A workaround that is strongly inspired from https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-140041 is to start your main class with the test classpath (which includes the embedded servlet.)
Steps (IntelliJ 16):
Run
->Edit Configurations
->Add new configuration
-> PickApplication
type.- Set
Main class
to<your.main.class>
- Set
Use classpath of module
to<*>_test
(the test module!) Ok
andRun
it!