diff --git a/heat/engine/clients/os/magnum.py b/heat/engine/clients/os/magnum.py
index b14da83e6..ee3e536c9 100644
--- a/heat/engine/clients/os/magnum.py
+++ b/heat/engine/clients/os/magnum.py
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
-from magnumclient.openstack.common.apiclient import exceptions
+from magnumclient.openstack.common.apiclient import exceptions as mc_exc
 from magnumclient.v1 import client as magnum_client
 
+from heat.common import exception
 from heat.engine.clients import client_plugin
+from heat.engine import constraints
 
 
 class MagnumClientPlugin(client_plugin.ClientPlugin):
@@ -34,10 +36,25 @@ class MagnumClientPlugin(client_plugin.ClientPlugin):
         return client
 
     def is_not_found(self, ex):
-        return isinstance(ex, exceptions.NotFound)
+        return isinstance(ex, mc_exc.NotFound)
 
     def is_over_limit(self, ex):
-        return isinstance(ex, exceptions.RequestEntityTooLarge)
+        return isinstance(ex, mc_exc.RequestEntityTooLarge)
 
     def is_conflict(self, ex):
-        return isinstance(ex, exceptions.Conflict)
+        return isinstance(ex, mc_exc.Conflict)
+
+    def get_baymodel(self, value):
+        try:
+            self.client().baymodels.get(value)
+        except mc_exc.NotFound:
+            raise exception.EntityNotFound(entity='BayModel',
+                                           name=value)
+
+
+class BaymodelConstraint(constraints.BaseCustomConstraint):
+
+    expected_exceptions = (exception.EntityNotFound,)
+
+    def validate_with_client(self, client, value):
+        client.client_plugin('magnum').get_baymodel(value)
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/magnum/bay.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/magnum/bay.py
index e34398f79..831f7866f 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/magnum/bay.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/magnum/bay.py
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ class Bay(resource.Resource):
         ),
         BAYMODEL: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.STRING,
-            _('The ID of the bay model.'),
+            _('The name or ID of the bay model.'),
+            constraints=[
+                constraints.CustomConstraint('magnum.baymodel')
+            ],
             required=True
         ),
         NODE_COUNT: properties.Schema(
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ class Bay(resource.Resource):
         ),
         DISCOVERY_URL: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.STRING,
-            _('Url used for bay node discovery.')
+            _('Specifies a custom discovery url for node discovery.')
         ),
         BAY_CREATE_TIMEOUT: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.INTEGER,
diff --git a/heat/tests/magnum/test_magnum_bay.py b/heat/tests/magnum/test_magnum_bay.py
index 7fab3c043..f337f6867 100644
--- a/heat/tests/magnum/test_magnum_bay.py
+++ b/heat/tests/magnum/test_magnum_bay.py
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@ import mock
 from oslo_config import cfg
 import six
 
+from magnumclient.openstack.common.apiclient import exceptions as mc_exc
+
 from heat.common import exception
 from heat.common import template_format
+from heat.engine.clients.os import magnum as mc
 from heat.engine import resource
 from heat.engine.resources.openstack.magnum import bay
 from heat.engine import scheduler
@@ -54,6 +57,7 @@ class TestMagnumBay(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.rsrc_defn = resource_defns['test_bay']
         self.client = mock.Mock()
         self.patchobject(bay.Bay, 'client', return_value=self.client)
+        self.patchobject(mc.MagnumClientPlugin, 'get_baymodel')
 
     def _create_resource(self, name, snippet, stack, stat='CREATE_COMPLETE'):
         self.resource_id = '12345'
@@ -144,3 +148,21 @@ class TestMagnumBay(common.HeatTestCase):
         mapping = bay.resource_mapping()
         self.assertEqual(1, len(mapping))
         self.assertEqual(mapping[RESOURCE_TYPE], bay.Bay)
+
+
+class BaymodelConstraintTest(common.HeatTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(BaymodelConstraintTest, self).setUp()
+        self.ctx = utils.dummy_context()
+        self.mock_baymodel_get = mock.Mock()
+        self.ctx.clients.client_plugin(
+            'magnum').client().baymodels.get = self.mock_baymodel_get
+        self.constraint = mc.BaymodelConstraint()
+
+    def test_validate(self):
+        self.mock_baymodel_get.return_value = None
+        self.assertTrue(self.constraint.validate("mybaymodel", self.ctx))
+
+    def test_validate_fail(self):
+        self.mock_baymodel_get.side_effect = mc_exc.NotFound()
+        self.assertFalse(self.constraint.validate("badbaymodel", self.ctx))
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 31ad27f35..cc3ba8ae0 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ heat.constraints =
     keystone.group = heat.engine.clients.os.keystone:KeystoneGroupConstraint
     keystone.service = heat.engine.clients.os.keystone:KeystoneServiceConstraint
     keystone.user = heat.engine.clients.os.keystone:KeystoneUserConstraint
+    magnum.baymodel = heat.engine.clients.os.magnum:BaymodelConstraint
     manila.share_snapshot = heat.engine.clients.os.manila:ManilaShareSnapshotConstraint
     manila.share_network = heat.engine.clients.os.manila:ManilaShareNetworkConstraint
     manila.share_type = heat.engine.clients.os.manila:ManilaShareTypeConstraint