diff --git a/lib/cartodb/template_maps.js b/lib/cartodb/template_maps.js
index 419739ce..74f6b81f 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/template_maps.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/template_maps.js
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ o._checkInvalidTemplate = function(template) {
     return new Error("Invalid characters in template name '" + tplname + "'");
   }
 
+  var invalidError = isInvalidLayergroup(template.layergroup);
+  if (invalidError) {
+    return invalidError;
+  }
+
   var placeholders = template.placeholders || {};
 
   var placeholderKeys = Object.keys(placeholders);
@@ -128,6 +133,18 @@ o._checkInvalidTemplate = function(template) {
     return false;
 };
 
+function isInvalidLayergroup(layergroup) {
+    if (!layergroup) {
+        return new Error('Missing layergroup');
+    }
+
+    if (!_.isArray(layergroup.layers)) {
+        return new Error('Missing layers array from layergroup config');
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 function templateDefaults(template) {
     var templateAuth = _.defaults({}, template.auth || {}, {
         method: 'open'
diff --git a/test/unit/cartodb/template_maps.test.js b/test/unit/cartodb/template_maps.test.js
index 6abda6e3..de973c2c 100644
--- a/test/unit/cartodb/template_maps.test.js
+++ b/test/unit/cartodb/template_maps.test.js
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
         version:'0.0.1',
         name: 'first',
         auth: {},
-        layergroup: {}
+        layergroup: {
+            layers: []
+        }
     };
     var owner = 'me';
     
@@ -24,7 +26,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var tmap = new TemplateMaps(redis_pool);
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'6.6.6',
-      name:'k', auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      name:'k', auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     Step(
       function() {
         tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, this);
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var tmap = new TemplateMaps(redis_pool);
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
-      auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     Step(
       function() {
         tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, this);
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var tmap = new TemplateMaps(redis_pool);
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
-      auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     var invalidnames = [ "ab|", "a b", "a@b", "1ab", "_x", "", " x", "x " ];
     var testNext = function() {
       if ( ! invalidnames.length ) { done(); return; }
@@ -91,7 +93,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
       name: "valid", placeholders: {},
-      auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     var invalidnames = [ "ab|", "a b", "a@b", "1ab", "_x", "", " x", "x " ];
     var testNext = function() {
       if ( ! invalidnames.length ) { done(); return; }
@@ -119,7 +121,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
       name: "valid", placeholders: { v: {} },
-      auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, function(err) {
         if ( ! err ) {
           done(new Error("Unexpected success with missing placeholder default"));
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
       name: "valid", placeholders: { v: { default:1 } },
-      auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, function(err) {
         if ( ! err ) {
           done(new Error("Unexpected success with missing placeholder type"));
@@ -161,7 +163,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
       name: "invalid_auth1", placeholders: { },
-      auth: { method: 'token' }, layergroup: {} };
+      auth: { method: 'token' }, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, function(err) {
         if ( ! err ) {
           done(new Error("Unexpected success with invalid token auth (undefined tokens)"));
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var expected_failure = false;
     var tpl_id;
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
-      name: 'first', auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+      name: 'first', auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     Step(
       function() {
         tmap.addTemplate('me', tpl, this);
@@ -216,9 +218,9 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var tmap = new TemplateMaps(redis_pool);
     assert.ok(tmap);
     var expected_failure = false;
-    var tpl1 = { version:'0.0.1', name: 'first', auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+    var tpl1 = { version:'0.0.1', name: 'first', auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     var tpl1_id;
-    var tpl2 = { version:'0.0.1', name: 'second', auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+    var tpl2 = { version:'0.0.1', name: 'second', auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     var tpl2_id;
     Step(
       function addTemplate1() {
@@ -279,7 +281,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
     var tpl = { version:'0.0.1',
       name: 'first',
       auth: { method: 'open' },
-      layergroup: {}
+      layergroup: {layers:[]}
     };
     var tpl_id;
     Step(
@@ -434,7 +436,7 @@ suite('template_maps', function() {
       max_user_templates: 2
     });
     assert.ok(tmap);
-    var tpl = { version:'0.0.1', auth: {}, layergroup: {} };
+    var tpl = { version:'0.0.1', auth: {}, layergroup: {layers:[]} };
     var expectErr = false;
     var idMe = [];
     var idYou = [];