diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/nova_keypair.py b/heat/engine/resources/nova_keypair.py
index 5d67d9c2d..1b6fadb6d 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/nova_keypair.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/nova_keypair.py
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ class KeyPair(resource.Resource):
         NAME: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.STRING,
             _('The name of the key pair.'),
-            required=True
+            required=True,
+            constraints=[
+                constraints.Length(min=1, max=255)
+            ]
         ),
         SAVE_PRIVATE_KEY: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.BOOLEAN,
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_nova_keypair.py b/heat/tests/test_nova_keypair.py
index 422a90fe0..ea4066219 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_nova_keypair.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_nova_keypair.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 
 import collections
 import copy
+import six
 
+from heat.common import exception
 from heat.engine.clients.os import nova
 from heat.engine.resources import nova_keypair
 from heat.engine import scheduler
@@ -91,6 +93,38 @@ class NovaKeyPairTest(HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(tp_test.resource_id, created_key.name)
         self.m.VerifyAll()
 
+    def test_create_key_empty_name(self):
+        """Test creation of a keypair whose name is of length zero."""
+        key_name = ""
+        template = copy.deepcopy(self.kp_template)
+        template['resources']['kp']['properties']['name'] = key_name
+        stack = utils.parse_stack(template)
+        definition = stack.t.resource_definitions(stack)['kp']
+        kp_res = nova_keypair.KeyPair('kp', definition, stack)
+        self.m.ReplayAll()
+        create = scheduler.TaskRunner(kp_res.create)
+        error = self.assertRaises(exception.ResourceFailure, create)
+        self.assertIn("Property error", six.text_type(error))
+        self.assertIn("name length (0) is out of range (min: 1, max: 255)",
+                      six.text_type(error))
+        self.m.VerifyAll()
+
+    def test_create_key_excess_name_length(self):
+        """Test creation of a keypair whose name is of excess length."""
+        key_name = 'k' * 256
+        template = copy.deepcopy(self.kp_template)
+        template['resources']['kp']['properties']['name'] = key_name
+        stack = utils.parse_stack(template)
+        definition = stack.t.resource_definitions(stack)['kp']
+        kp_res = nova_keypair.KeyPair('kp', definition, stack)
+        self.m.ReplayAll()
+        create = scheduler.TaskRunner(kp_res.create)
+        error = self.assertRaises(exception.ResourceFailure, create)
+        self.assertIn("Property error", six.text_type(error))
+        self.assertIn("name length (256) is out of range (min: 1, max: 255)",
+                      six.text_type(error))
+        self.m.VerifyAll()
+
     def test_delete_key(self):
         """Test basic delete."""
         test_res = self._get_test_resource(self.kp_template)