diff --git a/heat/engine/api.py b/heat/engine/api.py
index f43f6b05b9..a5ad74fe3f 100644
--- a/heat/engine/api.py
+++ b/heat/engine/api.py
@@ -421,10 +421,12 @@ def format_notification_body(stack):
         rpc_api.NOTIFY_STATE: state,
         rpc_api.NOTIFY_STATE_REASON: stack.status_reason,
         rpc_api.NOTIFY_CREATE_AT: heat_timeutils.isotime(stack.created_time),
-        rpc_api.NOTIFY_DESCRIPTION: stack.t[stack.t.DESCRIPTION],
         rpc_api.NOTIFY_TAGS: stack.tags,
         rpc_api.NOTIFY_UPDATE_AT: updated_at
     }
+    if stack.t is not None:
+        result[rpc_api.NOTIFY_DESCRIPTION] = stack.t[stack.t.DESCRIPTION]
+
     return result
 
 
diff --git a/heat/engine/stack.py b/heat/engine/stack.py
index 54a5e94a02..9c4cfb7354 100644
--- a/heat/engine/stack.py
+++ b/heat/engine/stack.py
@@ -221,11 +221,12 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
 
         resources.initialise()
 
-        self.parameters = self.t.parameters(
-            self.identifier(),
-            user_params=self.env.params,
-            param_defaults=self.env.param_defaults)
-        self._set_param_stackid()
+        if self.t is not None:
+            self.parameters = self.t.parameters(
+                self.identifier(),
+                user_params=self.env.params,
+                param_defaults=self.env.param_defaults)
+            self._set_param_stackid()
 
     @property
     def tags(self):
@@ -486,8 +487,8 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
     @classmethod
     def load(cls, context, stack_id=None, stack=None, show_deleted=True,
              use_stored_context=False, force_reload=False, cache_data=None,
-             service_check_defer=False,
-             resource_validate=True):
+             service_check_defer=False, resource_validate=True,
+             load_template=True):
         """Retrieve a Stack from the database."""
         if stack is None:
             stack = stack_object.Stack.get_by_id(
@@ -505,7 +506,8 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
                             use_stored_context=use_stored_context,
                             cache_data=cache_data,
                             service_check_defer=service_check_defer,
-                            resource_validate=resource_validate)
+                            resource_validate=resource_validate,
+                            load_template=load_template)
 
     @classmethod
     def load_all(cls, context, limit=None, marker=None, sort_keys=None,
@@ -539,9 +541,13 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
     @classmethod
     def _from_db(cls, context, stack,
                  use_stored_context=False, cache_data=None,
-                 service_check_defer=False, resource_validate=True):
-        template = tmpl.Template.load(
-            context, stack.raw_template_id, stack.raw_template)
+                 service_check_defer=False, resource_validate=True,
+                 load_template=True):
+        if load_template:
+            template = tmpl.Template.load(
+                context, stack.raw_template_id, stack.raw_template)
+        else:
+            template = None
         return cls(context, stack.name, template,
                    stack_id=stack.id,
                    action=stack.action, status=stack.status,
diff --git a/heat/engine/worker.py b/heat/engine/worker.py
index 6957585354..c97317a439 100644
--- a/heat/engine/worker.py
+++ b/heat/engine/worker.py
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ class WorkerService(service.Service):
             if db_child.status == parser.Stack.IN_PROGRESS:
                 child = parser.Stack.load(stack.context,
                                           stack_id=db_child.id,
-                                          stack=db_child)
+                                          stack=db_child,
+                                          load_template=False)
                 _stop_traversal(child)
 
     def stop_all_workers(self, stack):