diff --git a/lib/cartodb/controllers/template_maps.js b/lib/cartodb/controllers/template_maps.js
index be2022a8..29026c41 100644
--- a/lib/cartodb/controllers/template_maps.js
+++ b/lib/cartodb/controllers/template_maps.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 var step = require('step');
+var assert = require('assert');
 var _ = require('underscore');
 var CdbRequest = require('../models/cdb_request');
 
@@ -42,34 +43,17 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.create = function(req, res) {
             self.serverOptions.authorizedByAPIKey(req, this);
         },
         function addTemplate(err, authenticated) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            if (authenticated !== 1) {
-                err = new Error("Only authenticated user can create templated maps");
-                err.http_status = 403;
-                throw err;
-            }
-            if ( ! req.headers['content-type'] || req.headers['content-type'].split(';')[0] != 'application/json' )
-                throw new Error('template POST data must be of type application/json');
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, 'Only authenticated users can get template maps');
+            ifInvalidContentType(req, 'template POST data must be of type application/json');
             var cfg = req.body;
             self.templateMaps.addTemplate(cdbuser, cfg, this);
         },
         function prepareResponse(err, tpl_id){
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            // NOTE: might omit "cdbuser" if == dbowner ...
-            return { template_id: cdbuser + '@' + tpl_id };
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            return { template_id: tpl_id };
         },
-        function finish(err, response){
-            if (err){
-                response = { error: ''+err };
-                var statusCode = 400;
-                if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
-                    statusCode = err.http_status;
-                }
-                self.app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, 'POST TEMPLATE', err);
-            } else {
-                self.app.sendResponse(res, [response, 200]);
-            }
-        }
+        finishFn(self.app, res, 'POST TEMPLATE')
     );
 };
 
@@ -87,42 +71,20 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.update = function(req, res) {
             self.serverOptions.authorizedByAPIKey(req, this);
         },
         function updateTemplate(err, authenticated) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            if (authenticated !== 1) {
-                err = new Error("Only authenticated user can list templated maps");
-                err.http_status = 403;
-                throw err;
-            }
-            if ( ! req.headers['content-type'] || req.headers['content-type'].split(';')[0] != 'application/json' )
-                throw new Error('template PUT data must be of type application/json');
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, 'Only authenticated user can update templated maps');
+            ifInvalidContentType(req, 'template PUT data must be of type application/json');
+
             template = req.body;
-            tpl_id = req.params.template_id.split('@');
-            if ( tpl_id.length > 1 ) {
-                if ( tpl_id[0] != cdbuser ) {
-                    err = new Error("Invalid template id '" + req.params.template_id + "' for user '" + cdbuser + "'");
-                    err.http_status = 404;
-                    throw err;
-                }
-                tpl_id = tpl_id[1];
-            }
+            tpl_id = templateName(req.params.template_id);
             self.templateMaps.updTemplate(cdbuser, tpl_id, template, this);
         },
         function prepareResponse(err){
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            return { template_id: cdbuser + '@' + tpl_id };
+            assert.ifError(err);
+
+            return { template_id: tpl_id };
         },
-        function finish(err, response){
-            if (err){
-                var statusCode = 400;
-                response = { error: ''+err };
-                if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
-                    statusCode = err.http_status;
-                }
-                self.app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, 'PUT TEMPLATE', err);
-            } else {
-                self.app.sendResponse(res, [response, 200]);
-            }
-        }
+        finishFn(self.app, res, 'PUT TEMPLATE')
     );
 };
 
@@ -143,25 +105,13 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.retrieve = function(req, res) {
             self.serverOptions.authorizedByAPIKey(req, this);
         },
         function updateTemplate(err, authenticated) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            if (authenticated !== 1) {
-                err = new Error("Only authenticated users can get template maps");
-                err.http_status = 403;
-                throw err;
-            }
-            tpl_id = req.params.template_id.split('@');
-            if ( tpl_id.length > 1 ) {
-                if ( tpl_id[0] != cdbuser ) {
-                    var templateNotFoundErr = new Error("Cannot get template id '" + req.params.template_id +
-                        "' for user '" + cdbuser + "'");
-                    templateNotFoundErr.http_status = 404;
-                    throw templateNotFoundErr;
-                }
-                tpl_id = tpl_id[1];
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, 'Only authenticated users can get template maps');
+
+            tpl_id = templateName(req.params.template_id);
             self.templateMaps.getTemplate(cdbuser, tpl_id, this);
         },
-        function prepareResponse(err, tpl_val){
+        function prepareResponse(err, tpl_val) {
             if ( err ) throw err;
             if ( ! tpl_val ) {
                 err = new Error("Cannot find template '" + tpl_id + "' of user '" + cdbuser + "'");
@@ -173,18 +123,7 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.retrieve = function(req, res) {
             delete tpl_val.auth_id;
             return { template: tpl_val };
         },
-        function finish(err, response){
-            if (err){
-                var statusCode = 400;
-                response = { error: ''+err };
-                if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
-                    statusCode = err.http_status;
-                }
-                self.app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, 'GET TEMPLATE', err);
-            } else {
-                self.app.sendResponse(res, [response, 200]);
-            }
-        }
+        finishFn(self.app, res, 'GET TEMPLATE')
     );
 };
 
@@ -204,40 +143,17 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.destroy = function(req, res) {
             self.serverOptions.authorizedByAPIKey(req, this);
         },
         function updateTemplate(err, authenticated) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            if (authenticated !== 1) {
-                err = new Error("Only authenticated users can delete template maps");
-                err.http_status = 403;
-                throw err;
-            }
-            tpl_id = req.params.template_id.split('@');
-            if ( tpl_id.length > 1 ) {
-                if ( tpl_id[0] != cdbuser ) {
-                    var templateNotFoundErr = new Error("Cannot find template id '" + req.params.template_id +
-                        "' for user '" + cdbuser + "'");
-                    templateNotFoundErr.http_status = 404;
-                    throw templateNotFoundErr;
-                }
-                tpl_id = tpl_id[1];
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, 'Only authenticated users can delete template maps');
+
+            tpl_id = templateName(req.params.template_id);
             self.templateMaps.delTemplate(cdbuser, tpl_id, this);
         },
         function prepareResponse(err/*, tpl_val*/){
             if ( err ) throw err;
             return { status: 'ok' };
         },
-        function finish(err, response){
-            if (err){
-                var statusCode = 400;
-                response = { error: ''+err };
-                if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
-                    statusCode = err.http_status;
-                }
-                self.app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, 'DELETE TEMPLATE', err);
-            } else {
-                self.app.sendResponse(res, ['', 204]);
-            }
-        }
+        finishFn(self.app, res, 'DELETE TEMPLATE', ['', 204])
     );
 };
 
@@ -256,32 +172,16 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.list = function(req, res) {
             self.serverOptions.authorizedByAPIKey(req, this);
         },
         function listTemplates(err, authenticated) {
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            if (authenticated !== 1) {
-                err = new Error("Only authenticated user can list templated maps");
-                err.http_status = 403;
-                throw err;
-            }
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, 'Only authenticated user can list templated maps');
+
             self.templateMaps.listTemplates(cdbuser, this);
         },
         function prepareResponse(err, tpl_ids){
-            if ( err ) throw err;
-            // NOTE: might omit "cbduser" if == dbowner ...
-            var ids = _.map(tpl_ids, function(id) { return cdbuser + '@' + id; });
-            return { template_ids: ids };
+            assert.ifError(err);
+            return { template_ids: tpl_ids };
         },
-        function finish(err, response){
-            var statusCode = 200;
-            if (err){
-                response = { error: ''+err };
-                if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
-                    statusCode = err.http_status;
-                }
-                self.app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, 'GET TEMPLATE LIST', err);
-            } else {
-                self.app.sendResponse(res, [response, statusCode]);
-            }
-        }
+        finishFn(self.app, res, 'GET TEMPLATE LIST')
     );
 };
 
@@ -293,9 +193,8 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.instantiate = function(req, res) {
     }
     step(
         function() {
-            if ( ! req.headers['content-type'] || req.headers['content-type'].split(';')[0] != 'application/json') {
-                throw new Error('template POST data must be of type application/json, it is instead ');
-            }
+            ifInvalidContentType(req, 'template POST data must be of type application/json');
+
             self.instantiateTemplate(req, res, req.body, this);
         }, function(err, response) {
             self.finish_instantiation(err, response, res);
@@ -350,17 +249,7 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.instantiateTemplate = function(req, res, templa
     var fakereq; // used for call to createLayergroup
     var cdbuser = cdbRequest.userByReq(req);
     // Format of template_id: [<template_owner>]@<template_id>
-    var tpl_id = req.params.template_id.split('@');
-    if ( tpl_id.length > 1 ) {
-        if ( tpl_id[0] && tpl_id[0] != cdbuser ) {
-            var err = new Error('Cannot instanciate map of user "' + tpl_id[0] + '" on database of user "' + cdbuser +
-                '"');
-            err.http_status = 403;
-            callback(err);
-            return;
-        }
-        tpl_id = tpl_id[1];
-    }
+    var tpl_id = templateName(req.params.template_id);
     var auth_token = req.query.auth_token;
     step(
         function getTemplate(){
@@ -468,3 +357,44 @@ TemplateMapsController.prototype.setDBParams = function(cdbuser, params, callbac
         }
     );
 };
+
+function finishFn(app, res, description, okResponse) {
+    return function finish(err, response){
+        var statusCode = 200;
+        if (err) {
+            statusCode = 400;
+            response = { error: '' + err };
+            if ( ! _.isUndefined(err.http_status) ) {
+                statusCode = err.http_status;
+            }
+            app.sendError(res, response, statusCode, description, err);
+        } else {
+            app.sendResponse(res, okResponse || [response, statusCode]);
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+function ifUnauthenticated(authenticated, description) {
+    if (authenticated !== 1) {
+        var err = new Error(description);
+        err.http_status = 403;
+        throw err;
+    }
+}
+
+function ifInvalidContentType(req, description) {
+    if ( ! req.headers['content-type'] || req.headers['content-type'].split(';')[0] != 'application/json' ) {
+        throw new Error(description);
+    }
+}
+
+function templateName(templateId) {
+    var templateIdTokens = templateId.split('@');
+    var name = templateIdTokens[0];
+
+    if (templateIdTokens.length > 1) {
+        name = templateIdTokens[1];
+    }
+
+    return name;
+}
diff --git a/test/acceptance/cache/surrogate_keys_invalidation.js b/test/acceptance/cache/surrogate_keys_invalidation.js
index 8b626701..b4f4a165 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/cache/surrogate_keys_invalidation.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/cache/surrogate_keys_invalidation.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('templates surrogate keys', function() {
 
     var templateOwner = 'localhost',
         templateName = 'acceptance',
-        expectedTemplateId = templateOwner + '@' + templateName,
+        expectedTemplateId = templateName,
         template = {
             version: '0.0.1',
             name: templateName,
diff --git a/test/acceptance/templates.js b/test/acceptance/templates.js
index aaf3e6b0..829abd12 100644
--- a/test/acceptance/templates.js
+++ b/test/acceptance/templates.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ describe('template_api', function() {
     it("can add template, returning id", function(done) {
 
       var errors = [];
-      var expected_tpl_id = "localhost@acceptance1";
+      var expected_tpl_id = "acceptance1";
       var post_request_1 = {
           url: '/api/v1/map/named',
           method: 'POST',
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ describe('template_api', function() {
       );
     });
 
-    it("can instanciate a template by id", function(done) {
+    it("can instanciate a template by id wadus", function(done) {
 
       // This map fetches data from a private table
       var template_acceptance2 =  {
@@ -880,12 +880,10 @@ describe('template_api', function() {
         function instanciateAuth(err, res)
         {
           if ( err ) throw err;
-          assert.equal(res.statusCode, 403, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
+          assert.equal(res.statusCode, 404, res.statusCode + ': ' + res.body);
           var parsed = JSON.parse(res.body);
-          assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('error'),
-            "Missing 'error' from response body: " + res.body);
-          assert.ok(parsed.error.match(/cannot instanciate/i),
-            'Unexpected error for forbidden instance : ' + parsed.error);
+          assert.ok(parsed.hasOwnProperty('error'), "Missing 'error' from response body: " + res.body);
+          assert.ok(parsed.error.match(/not found/i), 'Unexpected error for forbidden instance : ' + parsed.error);
           var post_request = {
               url: '/api/v1/map/named/' + tpl_id + '?auth_token=valid2',
               method: 'POST',
@@ -1907,7 +1905,7 @@ describe('template_api', function() {
         var template_params = {};
 
         var errors = [];
-        var expectedTemplateId = username + '@' + httpTemplateName;
+        var expectedTemplateId = httpTemplateName;
         var layergroupid;
         step(
             function createTemplate()