diff --git a/heat/common/context.py b/heat/common/context.py
index 352b823022..9a045c51da 100644
--- a/heat/common/context.py
+++ b/heat/common/context.py
@@ -93,15 +93,16 @@ class RequestContext(context.RequestContext):
                 'roles': self.roles,
                 'is_admin': self.is_admin,
                 'user': self.user,
-                'request_id': self.request_id}
+                'request_id': self.request_id,
+                'show_deleted': self.show_deleted}
 
     @classmethod
     def from_dict(cls, values):
         return cls(**values)
 
 
-def get_admin_context(read_deleted="no"):
-    return RequestContext(is_admin=True)
+def get_admin_context(show_deleted=False):
+    return RequestContext(is_admin=True, show_deleted=show_deleted)
 
 
 class ContextMiddleware(wsgi.Middleware):
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_common_context.py b/heat/tests/test_common_context.py
index 41bdfef453..9b0ddbabb7 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_common_context.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_common_context.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class TestRequestContext(HeatTestCase):
                     'user': 'mick',
                     'password': 'foo',
                     'trust_id': None,
+                    'show_deleted': False,
                     'roles': ['arole', 'notadmin'],
                     'tenant_id': '456tenant',
                     'tenant': 'atenant',
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class TestRequestContext(HeatTestCase):
                                      tenant_id=self.ctx.get('tenant_id'),
                                      auth_url=self.ctx.get('auth_url'),
                                      roles=self.ctx.get('roles'),
+                                     show_deleted=self.ctx.get('show_deleted'),
                                      is_admin=self.ctx.get('is_admin'))
         ctx_dict = ctx.to_dict()
         del(ctx_dict['request_id'])
@@ -71,6 +73,12 @@ class TestRequestContext(HeatTestCase):
     def test_get_admin_context(self):
         ctx = context.get_admin_context()
         self.assertTrue(ctx.is_admin)
+        self.assertFalse(ctx.show_deleted)
+
+    def test_get_admin_context_show_deleted(self):
+        ctx = context.get_admin_context(show_deleted=True)
+        self.assertTrue(ctx.is_admin)
+        self.assertTrue(ctx.show_deleted)
 
     def test_admin_context_policy_true(self):
         policy_check = 'heat.common.policy.Enforcer.check_is_admin'