configuration. So users can concentrate on testing the remaining part of the stack
+    without the objstorage.
+
+    """
+
+    def check_config(self, *, check_write):
+        return True
+
+    def __contains__(self, obj_id, *args, **kwargs):
+        return False
+
+    def add(self, content, obj_id=None, check_presence=True, *args, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+    def get(self, obj_id, *args, **kwargs):
+        return None
+
+    def check(self, obj_id, *args, **kwargs):
+        pass
+
+    def delete(self, obj_id, *args, **kwargs):
+        pass
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/factory.py b/swh/objstorage/factory.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/factory.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/factory.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2016-2020  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2016-2021  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from swh.objstorage.api.client import RemoteObjStorage
 from swh.objstorage.backends.generator import RandomGeneratorObjStorage
 from swh.objstorage.backends.in_memory import InMemoryObjStorage
+from swh.objstorage.backends.noop import NoopObjStorage
 from swh.objstorage.backends.pathslicing import PathSlicingObjStorage
 from swh.objstorage.backends.seaweed import WeedObjStorage
 from swh.objstorage.multiplexer import MultiplexerObjStorage, StripingObjStorage
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@
     "memory": InMemoryObjStorage,
     "weed": WeedObjStorage,
     "random": RandomGeneratorObjStorage,
+    "noop": NoopObjStorage,
 }
 
 _STORAGE_CLASSES_MISSING = {}
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_objstorage_noop.py b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_objstorage_noop.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_objstorage_noop.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2021  The Software Heritage developers
+# See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
+# License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
+# See top-level LICENSE file for more information
+
+from swh.objstorage.factory import get_objstorage
+from swh.objstorage.objstorage import ObjStorage
+
+
+def test_instantiate_noop_objstorage():
+    objstorage = get_objstorage(cls="noop")
+    assert objstorage is not None
+    assert isinstance(objstorage, ObjStorage)
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2019  The Software Heritage developers
+# Copyright (C) 2019-2021  The Software Heritage developers
 # See the AUTHORS file at the top-level directory of this distribution
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
@@ -113,3 +113,13 @@
     config_path = prepare_config_file(tmpdir, config)
     cfg = load_and_check_config(config_path)
     assert cfg == config
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "config", [pytest.param({"objstorage": {"cls": "noop",}}, id="noop",),],
+)
+def test_load_and_check_config_raise(tmpdir, config):
+    """pathslicing configuration fine loads ok"""
+    config_path = prepare_config_file(tmpdir, config)
+    with pytest.raises(EnvironmentError, match="not be used in production"):
+        load_and_check_config(config_path)