diff --git a/heat/engine/properties.py b/heat/engine/properties.py
index 8376f8caf2..1147005ef9 100644
--- a/heat/engine/properties.py
+++ b/heat/engine/properties.py
@@ -413,12 +413,11 @@ class Properties(collections.Mapping):
         if any(res.action == res.INIT for res in deps):
             return True
 
-    def _get_property_value(self, key, validate=False):
+    def get_user_value(self, key, validate=False):
         if key not in self:
             raise KeyError(_('Invalid Property %s') % key)
 
         prop = self.props[key]
-
         if key in self.data:
             try:
                 unresolved_value = self.data[key]
@@ -438,12 +437,18 @@ class Properties(collections.Mapping):
             # so handle this generically
             except Exception as e:
                 raise ValueError(six.text_type(e))
+
+    def _get_property_value(self, key, validate=False):
+        if key not in self:
+            raise KeyError(_('Invalid Property %s') % key)
+
+        prop = self.props[key]
+        if key in self.data:
+            return self.get_user_value(key, validate)
         elif prop.has_default():
             return prop.get_value(None, validate)
         elif prop.required():
             raise ValueError(_('Property %s not assigned') % key)
-        else:
-            return None
 
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         return self._get_property_value(key)
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py b/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
index 556369e8cb..e3396aad72 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class TemplateResource(stack_resource.StackResource):
                 continue
 
             try:
-                val = self.properties[pname]
+                val = self.properties.get_user_value(pname)
             except ValueError:
                 if self.action == self.INIT:
                     prop = self.properties.props[pname]
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_properties.py b/heat/tests/test_properties.py
index 4d6ae1fa22..b478749432 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_properties.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_properties.py
@@ -1038,9 +1038,25 @@ class PropertiesTest(common.HeatTestCase):
     def test_default_override(self):
         self.assertEqual(42, self.props['default_override'])
 
+    def test_get_user_value(self):
+        self.assertIsNone(self.props.get_user_value('defaulted'))
+        self.assertEqual(42, self.props.get_user_value('default_override'))
+
+    def test_get_user_value_key_error(self):
+        ex = self.assertRaises(KeyError, self.props.get_user_value, 'foo')
+        # Note we have to use args here: https://bugs.python.org/issue2651
+        self.assertEqual('Invalid Property foo',
+                         six.text_type(ex.args[0]))
+
     def test_bad_key(self):
         self.assertEqual('wibble', self.props.get('foo', 'wibble'))
 
+    def test_key_error(self):
+        ex = self.assertRaises(KeyError, self.props.__getitem__, 'foo')
+        # Note we have to use args here: https://bugs.python.org/issue2651
+        self.assertEqual('Invalid Property foo',
+                         six.text_type(ex.args[0]))
+
     def test_none_string(self):
         schema = {'foo': {'Type': 'String'}}
         props = properties.Properties(schema, {'foo': None})
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_provider_template.py b/heat/tests/test_provider_template.py
index 9a0e585023..72ccedc063 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_provider_template.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_provider_template.py
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ class ProviderTemplateTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         # verify Map conversion
         self.assertEqual(map_prop_val, converted_params.get("AMap"))
 
-        with mock.patch.object(properties.Properties, '__getitem__') as m_get:
+        with mock.patch.object(properties.Properties,
+                               'get_user_value') as m_get:
             m_get.side_effect = ValueError('boom')
 
             # If the property doesn't exist on INIT, return default value
@@ -984,7 +985,7 @@ class TemplateResourceCrudTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.res.handle_create()
 
         self.res.create_with_template.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar', 'Blarg': 'wibble'})
+            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar'})
 
     def test_handle_adopt(self):
         self.res.create_with_template = mock.Mock(return_value=None)
@@ -992,7 +993,7 @@ class TemplateResourceCrudTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.res.handle_adopt(resource_data={'resource_id': 'fred'})
 
         self.res.create_with_template.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar', 'Blarg': 'wibble'},
+            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar'},
             adopt_data={'resource_id': 'fred'})
 
     def test_handle_update(self):
@@ -1001,7 +1002,7 @@ class TemplateResourceCrudTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.res.handle_update(self.defn, None, None)
 
         self.res.update_with_template.assert_called_once_with(
-            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar', 'Blarg': 'wibble'})
+            self.provider, {'Foo': 'bar'})
 
     def test_handle_delete(self):
         self.res.rpc_client = mock.MagicMock()