diff --git a/lightningd/bitcoind.c b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
index e3c44a393..55b261d2d 100644
--- a/lightningd/bitcoind.c
+++ b/lightningd/bitcoind.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* Code for talking to bitcoind.  We use bitcoin-cli. */
 #include "bitcoin/base58.h"
 #include "bitcoin/block.h"
+#include "bitcoin/feerate.h"
 #include "bitcoin/shadouble.h"
 #include "bitcoind.h"
 #include "lightningd.h"
@@ -352,7 +353,21 @@ static bool process_estimatefee(struct bitcoin_cli *bcli)
 	if (!extract_feerate(bcli, bcli->output, bcli->output_bytes, &feerate)) {
 		log_unusual(bcli->bitcoind->log, "Unable to estimate %s/%u fee",
 			    efee->estmode[efee->i], efee->blocks[efee->i]);
+
+#if DEVELOPER
+		/* This is needed to test for failed feerate estimates
+		 * in DEVELOPER mode */
 		efee->satoshi_per_kw[efee->i] = 0;
+#else
+		/* If we are in testnet mode we want to allow payments
+		 * with the minimal fee even if the estimate didn't
+		 * work out. This is less disruptive than erring out
+		 * all the time. */
+		if (get_chainparams(bcli->bitcoind->ld)->testnet)
+			efee->satoshi_per_kw[efee->i] = FEERATE_FLOOR;
+		else
+			efee->satoshi_per_kw[efee->i] = 0;
+#endif
 	} else
 		/* Rate in satoshi per kw. */
 		efee->satoshi_per_kw[efee->i]
diff --git a/tests/test_misc.py b/tests/test_misc.py
index 02b64fded..f9f2bd65a 100644
--- a/tests/test_misc.py
+++ b/tests/test_misc.py
@@ -864,6 +864,7 @@ def test_ipv4_and_ipv6(node_factory):
         assert int(bind[0]['port']) == port
 
 
+@unittest.skipIf(not DEVELOPER, "Without DEVELOPER=1 we snap to FEERATE_FLOOR on testnets")
 def test_feerates(node_factory):
     l1 = node_factory.get_node(options={'log-level': 'io'}, start=False)
     l1.daemon.rpcproxy.mock_rpc('estimatesmartfee', {