diff --git a/heat/api/aws/exception.py b/heat/api/aws/exception.py
index 7f5140875f..bf3a069263 100644
--- a/heat/api/aws/exception.py
+++ b/heat/api/aws/exception.py
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ def map_remote_error(ex):
             'WatchRuleNotFound',
             'StackValidationFailed',
             'InvalidTemplateReference',
+            'InvalidTemplateVersion',
             'UnknownUserParameter',
             'UserParameterMissing',
             'InvalidTemplateParameter',
diff --git a/heat/api/middleware/fault.py b/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
index 06769acfaa..8e4399ebe4 100644
--- a/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
+++ b/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class FaultWrapper(wsgi.Middleware):
         'StackExists': webob.exc.HTTPConflict,
         'StackValidationFailed': webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
         'InvalidTemplateReference': webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
+        'InvalidTemplateVersion': webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
         'UnknownUserParameter': webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
         'RevertFailed': webob.exc.HTTPInternalServerError,
         'StopActionFailed': webob.exc.HTTPInternalServerError,
diff --git a/heat/common/exception.py b/heat/common/exception.py
index 5ede75bd8b..d4d463383d 100644
--- a/heat/common/exception.py
+++ b/heat/common/exception.py
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ class UnknownUserParameter(HeatException):
     msg_fmt = _("The Parameter (%(key)s) was not defined in template.")
 
 
+class InvalidTemplateVersion(HeatException):
+    msg_fmt = _("The template version is invalid: %(explanation)s")
+
+
 class InvalidTemplateParameter(HeatException):
     msg_fmt = _("The Parameter (%(key)s) has no attributes.")
 
diff --git a/heat/engine/hot/template.py b/heat/engine/hot/template.py
index a9228d19c2..ceaaaa8eae 100644
--- a/heat/engine/hot/template.py
+++ b/heat/engine/hot/template.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+from heat.common import exception
 from heat.engine import template
 from heat.engine.cfn import template as cfn_template
 from heat.engine.hot import parameters
@@ -47,11 +48,8 @@ class HOTemplate(template.Template):
         version = template.get(self.VERSION, '2013-05-23')
 
         if version not in self.VERSIONS:
-            msg = _('"%(version)s" is not a valid '
-                    'heat_template_version. Should be one of: '
-                    '%(valid)s')
-            raise ValueError(msg % {'version': version,
-                                    'valid': str(self.VERSIONS)})
+            msg = _('Should be one of: %s') % str(self.VERSIONS)
+            raise exception.InvalidTemplateVersion(explanation=msg)
 
         super(HOTemplate, self).__init__(template, *args, **kwargs)
         self.version = self.VERSION, version
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_hot.py b/heat/tests/test_hot.py
index 94c8661e93..67f1566f6c 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_hot.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_hot.py
@@ -310,9 +310,8 @@ class HOTemplateTest(HeatTestCase):
 
         tmpl_str = "heat_template_version: this-ain't-valid"
         hot_tmpl = template_format.parse(tmpl_str)
-        exc = self.assertRaises(ValueError, template.Template, hot_tmpl)
-        self.assertIn('"this-ain\'t-valid" is not a valid '
-                      'heat_template_version', str(exc))
+        self.assertRaises(exception.InvalidTemplateVersion,
+                          template.Template, hot_tmpl)
 
     def test_valid_hot_version(self):
         """