diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/placement/handler.py b/nova/api/openstack/placement/handler.py
index a070f4cf7..fa9ebfa5d 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/placement/handler.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/placement/handler.py
@@ -191,13 +191,19 @@ class PlacementHandler(object):
                 raise webob.exc.HTTPForbidden(
                     _('admin required'),
                     json_formatter=util.json_error_formatter)
-        # Check that an incoming request with a content-length
-        # header also has a content-type header. If not raise a 400.
-        if int(environ.get('CONTENT_LENGTH', 0)):
-            if 'CONTENT_TYPE' not in environ:
+        # Check that an incoming request with a content-length header
+        # that is an integer > 0 and not empty, also has a content-type
+        # header that is not empty. If not raise a 400.
+        clen = environ.get('CONTENT_LENGTH')
+        try:
+            if clen and (int(clen) > 0) and not environ.get('CONTENT_TYPE'):
                 raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(
-                    _('content-type header required'),
-                    json_formatter=util.json_error_formatter)
+                   _('content-type header required when content-length > 0'),
+                   json_formatter=util.json_error_formatter)
+        except ValueError as exc:
+            raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(
+                _('content-length header must be an integer'),
+                json_formatter=util.json_error_formatter)
         try:
             return dispatch(environ, start_response, self._map)
         # Trap the NotFound exceptions raised by the objects used
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/placement/test_handler.py b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/placement/test_handler.py
index b75b28f97..b77242109 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/placement/test_handler.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/api/openstack/placement/test_handler.py
@@ -142,3 +142,42 @@ class DeclarationsTest(test.NoDBTestCase):
         environ = _environ(path='')
         result = self.mapper.match(environ=environ)
         self.assertEqual(root.home, result['action'])
+
+
+class ContentHeadersTest(test.NoDBTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(ContentHeadersTest, self).setUp()
+        self.environ = _environ(path='/')
+        self.app = handler.PlacementHandler()
+
+    def test_no_content_type(self):
+        self.environ['CONTENT_LENGTH'] = '10'
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
+                               "content-type header required when "
+                               "content-length > 0", self.app,
+                               self.environ, start_response)
+
+    def test_non_integer_content_length(self):
+        self.environ['CONTENT_LENGTH'] = 'foo'
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
+                               "content-length header must be an integer",
+                               self.app, self.environ, start_response)
+
+    def test_empty_content_type(self):
+        self.environ['CONTENT_LENGTH'] = '10'
+        self.environ['CONTENT_TYPE'] = ''
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest,
+                               "content-type header required when "
+                               "content-length > 0", self.app,
+                               self.environ, start_response)
+
+    def test_empty_content_length_and_type_works(self):
+        self.environ['CONTENT_LENGTH'] = ''
+        self.environ['CONTENT_TYPE'] = ''
+        self.app(self.environ, start_response)
+
+    def test_content_length_and_type_works(self):
+        self.environ['CONTENT_LENGTH'] = '10'
+        self.environ['CONTENT_TYPE'] = 'foo'
+        self.app(self.environ, start_response)