diff --git a/tests/fixtures/layouts/timer-template.yaml b/tests/fixtures/layouts/timer-template.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8903f03062
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/layouts/timer-template.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+- pipeline:
+    name: check
+    manager: independent
+    trigger:
+      gerrit:
+        - event: patchset-created
+    success:
+      gerrit:
+        Verified: 1
+    failure:
+      gerrit:
+        Verified: -1
+
+- pipeline:
+    name: periodic
+    manager: independent
+    trigger:
+      timer:
+        - time: '* * * * * */1'
+
+- job:
+    name: base
+    parent: null
+    run: playbooks/base.yaml
+
+- job:
+    name: project-test1
+    run: playbooks/project-test1.yaml
+
+- job:
+    name: project-test2
+    run: playbooks/project-test2.yaml
+
+- job:
+    name: project-bitrot
+    nodeset:
+      nodes:
+        - name: static
+          label: ubuntu-xenial
+    run: playbooks/project-bitrot.yaml
+
+- project:
+    name: org/project1
+    check:
+      jobs:
+        - project-test1
+
+- project-template:
+    name: periodic-jobs
+    periodic:
+      jobs:
+        - project-bitrot
+
+- project:
+    name: org/project
+    templates:
+      - periodic-jobs
+    check:
+      jobs:
+        - project-test1
+        - project-test2
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
index 3d450fd679..8495df05d4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_scheduler.py
@@ -3396,6 +3396,57 @@ class TestScheduler(ZuulTestCase):
             self.assertEqual(results.get(build.uuid, ''),
                              build.parameters['zuul'].get('jobtags'))
 
+    def test_timer_template(self):
+        "Test that a periodic job is triggered"
+        # This test can not use simple_layout because it must start
+        # with a configuration which does not include a
+        # timer-triggered job so that we have an opportunity to set
+        # the hold flag before the first job.
+        self.create_branch('org/project', 'stable')
+        self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = True
+        self.commitConfigUpdate('common-config', 'layouts/timer-template.yaml')
+        self.sched.reconfigure(self.config)
+
+        # The pipeline triggers every second, so we should have seen
+        # several by now.
+        time.sleep(5)
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.builds), 2)
+
+        merge_count_project1 = 0
+        for job in self.gearman_server.jobs_history:
+            if job.name == b'merger:refstate':
+                args = job.arguments
+                if isinstance(args, bytes):
+                    args = args.decode('utf-8')
+                args = json.loads(args)
+                if args["items"][0]["project"] == "org/project1":
+                    merge_count_project1 += 1
+        self.assertEquals(merge_count_project1, 0,
+                          "project1 shouldn't have any refstate call")
+
+        self.executor_server.hold_jobs_in_build = False
+        # Stop queuing timer triggered jobs so that the assertions
+        # below don't race against more jobs being queued.
+        self.commitConfigUpdate('common-config', 'layouts/no-timer.yaml')
+        self.sched.reconfigure(self.config)
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        # If APScheduler is in mid-event when we remove the job, we
+        # can end up with one more event firing, so give it an extra
+        # second to settle.
+        time.sleep(1)
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+        self.executor_server.release()
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        self.assertHistory([
+            dict(name='project-bitrot', result='SUCCESS',
+                 ref='refs/heads/master'),
+            dict(name='project-bitrot', result='SUCCESS',
+                 ref='refs/heads/stable'),
+        ], ordered=False)
+
     def test_timer(self):
         "Test that a periodic job is triggered"
         # This test can not use simple_layout because it must start
diff --git a/zuul/driver/timer/__init__.py b/zuul/driver/timer/__init__.py
index f3273425d1..b5c6087c87 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/timer/__init__.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/timer/__init__.py
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ class TimerDriver(Driver, TriggerInterface):
             # timer operates on branch heads and doesn't need speculative
             # layouts to decide if it should be enqueued or not.
             # So it can be decided on cached data if it needs to run or not.
-            if not [True for pc in pcs if pipeline_name in pc.pipelines]:
+            pcst = tenant.layout.getAllProjectConfigs(project_name)
+            if not [True for pc in pcst if pipeline_name in pc.pipelines]:
                 continue
 
             (trusted, project) = tenant.getProject(project_name)