diff --git a/bin/heat b/bin/heat
index f33a81f1c0..381f63e0d7 100755
--- a/bin/heat
+++ b/bin/heat
@@ -201,9 +201,7 @@ def stack_events_list(options, arguments):
     try:
         parameters['StackName'] = arguments.pop(0)
     except IndexError:
-        print "Please specify the stack name "
-        print "as the first argument"
-        return FAILURE
+        pass
 
     c = get_client(options)
     result = c.list_stack_events(**parameters)
diff --git a/heat/api/v1/stacks.py b/heat/api/v1/stacks.py
index af46670d24..af2023b4d4 100644
--- a/heat/api/v1/stacks.py
+++ b/heat/api/v1/stacks.py
@@ -175,9 +175,10 @@ class StackController(object):
         Returns the following information for all stacks:
         """
         con = context.get_admin_context()
+        stack_name = req.params.get('StackName', None)
         stack_list = rpc.call(con, 'engine',
                         {'method': 'list_events',
-                         'args': {'stack_name': req.params['StackName']}})
+                         'args': {'stack_name': stack_name}})
 
         res = {'DescribeStackEventsResult': {'StackEvents': [] } }
         summaries = res['DescribeStackEventsResult']['StackEvents']
diff --git a/heat/engine/manager.py b/heat/engine/manager.py
index 9ea416125e..d3f81d2504 100644
--- a/heat/engine/manager.py
+++ b/heat/engine/manager.py
@@ -123,8 +123,12 @@ class EngineManager(manager.Manager):
         return None
 
     def list_events(self, context, stack_name):
-        st = db_api.stack_get(None, stack_name)
-        events = db_api.event_get_all_by_stack(None, st.id)
+        if stack_name is not None:
+            st = db_api.stack_get(None, stack_name)
+            events = db_api.event_get_all_by_stack(None, st.id)
+        else:
+            events = db_api.event_get_all(None)
+
         def parse_event(e):
             s = e.stack
             # TODO Missing LogicalResourceId, PhysicalResourceId, ResourceType,