diff --git a/heat/engine/api.py b/heat/engine/api.py
index 382c36f77e..9fa5935fef 100644
--- a/heat/engine/api.py
+++ b/heat/engine/api.py
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def format_stack_resource(resource, detail=True):
         api.RES_ACTION: resource.action,
         api.RES_STATUS: resource.status,
         api.RES_STATUS_DATA: resource.status_reason,
-        api.RES_TYPE: resource.t['Type'],
+        api.RES_TYPE: resource.type(),
         api.RES_ID: dict(resource.identifier()),
         api.RES_STACK_ID: dict(resource.stack.identifier()),
         api.RES_STACK_NAME: resource.stack.name,
diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index cf2a9e793d..a021f672d6 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ class Resource(object):
         self._rsrc_metadata = metadata
 
     def type(self):
-        return self.t['Type']
+        return self.t.resource_type
 
     def has_interface(self, resource_type):
         """Check to see if this resource is either mapped to resource_type
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py b/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
index 20b3612c6d..6739ab60c6 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/resource_group.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class ResourceGroup(stack_resource.StackResource):
         test_tmpl = self._assemble_nested(1, include_all=True)
         val_templ = parser.Template(test_tmpl)
         res_def = val_templ.resource_definitions(self.stack)["0"]
-        res_class = self.stack.env.get_class(res_def['Type'])
+        res_class = self.stack.env.get_class(res_def.resource_type)
         res_inst = res_class("%s:resource_def" % self.name, res_def,
                              self.stack)
         res_inst.validate()