diff --git a/heat/engine/attributes.py b/heat/engine/attributes.py
index 407547c1f3..47e50be56a 100644
--- a/heat/engine/attributes.py
+++ b/heat/engine/attributes.py
@@ -200,9 +200,11 @@ class Attributes(collections.Mapping):
         return outp
 
     @staticmethod
-    def schema_from_outputs(outputs):
-        return dict((o.name, Schema(o.description()))
-                    for o in outputs.values())
+    def schema_from_outputs(json_snippet):
+        if json_snippet:
+            return dict((k, Schema(v.get("Description")))
+                        for k, v in json_snippet.items())
+        return {}
 
     def _validate_type(self, attrib, value):
         if attrib.schema.type == attrib.schema.STRING:
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/stack_resource.py b/heat/engine/resources/stack_resource.py
index ec5bb7685a..7def946c51 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/stack_resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/stack_resource.py
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ class StackResource(resource.Resource):
 
         return "nested_stack"
 
-    def _outputs_to_attribs(self, parsed_template):
-        outputs = parsed_template.outputs(None)
+    def _outputs_to_attribs(self, json_snippet):
+        outputs = json_snippet.get('Outputs')
         if not self.attributes and outputs:
             self.attributes_schema = (
                 attributes.Attributes.schema_from_outputs(outputs))
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py b/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
index 43fb81ec7e..44959e966b 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/template_resource.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class TemplateResource(stack_resource.StackResource):
         return ((properties.Properties.schema_from_params(
                 tmpl.param_schemata(param_defaults))),
                 (attributes.Attributes.schema_from_outputs(
-                 tmpl.outputs(None))))
+                 tmpl[tmpl.OUTPUTS])))
 
     def _generate_schema(self):
         self._parsed_nested = None