diff --git a/heat/engine/stack.py b/heat/engine/stack.py
index 85524ab8bd..7780e8e4cd 100644
--- a/heat/engine/stack.py
+++ b/heat/engine/stack.py
@@ -435,6 +435,9 @@ class Stack(collections.Mapping):
         Includes nested stacks below.
         """
         if not stack_id:
+            if not self.id:
+                # We're not stored yet, so we don't have anything to count
+                return 0
             stack_id = self.id
         return stack_object.Stack.count_total_resources(self.context, stack_id)
 
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_stack.py b/heat/tests/test_stack.py
index aba859d784..afb09e84b9 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_stack.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_stack.py
@@ -206,6 +206,13 @@ class StackTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(0, self.stack.total_resources(self.stack.id))
         self.assertEqual(0, self.stack.total_resources())
 
+    @mock.patch.object(db_api, 'stack_count_total_resources')
+    def test_total_resources_not_stored(self, sctr):
+        self.stack = stack.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', self.tmpl,
+                                 status_reason='flimflam')
+        self.assertEqual(0, self.stack.total_resources())
+        sctr.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_total_resources_not_found(self):
         self.stack = stack.Stack(self.ctx, 'test_stack', self.tmpl,
                                  status_reason='flimflam')