diff --git a/translator/toscalib/elements/capabilitytype.py b/translator/toscalib/elements/capabilitytype.py
index 5340b39..624e5fa 100644
--- a/translator/toscalib/elements/capabilitytype.py
+++ b/translator/toscalib/elements/capabilitytype.py
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ from translator.toscalib.elements.statefulentitytype import StatefulEntityType
 class CapabilityTypeDef(StatefulEntityType):
     '''TOSCA built-in capabilities type.'''
 
-    def __init__(self, name, ctype, ntype):
+    def __init__(self, name, ctype, ntype, custom_def=None):
         self.name = name
-        super(CapabilityTypeDef, self).__init__(ctype, self.CAPABILITY_PREFIX)
+        super(CapabilityTypeDef, self).__init__(ctype, self.CAPABILITY_PREFIX,
+                                                custom_def)
         self.nodetype = ntype
-        self.defs = self.TOSCA_DEF[ctype]
         self.properties = None
         if self.PROPERTIES in self.defs:
             self.properties = self.defs[self.PROPERTIES]
diff --git a/translator/toscalib/elements/nodetype.py b/translator/toscalib/elements/nodetype.py
index add4d74..a15fe80 100644
--- a/translator/toscalib/elements/nodetype.py
+++ b/translator/toscalib/elements/nodetype.py
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ class NodeType(StatefulEntityType):
         if caps:
             for name, value in caps.items():
                 ctype = value.get('type')
-                cap = CapabilityTypeDef(name, ctype, self.type)
+                cap = CapabilityTypeDef(name, ctype, self.type,
+                                        self.custom_def)
                 typecapabilities.append(cap)
         return typecapabilities
 
diff --git a/translator/toscalib/tests/test_toscatpl.py b/translator/toscalib/tests/test_toscatpl.py
index 15e44a2..800360f 100644
--- a/translator/toscalib/tests/test_toscatpl.py
+++ b/translator/toscalib/tests/test_toscatpl.py
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import os
+import six
 
+from translator.toscalib.common import exception
 import translator.toscalib.elements.interfaces as ifaces
 from translator.toscalib.elements.nodetype import NodeType
 from translator.toscalib.functions import GetInput
@@ -319,3 +321,56 @@ class ToscaTemplateTest(TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(
             NotImplementedError,
             lambda: NodeTemplate(tpl_name, nodetemplates).relationships)
+
+    def test_custom_capability_type_definition(self):
+        tpl_snippet = '''
+        node_templates:
+          test_app:
+            type: tosca.nodes.WebApplication.TestApp
+            capabilities:
+              test_cap:
+                properties:
+                  test: 1
+        '''
+        #custom definition with capability type definition
+        custom_def = '''
+        tosca.nodes.WebApplication.TestApp:
+          derived_from: tosca.nodes.WebApplication
+          capabilities:
+            test_cap:
+               type: tosca.capabilities.TestCapability
+        tosca.capabilities.TestCapability:
+          derived_from: tosca.capabilities.Root
+          properties:
+            test:
+              type: integer
+              required: no
+        '''
+        expected_capabilities = ['test_cap']
+        nodetemplates = (translator.toscalib.utils.yamlparser.
+                         simple_parse(tpl_snippet))['node_templates']
+        custom_def = (translator.toscalib.utils.yamlparser.
+                      simple_parse(custom_def))
+        name = list(nodetemplates.keys())[0]
+        tpl = NodeTemplate(name, nodetemplates, custom_def)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            expected_capabilities,
+            sorted([c.name for c in tpl.capabilities]))
+
+        #custom definition without capability type definition
+        custom_def = '''
+        tosca.nodes.WebApplication.TestApp:
+          derived_from: tosca.nodes.WebApplication
+          capabilities:
+            test_cap:
+               type: tosca.capabilities.TestCapability
+        '''
+        custom_def = (translator.toscalib.utils.yamlparser.
+                      simple_parse(custom_def))
+        tpl = NodeTemplate(name, nodetemplates, custom_def)
+        err = self.assertRaises(
+            exception.InvalidTypeError,
+            lambda: NodeTemplate(name, nodetemplates,
+                                 custom_def).capabilities)
+        self.assertEqual('Type "tosca.capabilities.TestCapability" is not '
+                         'a valid type.', six.text_type(err))
diff --git a/translator/toscalib/tosca_template.py b/translator/toscalib/tosca_template.py
index 4cd2ccb..196a940 100644
--- a/translator/toscalib/tosca_template.py
+++ b/translator/toscalib/tosca_template.py
@@ -78,7 +78,9 @@ class ToscaTemplate(object):
         data_types = self._get_custom_types(DATATYPE_DEFINITIONS)
         if data_types:
             custom_defs.update(data_types)
-
+        capability_types = self._get_custom_types(CAPABILITY_TYPES)
+        if capability_types:
+            custom_defs.update(capability_types)
         nodetemplates = []
         tpls = self._tpl_nodetemplates()
         for name in tpls: