diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Published/NestedContentTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Published/NestedContentTests.cs
index 920fa2acd5..702187dd9e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/Published/NestedContentTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/Published/NestedContentTests.cs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.Published
 
             // ReSharper disable UnassignedGetOnlyAutoProperty
             public override int Id { get; }
-            public override int TemplateId { get; }
+            public override int? TemplateId { get; }
             public override int SortOrder { get; }
             public override string Name { get; }
             public override PublishedCultureInfo GetCulture(string culture = ".") => throw new NotSupportedException();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/PublishedContentDataTableTests.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/PublishedContentDataTableTests.cs
index a640423515..9d47d77e6e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/PublishedContentDataTableTests.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/PublishedContentDataTableTests.cs
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.PublishedContent
             public IPublishedContent Parent { get; set; }
             public int Id { get; set; }
             public Guid Key { get; set; }
-            public int TemplateId { get; set; }
+            public int? TemplateId { get; set; }
             public int SortOrder { get; set; }
             public string Name { get; set; }
             public PublishedCultureInfo GetCulture(string culture = null) => throw new NotSupportedException();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/SolidPublishedSnapshot.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/SolidPublishedSnapshot.cs
index efd1c6ae8b..d62a98ab15 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/SolidPublishedSnapshot.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/PublishedContent/SolidPublishedSnapshot.cs
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.PublishedContent
 
         public int Id { get; set; }
         public Guid Key { get; set; }
-        public int TemplateId { get; set; }
+        public int? TemplateId { get; set; }
         public int SortOrder { get; set; }
         public string Name { get; set; }
         public PublishedCultureInfo GetCulture(string culture = null) => throw new NotSupportedException();
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/Stubs/TestPublishedContent.cs b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/Stubs/TestPublishedContent.cs
index 0faf1537b3..0fb1aba576 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/Stubs/TestPublishedContent.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Tests/TestHelpers/Stubs/TestPublishedContent.cs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Tests.TestHelpers.Stubs
         }
 
         public int Id { get; }
-        public int TemplateId { get; set; }
+        public int? TemplateId { get; set; }
         public int SortOrder { get; set; }
         public string Name { get; set; }
         public IVariationContextAccessor VariationContextAccessor { get; set; }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Models/PublishedContentBase.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Models/PublishedContentBase.cs
index 1b8128b4c0..b85ec0a0d1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Models/PublishedContentBase.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Models/PublishedContentBase.cs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Models
         public abstract string Path { get; }
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
-        public abstract int TemplateId { get; }
+        public abstract int? TemplateId { get; }
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public abstract int CreatorId { get; }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/BTree.ContentDataSerializer.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/BTree.ContentDataSerializer.cs
index 7c793b69bd..80633efe2e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/BTree.ContentDataSerializer.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/BTree.ContentDataSerializer.cs
@@ -30,9 +30,12 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache.NuCache.DataSource
             PrimitiveSerializer.Int32.WriteTo(value.VersionId, stream);
             PrimitiveSerializer.DateTime.WriteTo(value.VersionDate, stream);
             PrimitiveSerializer.Int32.WriteTo(value.WriterId, stream);
-            PrimitiveSerializer.Int32.WriteTo(value.TemplateId, stream);
+            if (value.TemplateId.HasValue)
+            {
+                PrimitiveSerializer.Int32.WriteTo(value.TemplateId.Value, stream);
+            }
             PropertiesSerializer.WriteTo(value.Properties, stream);
             CultureVariationsSerializer.WriteTo(value.CultureInfos, stream);
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/ContentData.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/ContentData.cs
index 4721a1f4ca..520cc99011 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/ContentData.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/DataSource/ContentData.cs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache.NuCache.DataSource
         public int VersionId { get; set; }
         public DateTime VersionDate { get; set; }
         public int WriterId { get; set; }
-        public int TemplateId { get; set; }
+        public int? TemplateId { get; set; }
         public bool Published { get; set; }
 
         public IDictionary<string, PropertyData[]> Properties { get; set; }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/PublishedContent.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/PublishedContent.cs
index a4610e82db..5d4e007212 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/PublishedContent.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/NuCache/PublishedContent.cs
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache.NuCache
         public override string Path => _contentNode.Path;
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
-        public override int TemplateId => _contentData.TemplateId;
+        public override int? TemplateId => _contentData.TemplateId;
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public override int CreatorId => _contentNode.CreatorId;
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/PublishedMember.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/PublishedMember.cs
index 44ce2328b7..de9831ffeb 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/PublishedMember.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/PublishedMember.cs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache
 
         public override Guid Key => _member.Key;
 
-        public override int TemplateId => throw new NotSupportedException();
+        public override int? TemplateId => throw new NotSupportedException();
 
         public override int SortOrder => 0;
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/DictionaryPublishedContent.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/DictionaryPublishedContent.cs
index 49e0d1e9d2..201607593c 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/DictionaryPublishedContent.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/DictionaryPublishedContent.cs
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache.XmlPublishedCache
 
         public override Guid Key => _key;
 
-        public override int TemplateId => 0;
+        public override int? TemplateId => null;
 
         public override int SortOrder => _sortOrder;
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/XmlPublishedContent.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/XmlPublishedContent.cs
index 3c143a6066..1643e6219d 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/XmlPublishedContent.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedCache/XmlPublishedCache/XmlPublishedContent.cs
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.PublishedCache.XmlPublishedCache
             }
         }
 
-        public override int TemplateId
+        public override int? TemplateId
         {
             get
             {
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedContentExtensions.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedContentExtensions.cs
index f0ddf62074..79c7e27d98 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedContentExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/PublishedContentExtensions.cs
@@ -132,10 +132,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web
         /// Returns the current template Alias
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="content"></param>
-        /// <returns></returns>
+        /// <returns>Empty string if none is set.</returns>
         public static string GetTemplateAlias(this IPublishedContent content)
         {
-            var template = Current.Services.FileService.GetTemplate(content.TemplateId);
+            if(content.TemplateId.HasValue == false)
+            {
+                return string.Empty;
+            }
+
+            var template = Current.Services.FileService.GetTemplate(content.TemplateId.Value);
             return template == null ? string.Empty : template.Alias;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Routing/PublishedRouter.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Routing/PublishedRouter.cs
index 06c23406ab..9b1a614bb5 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Routing/PublishedRouter.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Routing/PublishedRouter.cs
@@ -755,9 +755,9 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Routing
             }
         }
 
-        private ITemplate GetTemplateModel(int templateId)
+        private ITemplate GetTemplateModel(int? templateId)
         {
-            if (templateId <= 0)
+            if (templateId.HasValue == false)
             {
                 _logger.Debug<PublishedRouter>("GetTemplateModel: No template.");
                 return null;
@@ -765,7 +765,10 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Routing
 
             _logger.Debug<PublishedRouter>("GetTemplateModel: Get template id={TemplateId}", templateId);
 
-            var template = _services.FileService.GetTemplate(templateId);
+            if (templateId == null)
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("The template is not set, the page cannot render.");
+
+            var template = _services.FileService.GetTemplate(templateId.Value);
             if (template == null)
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("The template with Id " + templateId + " does not exist, the page cannot render.");
             _logger.Debug<PublishedRouter>("GetTemplateModel: Got template id={TemplateId} alias={TemplateAlias}", template.Id, template.Alias);
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Templates/TemplateRenderer.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Templates/TemplateRenderer.cs
index e0b5c8c301..a94a489c5b 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Templates/TemplateRenderer.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Templates/TemplateRenderer.cs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Templates
         {
             if (umbracoContext == null) throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(umbracoContext));
             PageId = pageId;
-            AltTemplate = altTemplateId;
+            AltTemplateId = altTemplateId;
             _umbracoContext = umbracoContext;
         }
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Templates
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets/sets the alt template to render if there is one
         /// </summary>
-        public int? AltTemplate { get; }
+        public int? AltTemplateId { get; }
 
         public void Render(StringWriter writer)
         {
@@ -90,20 +90,22 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Templates
             //set the doc that was found by id
             contentRequest.PublishedContent = doc;
             //set the template, either based on the AltTemplate found or the standard template of the doc
-            contentRequest.TemplateModel = UmbracoConfig.For.UmbracoSettings().WebRouting.DisableAlternativeTemplates || AltTemplate.HasValue == false
-                ? _fileService.GetTemplate(doc.TemplateId)
-                : _fileService.GetTemplate(AltTemplate.Value);
+            var templateId = UmbracoConfig.For.UmbracoSettings().WebRouting.DisableAlternativeTemplates || AltTemplateId.HasValue == false
+                ? doc.TemplateId
+                : AltTemplateId.Value;
+            if (templateId.HasValue)
+                contentRequest.TemplateModel = _fileService.GetTemplate(templateId.Value);
 
             //if there is not template then exit
             if (contentRequest.HasTemplate == false)
             {
-                if (AltTemplate.HasValue == false)
+                if (AltTemplateId.HasValue == false)
                 {
                     writer.Write("<!-- Could not render template for Id {0}, the document's template was not found with id {0}-->", doc.TemplateId);
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    writer.Write("<!-- Could not render template for Id {0}, the altTemplate was not found with id {0}-->", AltTemplate);
+                    writer.Write("<!-- Could not render template for Id {0}, the altTemplate was not found with id {0}-->", AltTemplateId);
                 }
                 return;
             }