diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py b/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
index dd8944116..70df98d50 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ class ResourceGroup(stack_resource.StackResource):
     def _assemble_nested(self, count, include_all=False):
         child_template = copy.deepcopy(template_template)
         resource_def = self.properties[self.RESOURCE_DEF]
+        if resource_def[self.RESOURCE_DEF_PROPERTIES] is None:
+            resource_def[self.RESOURCE_DEF_PROPERTIES] = {}
         if not include_all:
             resource_def_props = resource_def[self.RESOURCE_DEF_PROPERTIES]
             clean = dict((k, v) for k, v in resource_def_props.items() if v)
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_resource_group.py b/heat/tests/test_resource_group.py
index 3d8cfbb5b..2eb8b48b0 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_resource_group.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_resource_group.py
@@ -134,6 +134,14 @@ class ResourceGroupTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         expect['resources']["0"]['properties'] = {"Foo": None}
         self.assertEqual(expect, resg._assemble_nested(1, include_all=True))
 
+    def test_assemble_no_properties(self):
+        templ = copy.deepcopy(template)
+        res_def = templ["resources"]["group1"]["properties"]['resource_def']
+        del res_def['properties']
+        stack = utils.parse_stack(templ)
+        resg = stack.resources['group1']
+        self.assertIsNone(resg.validate())
+
     def test_invalid_res_type(self):
         """Test that error raised for unknown resource type."""
         tmp = copy.deepcopy(template)