diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/software_config/software_deployment.py b/heat/engine/resources/software_config/software_deployment.py
index 496d732e59..aa9e8a94df 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/software_config/software_deployment.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/software_config/software_deployment.py
@@ -211,12 +211,15 @@ class SoftwareDeployment(signal_responder.SignalResponder):
         return derived_config[rpc_api.SOFTWARE_CONFIG_ID]
 
     def _handle_action(self, action):
-        config_id = self.properties.get(self.CONFIG)
-        config = self.rpc_client().show_software_config(
-            self.context, config_id)
+        if self.properties.get(self.CONFIG):
+            config = self.rpc_client().show_software_config(
+                self.context, self.properties.get(self.CONFIG))
+        else:
+            config = {}
 
         if (action not in self.properties[self.DEPLOY_ACTIONS]
-                and not config[rpc_api.SOFTWARE_CONFIG_GROUP] == 'component'):
+                and not config.get(
+                    rpc_api.SOFTWARE_CONFIG_GROUP) == 'component'):
             return
 
         props = self._build_properties(
@@ -266,14 +269,14 @@ class SoftwareDeployment(signal_responder.SignalResponder):
         derived_options = self._build_derived_options(action, source)
         derived_config = self._build_derived_config(
             action, source, derived_inputs, derived_options)
-        derived_name = self.properties.get(self.NAME) or source[scl.NAME]
+        derived_name = self.properties.get(self.NAME) or source.get(scl.NAME)
         return {
-            scl.GROUP: source[scl.GROUP],
-            scl.CONFIG: derived_config,
+            scl.GROUP: source.get(scl.GROUP) or 'Heat::Ungrouped',
+            scl.CONFIG: derived_config or '',
             scl.OPTIONS: derived_options,
             scl.INPUTS: derived_inputs,
             scl.OUTPUTS: source.get(scl.OUTPUTS),
-            scl.NAME: derived_name
+            scl.NAME: derived_name or self.physical_resource_name()
         }
 
     def _build_derived_config(self, action, source,
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_software_deployment.py b/heat/tests/test_software_deployment.py
index a4163e737b..812d03634b 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_software_deployment.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_software_deployment.py
@@ -96,6 +96,20 @@ class SoftwareDeploymentTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         }
     }
 
+    template_no_config = {
+        'HeatTemplateFormatVersion': '2012-12-12',
+        'Resources': {
+            'deployment_mysql': {
+                'Type': 'OS::Heat::SoftwareDeployment',
+                'Properties': {
+                    'server': '9f1f0e00-05d2-4ca5-8602-95021f19c9d0',
+                    'input_values': {'foo': 'bar', 'bink': 'bonk'},
+                    'signal_transport': 'NO_SIGNAL',
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     def setUp(self):
         super(SoftwareDeploymentTest, self).setUp()
         self.ctx = utils.dummy_context()
@@ -295,6 +309,60 @@ class SoftwareDeploymentTest(common.HeatTestCase):
              'status_reason': 'Not waiting for outputs signal'},
             self.rpc_client.create_software_deployment.call_args[1])
 
+    def test_handle_create_without_config(self):
+        self._create_stack(self.template_no_config)
+        sd = self.mock_deployment()
+        derived_sc = self.mock_derived_software_config()
+        self.deployment.handle_create()
+
+        self.assertEqual(sd['id'], self.deployment.resource_id)
+        self.assertEqual({
+            'config': '',
+            'group': 'Heat::Ungrouped',
+            'name': self.deployment.physical_resource_name(),
+            'inputs': [{
+                'name': 'foo',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': 'bar'
+            }, {
+                'name': 'bink',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': 'bonk'
+            }, {
+                'description': 'ID of the server being deployed to',
+                'name': 'deploy_server_id',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': '9f1f0e00-05d2-4ca5-8602-95021f19c9d0'
+            }, {
+                'description': 'Name of the current action being deployed',
+                'name': 'deploy_action',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': 'CREATE'
+            }, {
+                'description': 'ID of the stack this deployment belongs to',
+                'name': 'deploy_stack_id',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': ('software_deployment_test_stack'
+                          '/42f6f66b-631a-44e7-8d01-e22fb54574a9')
+            }, {
+                'description': 'Name of this deployment resource in the stack',
+                'name': 'deploy_resource_name',
+                'type': 'String',
+                'value': 'deployment_mysql'
+            }],
+            'options': None,
+            'outputs': None
+        }, self.rpc_client.create_software_config.call_args[1])
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            {'action': 'CREATE',
+             'config_id': derived_sc['id'],
+             'server_id': '9f1f0e00-05d2-4ca5-8602-95021f19c9d0',
+             'stack_user_project_id': '65728b74-cfe7-4f17-9c15-11d4f686e591',
+             'status': 'COMPLETE',
+             'status_reason': 'Not waiting for outputs signal'},
+            self.rpc_client.create_software_deployment.call_args[1])
+
     def test_handle_create_for_component(self):
         self._create_stack(self.template_no_signal)