diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index 706de990c3..0d173090ab 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -969,13 +969,18 @@ class Resource(object):
 
         while (count[self.CREATE] <= retry_limit and
                count[self.DELETE] <= retry_limit):
-            if count[action]:
+            pre_func = None
+            if count[action] > 0:
                 delay = timeutils.retry_backoff_delay(count[action],
                                                       jitter_max=2.0)
                 waiter = scheduler.TaskRunner(self.pause)
                 yield waiter.as_task(timeout=delay)
+            elif action == self.CREATE:
+                # Only validate properties in first create call.
+                pre_func = self.properties.validate
+
             try:
-                yield self._do_action(action, self.properties.validate)
+                yield self._do_action(action, pre_func)
                 if action == self.CREATE:
                     first_failure = None
                     break
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_resource.py b/heat/tests/test_resource.py
index 6791a11a14..c84d0d3b88 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_resource.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_resource.py
@@ -965,6 +965,37 @@ class ResourceTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         scheduler.TaskRunner(res.create)()
         self.assertEqual((res.CREATE, res.COMPLETE), res.state)
 
+    @mock.patch.object(properties.Properties, 'validate')
+    @mock.patch.object(timeutils, 'retry_backoff_delay')
+    def test_create_validate(self, m_re, m_v):
+        tmpl = rsrc_defn.ResourceDefinition('test_resource', 'Foo',
+                                            {'Foo': 'abc'})
+        res = generic_rsrc.ResourceWithProps('test_resource', tmpl, self.stack)
+
+        generic_rsrc.ResourceWithProps.handle_create = mock.Mock()
+        generic_rsrc.ResourceWithProps.handle_delete = mock.Mock()
+        m_v.side_effect = [True, exception.StackValidationFailed()]
+        generic_rsrc.ResourceWithProps.handle_create.side_effect = [
+            exception.ResourceInError(resource_name='test_resource',
+                                      resource_status='ERROR',
+                                      resource_type='GenericResourceType',
+                                      resource_action='CREATE',
+                                      status_reason='just because'),
+            exception.ResourceInError(resource_name='test_resource',
+                                      resource_status='ERROR',
+                                      resource_type='GenericResourceType',
+                                      resource_action='CREATE',
+                                      status_reason='just because'),
+            None
+        ]
+
+        generic_rsrc.ResourceWithProps.handle_delete.return_value = None
+        m_re.return_value = 0.01
+        scheduler.TaskRunner(res.create)()
+        self.assertEqual(2, m_re.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, m_v.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual((res.CREATE, res.COMPLETE), res.state)
+
     def test_create_fail_retry(self):
         tmpl = rsrc_defn.ResourceDefinition('test_resource', 'Foo',
                                             {'Foo': 'abc'})