diff --git a/heat/engine/api.py b/heat/engine/api.py
index 3081860784..5dc9251107 100644
--- a/heat/engine/api.py
+++ b/heat/engine/api.py
@@ -193,11 +193,12 @@ def format_stack_resource(resource, detail=True, with_props=False,
     Return a representation of the given resource that matches the API output
     expectations.
     '''
-    created_time = resource.created_time or timeutils.utcnow()
-    last_updated_time = resource.updated_time or created_time
+    created_time = resource.created_time and resource.created_time.isoformat()
+    last_updated_time = (resource.updated_time and
+                         resource.updated_time.isoformat()) or created_time
     res = {
-        rpc_api.RES_UPDATED_TIME: last_updated_time.isoformat(),
-        rpc_api.RES_CREATION_TIME: created_time.isoformat(),
+        rpc_api.RES_UPDATED_TIME: last_updated_time,
+        rpc_api.RES_CREATION_TIME: created_time,
         rpc_api.RES_NAME: resource.name,
         rpc_api.RES_PHYSICAL_ID: resource.resource_id or '',
         rpc_api.RES_ACTION: resource.action,
diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index 201f3154f9..f194d3e024 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -213,9 +213,11 @@ class Resource(object):
         self.abandon_in_progress = False
 
         self.resource_id = None
-        # if the stack is being deleted, assume we've already been deleted
-        if stack.action == stack.DELETE:
-            self.action = self.DELETE
+        # if the stack is being deleted, assume we've already been deleted.
+        # or if the resource has not been created yet, and the stack was
+        # rollback, we set the resource to rollback
+        if stack.action == stack.DELETE or stack.action == stack.ROLLBACK:
+            self.action = stack.action
         else:
             self.action = self.INIT
         self.status = self.COMPLETE
@@ -225,8 +227,8 @@ class Resource(object):
         self._data = {}
         self._rsrc_metadata = None
         self._stored_properties_data = None
-        self.created_time = None
-        self.updated_time = None
+        self.created_time = stack.created_time
+        self.updated_time = stack.updated_time
         self._rpc_client = None
         self.needed_by = []
         self.requires = []
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_engine_api_utils.py b/heat/tests/test_engine_api_utils.py
index 1b35a21b5c..e839351223 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_engine_api_utils.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_engine_api_utils.py
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ class FormatTest(common.HeatTestCase):
                            id=event_id)
 
     def test_format_stack_resource(self):
+        self.stack.created_time = datetime(2015, 8, 3, 17, 5, 1)
+        self.stack.updated_time = datetime(2015, 8, 3, 17, 6, 2)
         res = self.stack['generic1']
 
         resource_keys = set((
@@ -89,6 +91,30 @@ class FormatTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
         formatted = api.format_stack_resource(res, False)
         self.assertEqual(resource_keys, set(six.iterkeys(formatted)))
+        self.assertEqual(self.stack.created_time.isoformat(),
+                         formatted[rpc_api.RES_CREATION_TIME])
+        self.assertEqual(self.stack.updated_time.isoformat(),
+                         formatted[rpc_api.RES_UPDATED_TIME])
+        self.assertEqual(res.INIT, formatted[rpc_api.RES_ACTION])
+
+    def test_format_stack_resource_has_been_deleted(self):
+        # assume the stack and resource have been deleted,
+        # to test the resource's action inherit from stack
+        self.stack.state_set(self.stack.DELETE, self.stack.COMPLETE,
+                             'test_delete')
+        res = self.stack['generic1']
+        formatted = api.format_stack_resource(res, False)
+        self.assertEqual(res.DELETE, formatted[rpc_api.RES_ACTION])
+
+    def test_format_stack_resource_has_been_rollback(self):
+        # Rollback a stack, the resources perhaps have not been
+        # created yet or have been deleted when rollback.
+        # To test the resource's action inherit from stack
+        self.stack.state_set(self.stack.ROLLBACK, self.stack.COMPLETE,
+                             'test_rollback')
+        res = self.stack['generic1']
+        formatted = api.format_stack_resource(res, False)
+        self.assertEqual(res.ROLLBACK, formatted[rpc_api.RES_ACTION])
 
     @mock.patch.object(api, 'format_resource_properties')
     def test_format_stack_resource_with_props(self, mock_format_props):
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_preview.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_preview.py
index b4389ffd45..19da01bc24 100644
--- a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_preview.py
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_preview.py
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ parameters:
                       'description'):
             self.assertIn(field, res)
             self.assertEqual('', res[field])
+        # 'creation_time' and 'updated_time' are None when preview
         for field in ('creation_time', 'updated_time'):
             self.assertIn(field, res)
-            self.assertIsNotNone(res[field])
+            self.assertIsNone(res[field])
         self.assertIn('output', res['attributes'])
 
         # resource_identity