diff --git a/heat/engine/hot/functions.py b/heat/engine/hot/functions.py
index 3f7cb7b7c1..66025bafb6 100644
--- a/heat/engine/hot/functions.py
+++ b/heat/engine/hot/functions.py
@@ -878,15 +878,19 @@ class Repeat(function.Function):
 
     def result(self):
         for_each = function.resolve(self._for_each)
-        if not all(self._valid_arg(l) for l in for_each.values()):
+        keys, lists = six.moves.zip(*for_each.items())
+
+        # use empty list for references(None) else validation will fail
+        values = [[] if value is None else value for value in lists]
+
+        if not all(self._valid_arg(l) for l in values):
             raise TypeError(_('The values of the "for_each" argument to '
                               '"%s" must be lists') % self.fn_name)
 
         template = function.resolve(self._template)
 
-        keys, lists = six.moves.zip(*for_each.items())
         return [self._do_replacement(keys, replacements, template)
-                for replacements in itertools.product(*lists)]
+                for replacements in itertools.product(*values)]
 
 
 class RepeatWithMap(Repeat):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_hot.py b/heat/tests/test_hot.py
index 62ef710ca6..faa29d3048 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_hot.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_hot.py
@@ -956,6 +956,14 @@ class HOTemplateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('role1', resolved['role1'])
         self.assertEqual('role2', resolved['role2'])
 
+    def test_merge_containing_repeat_with_none(self):
+        snippet = {'map_merge': {'repeat': {'template': {'ROLE': 'ROLE'},
+                   'for_each': {'ROLE': None}}}}
+        tmpl = template.Template(hot_mitaka_tpl_empty)
+        resolved = self.resolve(snippet, tmpl)
+
+        self.assertEqual({}, resolved)
+
     def test_map_replace(self):
         snippet = {'map_replace': [{'f1': 'b1', 'f2': 'b2'},
                                    {'keys': {'f1': 'F1'},