diff --git a/cms/__init__.py b/cms/__init__.py
index 7ca1196bb0..294b4436ce 100644
--- a/cms/__init__.py
+++ b/cms/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ registration and discovery can work correctly.
 """
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+# We monkey patch Kombu's entrypoints listing because scanning through this
+# accounts for the majority of LMS/Studio startup time for tests, and we don't
+# use custom Kombu serializers (which is what this is for). Still, this is
+# pretty evil, and should be taken out when we update Celery to the next version
+# where it looks like this method of custom serialization has been removed.
+#
+# FWIW, this is identical behavior to what happens in Kombu if pkg_resources
+# isn't available.
+import kombu.utils
+kombu.utils.entrypoints = lambda namespace: iter([])
+
 # This will make sure the app is always imported when
 # Django starts so that shared_task will use this app.
 from .celery import APP as CELERY_APP
diff --git a/lms/__init__.py b/lms/__init__.py
index 7ca1196bb0..294b4436ce 100644
--- a/lms/__init__.py
+++ b/lms/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ registration and discovery can work correctly.
 """
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+# We monkey patch Kombu's entrypoints listing because scanning through this
+# accounts for the majority of LMS/Studio startup time for tests, and we don't
+# use custom Kombu serializers (which is what this is for). Still, this is
+# pretty evil, and should be taken out when we update Celery to the next version
+# where it looks like this method of custom serialization has been removed.
+#
+# FWIW, this is identical behavior to what happens in Kombu if pkg_resources
+# isn't available.
+import kombu.utils
+kombu.utils.entrypoints = lambda namespace: iter([])
+
 # This will make sure the app is always imported when
 # Django starts so that shared_task will use this app.
 from .celery import APP as CELERY_APP