diff --git a/bin/heat-api b/bin/heat-api
index 721d9f189c..1c8bf74d73 100755
--- a/bin/heat-api
+++ b/bin/heat-api
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ from heat.common import wsgi
 from heat.openstack.common import gettextutils
 from heat.openstack.common import log as logging
 
-gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=False)
+gettextutils.enable_lazy()
+gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=True)
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger('heat.api')
 
diff --git a/bin/heat-api-cfn b/bin/heat-api-cfn
index abc1b38542..c8876714f1 100755
--- a/bin/heat-api-cfn
+++ b/bin/heat-api-cfn
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ from heat.common import wsgi
 from heat.openstack.common import gettextutils
 from heat.openstack.common import log as logging
 
-gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=False)
+gettextutils.enable_lazy()
+gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=True)
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger('heat.api.cfn')
 
diff --git a/bin/heat-api-cloudwatch b/bin/heat-api-cloudwatch
index 4d71609140..055bd9253a 100755
--- a/bin/heat-api-cloudwatch
+++ b/bin/heat-api-cloudwatch
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ from heat.common import wsgi
 from heat.openstack.common import gettextutils
 from heat.openstack.common import log as logging
 
-gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=False)
+gettextutils.enable_lazy()
+gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=True)
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger('heat.api.cloudwatch')
 
diff --git a/bin/heat-engine b/bin/heat-engine
index f20276c18c..6360c817ac 100755
--- a/bin/heat-engine
+++ b/bin/heat-engine
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ POSSIBLE_TOPDIR = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(sys.argv[0]),
 if os.path.exists(os.path.join(POSSIBLE_TOPDIR, 'heat', '__init__.py')):
     sys.path.insert(0, POSSIBLE_TOPDIR)
 
-
 from oslo.config import cfg
 
 from heat.common import notify
@@ -41,7 +40,8 @@ from heat.openstack.common import log as logging
 from heat.openstack.common import service
 from heat.rpc import api as rpc_api
 
-gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=False)
+gettextutils.enable_lazy()
+gettextutils.install('heat', lazy=True)
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger('heat.engine')
 
diff --git a/heat/api/middleware/fault.py b/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
index 76820e92e7..f10b66ce6f 100644
--- a/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
+++ b/heat/api/middleware/fault.py
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ class FaultWrapper(wsgi.Middleware):
             msg_trace = traceback.format_exc()
             message = full_message
 
+        if isinstance(ex, exception.HeatException):
+            message = ex.message
+
         if cfg.CONF.debug and not trace:
             trace = msg_trace
 
diff --git a/heat/common/wsgi.py b/heat/common/wsgi.py
index 11932cf0d3..a29784ea45 100644
--- a/heat/common/wsgi.py
+++ b/heat/common/wsgi.py
@@ -719,7 +719,11 @@ def log_exception(err, exc_info):
 
 def translate_exception(exc, locale):
     """Translates all translatable elements of the given exception."""
-    exc.message = gettextutils.translate(six.text_type(exc), locale)
+    if isinstance(exc, exception.HeatException):
+        exc.message = gettextutils.translate(exc.message, locale)
+    else:
+        exc.message = gettextutils.translate(six.text_type(exc), locale)
+
     if isinstance(exc, webob.exc.HTTPError):
         # If the explanation is not a Message, that means that the
         # explanation is the default, generic and not translatable explanation