diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blob/tests/testcase.py b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blob/tests/testcase.py
index b52a611f4f92..d50d35155dc1 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blob/tests/testcase.py
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-blob/tests/testcase.py
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.fake_settings = fake_settings
 
         if settings is None:
-            self.test_mode = TestMode.playback
+            self.test_mode = os.getenv('TEST_MODE') or TestMode.playback
         else:
             self.test_mode = self.settings.TEST_MODE.lower() or TestMode.playback
 
-        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback:
+        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback or (self.settings is None and self.test_mode.lower() == TestMode.run_live_no_record):
             self.settings = self.fake_settings
 
         # example of qualified test name:
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-file/tests/filetestcase.py b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-file/tests/filetestcase.py
index 087eb4708820..fc3620f16492 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-file/tests/filetestcase.py
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-file/tests/filetestcase.py
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.fake_settings = fake_settings
 
         if settings is None:
-            self.test_mode = TestMode.playback
+            self.test_mode = os.getenv('TEST_MODE') or TestMode.playback
         else:
             self.test_mode = self.settings.TEST_MODE.lower() or TestMode.playback
 
-        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback:
+        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback or (self.settings is None and self.test_mode.lower() == TestMode.run_live_no_record):
             self.settings = self.fake_settings
 
         # example of qualified test name:
diff --git a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-queue/tests/queuetestcase.py b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-queue/tests/queuetestcase.py
index f956d2d6f746..2d7d57370988 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/azure-storage-queue/tests/queuetestcase.py
+++ b/sdk/storage/azure-storage-queue/tests/queuetestcase.py
@@ -79,11 +79,11 @@ def setUp(self):
         self.fake_settings = fake_settings
 
         if settings is None:
-            self.test_mode = TestMode.playback
+            self.test_mode = os.getenv('TEST_MODE') or TestMode.playback
         else:
             self.test_mode = self.settings.TEST_MODE.lower() or TestMode.playback
 
-        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback:
+        if self.test_mode == TestMode.playback or (self.settings is None and self.test_mode.lower() == TestMode.run_live_no_record):
             self.settings = self.fake_settings
 
         # example of qualified test name:
diff --git a/sdk/storage/tests.yml b/sdk/storage/tests.yml
index 416804a0d51f..40f7bbe29d08 100644
--- a/sdk/storage/tests.yml
+++ b/sdk/storage/tests.yml
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ jobs:
         CONNECTION_STRING: $(python-storage-blob-connection-string)
         BLOB_CONNECTION_STRING: $(python-storage-blob-connection-string)
         PREMIUM_CONNECTION_STRING: $(python-storage-premium-connection-string)
-        TEST_MODE: RunLiveNoRecord
+        TEST_MODE: 'RunLiveNoRecord'