diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/cinder/volume_type.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/cinder/volume_type.py
index 178626f8c6..75180319dc 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/cinder/volume_type.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/cinder/volume_type.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ class CinderVolumeType(resource.Resource):
             _('Whether the volume type is accessible to the public.'),
             default=True,
             support_status=support.SupportStatus(version='5.0.0'),
+            update_allowed=True
         ),
         DESCRIPTION: properties.Schema(
             properties.Schema.STRING,
@@ -106,11 +107,15 @@ class CinderVolumeType(resource.Resource):
         """Update the name, description and metadata for volume type."""
 
         update_args = {}
-        # Update the name, description of cinder volume type
+        # Update the name, description, is_public of cinder volume type
+        is_public = self.properties[self.IS_PUBLIC]
         if self.DESCRIPTION in prop_diff:
             update_args['description'] = prop_diff.get(self.DESCRIPTION)
         if self.NAME in prop_diff:
             update_args['name'] = prop_diff.get(self.NAME)
+        if self.IS_PUBLIC in prop_diff:
+            is_public = prop_diff.get(self.IS_PUBLIC)
+            update_args['is_public'] = is_public
         if update_args:
             self.client().volume_types.update(self.resource_id, **update_args)
         # Update the key-value pairs of cinder volume type.
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ class CinderVolumeType(resource.Resource):
             if new_keys is not None:
                 volume_type.set_keys(new_keys)
         # Update the projects access for volume type
-        if self.PROJECTS in prop_diff:
+        if self.PROJECTS in prop_diff and not is_public:
             old_access_list = self.cinder().volume_type_access.list(
                 self.resource_id)
             old_projects = [ac._info['project_id'] for ac in old_access_list]
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/cinder/test_volume_type.py b/heat/tests/openstack/cinder/test_volume_type.py
index e71c4f4a89..11b64a42d5 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/cinder/test_volume_type.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/cinder/test_volume_type.py
@@ -127,6 +127,18 @@ class CinderVolumeTypeTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         update_args = {'name': 'update'}
         self._test_update(update_args)
 
+    def test_volume_type_handle_update_is_public(self):
+        prop_diff = {'is_public': True, "projects": []}
+        self.patchobject(self.volume_type_access, 'list')
+        volume_type_id = '927202df-1afb-497f-8368-9c2d2f26e5db'
+        self.my_volume_type.resource_id = volume_type_id
+        self.my_volume_type.handle_update(json_snippet=None,
+                                          tmpl_diff=None,
+                                          prop_diff=prop_diff)
+        self.volume_types.update.assert_called_once_with(
+            volume_type_id, is_public=True)
+        self.volume_type_access.list.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_volume_type_handle_update_metadata(self):
         new_keys = {'volume_backend_name': 'lvmdriver',
                     'capabilities:replication': 'True'}
@@ -135,7 +147,7 @@ class CinderVolumeTypeTest(common.HeatTestCase):
 
     def test_volume_type_update_projects(self):
         self.my_volume_type.resource_id = '8aeaa446459a4d3196bc573fc252800b'
-        prop_diff = {'projects': ['id2', 'id3']}
+        prop_diff = {'projects': ['id2', 'id3'], 'is_public': False}
 
         class Access(object):
             def __init__(self, idx, project):