diff --git a/heat/engine/environment.py b/heat/engine/environment.py
index 554d571ce8..00e79d2b57 100644
--- a/heat/engine/environment.py
+++ b/heat/engine/environment.py
@@ -273,6 +273,14 @@ class ResourceRegistry(object):
                 return match
 
     def get_class(self, resource_type, resource_name=None):
+        if resource_type == "":
+            msg = _('Resource "%s" has no type') % resource_name
+            raise exception.StackValidationFailed(message=msg)
+        elif resource_type is None:
+            msg = _('Non-empty resource type is required '
+                    'for resource "%s"') % resource_name
+            raise exception.StackValidationFailed(message=msg)
+
         info = self.get_resource_info(resource_type,
                                       resource_name=resource_name)
         if info is None:
diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index c31f03af61..9ec3c519ad 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class Resource(object):
             return super(Resource, cls).__new__(cls)
 
         # Select the correct subclass to instantiate
-        ResourceClass = stack.env.get_class(json['Type'],
+        ResourceClass = stack.env.get_class(json.get('Type'),
                                             resource_name=name)
         return ResourceClass(name, json, stack)
 
diff --git a/heat/tests/test_resource.py b/heat/tests/test_resource.py
index 25c32f8d7b..31769a9aee 100644
--- a/heat/tests/test_resource.py
+++ b/heat/tests/test_resource.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from heat.engine import resource
 from heat.engine import scheduler
 from heat.engine import template
 from heat.engine import environment
+from heat.openstack.common.gettextutils import _
 import heat.db.api as db_api
 
 from heat.tests import generic_resource as generic_rsrc
@@ -67,6 +68,23 @@ class ResourceTest(HeatTestCase):
         self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
                           resource.Resource, 'aresource', snippet, self.stack)
 
+    def test_resource_non_type(self):
+        snippet = {'Type': ''}
+        resource_name = 'aresource'
+        ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
+                               resource.Resource, resource_name,
+                               snippet, self.stack)
+        self.assertIn(_('Resource "%s" has no type') % resource_name, str(ex))
+
+    def test_resource_missed_type(self):
+        snippet = {'not-a-Type': 'GenericResourceType'}
+        resource_name = 'aresource'
+        ex = self.assertRaises(exception.StackValidationFailed,
+                               resource.Resource, resource_name,
+                               snippet, self.stack)
+        self.assertIn(_('Non-empty resource type is required '
+                        'for resource "%s"') % resource_name, str(ex))
+
     def test_state_defaults(self):
         tmpl = {'Type': 'Foo'}
         res = generic_rsrc.GenericResource('test_res_def', tmpl, self.stack)