diff --git a/heatclient/common/template_utils.py b/heatclient/common/template_utils.py
index 03f2f0af..c5fa190b 100644
--- a/heatclient/common/template_utils.py
+++ b/heatclient/common/template_utils.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ def get_template_contents(template_file=None, template_url=None,
     files = {}
     tmpl_base_url = base_url_for_url(template_url)
     resolve_template_get_files(template, files, tmpl_base_url)
+    resolve_template_type(template, files, tmpl_base_url)
     return files, template
 
 
@@ -77,6 +78,24 @@ def resolve_template_get_files(template, files, template_base_url):
                       ignore_if, recurse_if)
 
 
+def resolve_template_type(template, files, template_base_url):
+
+    def ignore_if(key, value):
+        if key != 'type':
+            return True
+        if not isinstance(value, six.string_types):
+            return True
+        if not value.endswith(('.yaml', '.template')):
+            return True
+        return False
+
+    def recurse_if(value):
+        return isinstance(value, (dict, list))
+
+    get_file_contents(template, files, template_base_url,
+                      ignore_if, recurse_if)
+
+
 def get_file_contents(from_data, files, base_url=None,
                       ignore_if=None, recurse_if=None):
 
diff --git a/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py b/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
index 7b76677d..8ddfeb01 100644
--- a/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
+++ b/heatclient/tests/test_template_utils.py
@@ -431,14 +431,14 @@ class TestTemplateGetFileFunctions(testtools.TestCase):
     hot_template = '''heat_template_version: 2013-05-23
 resources:
   resource1:
-    type: type1
+    type: OS::type1
     properties:
       foo: {get_file: foo.yaml}
       bar:
         get_file:
           'http://localhost/bar.yaml'
   resource2:
-    type: type1
+    type: OS::type1
     properties:
       baz:
       - {get_file: baz/baz1.yaml}
@@ -495,14 +495,14 @@ resources:
             'heat_template_version': '2013-05-23',
             'resources': {
                 'resource1': {
-                    'type': 'type1',
+                    'type': 'OS::type1',
                     'properties': {
                         'bar': {'get_file': 'http://localhost/bar.yaml'},
                         'foo': {'get_file': 'file:///home/my/dir/foo.yaml'},
                     },
                 },
                 'resource2': {
-                    'type': 'type1',
+                    'type': 'OS::type1',
                     'properties': {
                         'baz': [
                             {'get_file': 'file:///home/my/dir/baz/baz1.yaml'},
@@ -557,6 +557,77 @@ resources:
         self.m.VerifyAll()
 
 
+class TestTemplateTypeFunctions(testtools.TestCase):
+
+    hot_template = '''heat_template_version: 2013-05-23
+parameters:
+  param1:
+    type: string
+resources:
+  resource1:
+    type: foo.yaml
+    properties:
+      foo: bar
+  resource2:
+    type: OS::Heat::ResourceGroup
+    properties:
+      resource_def:
+        type: spam/egg.yaml
+    '''
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestTemplateTypeFunctions, self).setUp()
+        self.m = mox.Mox()
+
+        self.addCleanup(self.m.VerifyAll)
+        self.addCleanup(self.m.UnsetStubs)
+
+    def test_hot_template(self):
+        self.m.StubOutWithMock(request, 'urlopen')
+        tmpl_file = '/home/my/dir/template.yaml'
+        url = 'file:///home/my/dir/template.yaml'
+        request.urlopen(url).AndReturn(
+            six.StringIO(self.hot_template))
+        request.urlopen(
+            'file:///home/my/dir/foo.yaml').InAnyOrder().AndReturn(
+                six.StringIO('foo contents'))
+        request.urlopen(
+            'file:///home/my/dir/spam/egg.yaml').InAnyOrder().AndReturn(
+                six.StringIO('egg contents'))
+        self.m.ReplayAll()
+
+        files, tmpl_parsed = template_utils.get_template_contents(
+            template_file=tmpl_file)
+
+        self.assertEqual({
+            u'file:///home/my/dir/foo.yaml': 'foo contents',
+            u'file:///home/my/dir/spam/egg.yaml': 'egg contents'
+        }, files)
+        self.assertEqual({
+            u'heat_template_version': u'2013-05-23',
+            u'parameters': {
+                u'param1': {
+                    u'type': u'string'
+                }
+            },
+            u'resources': {
+                u'resource1': {
+                    u'type': u'file:///home/my/dir/foo.yaml',
+                    u'properties': {u'foo': u'bar'}
+                },
+                u'resource2': {
+                    u'type': u'OS::Heat::ResourceGroup',
+                    u'properties': {
+                        u'resource_def': {
+                            u'type': u'file:///home/my/dir/spam/egg.yaml'
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }, tmpl_parsed)
+        self.m.VerifyAll()
+
+
 class TestURLFunctions(testtools.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):