diff --git a/heat/engine/service_software_config.py b/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
index 05e5a9d73..ce062adc9 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service_software_config.py
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(service.Service):
         return result
 
     @oslo_db_api.wrap_db_retry(max_retries=10, retry_on_request=True)
-    def _push_metadata_software_deployments(self, cnxt, server_id, sd):
+    def _push_metadata_software_deployments(
+            self, cnxt, server_id, stack_user_project_id):
         rs = db_api.resource_get_by_physical_resource_id(cnxt, server_id)
         if not rs:
             return
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(service.Service):
             json_md = jsonutils.dumps(md)
             requests.put(metadata_put_url, json_md)
         if metadata_queue_id:
-            project = sd.stack_user_project_id
+            project = stack_user_project_id
             token = self._get_user_token(cnxt, rs, project)
             zaqar_plugin = cnxt.clients.client_plugin('zaqar')
             zaqar = zaqar_plugin.create_for_tenant(project, token)
@@ -224,7 +225,8 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(service.Service):
             'action': action,
             'status': status,
             'status_reason': status_reason})
-        self._push_metadata_software_deployments(cnxt, server_id, sd)
+        self._push_metadata_software_deployments(
+            cnxt, server_id, stack_user_project_id)
         return api.format_software_deployment(sd)
 
     def signal_software_deployment(self, cnxt, deployment_id, details,
@@ -315,10 +317,15 @@ class SoftwareConfigService(service.Service):
         # only push metadata if this update resulted in the config_id
         # changing, since metadata is just a list of configs
         if config_id:
-            self._push_metadata_software_deployments(cnxt, sd.server_id, sd)
+            self._push_metadata_software_deployments(
+                cnxt, sd.server_id, sd.stack_user_project_id)
 
         return api.format_software_deployment(sd)
 
     def delete_software_deployment(self, cnxt, deployment_id):
+        sd = software_deployment_object.SoftwareDeployment.get_by_id(
+            cnxt, deployment_id)
         software_deployment_object.SoftwareDeployment.delete(
             cnxt, deployment_id)
+        self._push_metadata_software_deployments(
+            cnxt, sd.server_id, sd.stack_user_project_id)
diff --git a/heat/objects/software_config.py b/heat/objects/software_config.py
index f46030f2a..eab2da302 100644
--- a/heat/objects/software_config.py
+++ b/heat/objects/software_config.py
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ class SoftwareConfig(base.VersionedObject,
 
     @staticmethod
     def _from_db_object(context, config, db_config):
+
+        # SoftwareDeployment._from_db_object may attempt to load a None config
+        if db_config is None:
+            return None
+
         for field in config.fields:
             config[field] = db_config[field]
         config._context = context
diff --git a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_software_config.py b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_software_config.py
index 648dc22c6..6a201e39c 100644
--- a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_software_config.py
+++ b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_software_config.py
@@ -512,9 +512,7 @@ class SoftwareConfigServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('DEPLOY', updated['action'])
         self.assertEqual('WAITING', updated['status'])
 
-        sd = software_deployment_object.SoftwareDeployment.get_by_id(
-            self.ctx, deployment_id)
-        mock_push.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, server_id, sd)
+        mock_push.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, server_id, None)
 
     def test_update_software_deployment_fields(self):
 
@@ -544,7 +542,9 @@ class SoftwareConfigServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         check_software_deployment_updated(status='COMPLETE')
         check_software_deployment_updated(status_reason='Done!')
 
-    def test_delete_software_deployment(self):
+    @mock.patch.object(service_software_config.SoftwareConfigService,
+                       '_push_metadata_software_deployments')
+    def test_delete_software_deployment(self, pmsd):
         deployment_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
         ex = self.assertRaises(dispatcher.ExpectedException,
                                self.engine.delete_software_deployment,
@@ -554,11 +554,19 @@ class SoftwareConfigServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         deployment = self._create_software_deployment()
         self.assertIsNotNone(deployment)
         deployment_id = deployment['id']
+
         deployments = self.engine.list_software_deployments(
             self.ctx, server_id=None)
         deployment_ids = [x['id'] for x in deployments]
         self.assertIn(deployment_id, deployment_ids)
         self.engine.delete_software_deployment(self.ctx, deployment_id)
+
+        # assert one call for the create, and one for the delete
+        pmsd.assert_has_calls([
+            mock.call(self.ctx, deployment['server_id'], None),
+            mock.call(self.ctx, deployment['server_id'], None)
+        ])
+
         deployments = self.engine.list_software_deployments(
             self.ctx, server_id=None)
         deployment_ids = [x['id'] for x in deployments]
@@ -673,8 +681,6 @@ class SoftwareConfigServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         rs.data = [rd]
         res_get.return_value = rs
         res_upd.return_value = 1
-        sd = mock.Mock()
-        sd.stack_user_project_id = 'project1'
         queue = mock.Mock()
         zaqar_client = mock.Mock()
         plugin.return_value = zaqar_client
@@ -689,7 +695,7 @@ class SoftwareConfigServiceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         }
 
         self.engine.software_config._push_metadata_software_deployments(
-            self.ctx, '1234', sd)
+            self.ctx, '1234', 'project1')
         res_upd.assert_called_once_with(
             self.ctx, '1234', {'rsrc_metadata': result_metadata}, 1)