diff --git a/app/controllers/api/services_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/services_controller.rb
index 04ba41221fc..1ae29c0dcf1 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api/services_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api/services_controller.rb
@@ -109,19 +109,19 @@ def validate_service(service)
     end
 
     def fetch_ext_management_system(data)
-      orchestration_manager_id = parse_id(data, :orchestration_manager)
+      orchestration_manager_id = parse_id(data, :providers)
       raise BadRequestError, 'Missing ExtManagementSystem identifier id' if orchestration_manager_id.nil?
       resource_search(orchestration_manager_id, :ext_management_systems, ExtManagementSystem)
     end
 
     def fetch_service(data)
-      service_id = parse_id(data, :service)
+      service_id = parse_id(data, :services)
       raise BadRequestError, 'Missing Service identifier id' if service_id.nil?
       resource_search(service_id, :services, Service)
     end
 
     def fetch_orchestration_template(data)
-      orchestration_template_id = parse_id(data, :orchestration_template)
+      orchestration_template_id = parse_id(data, :orchestration_templates)
       raise BadRequestError, 'Missing OrchestrationTemplate identifier id' if orchestration_template_id.nil?
       resource_search(orchestration_template_id, :orchestration_templates, OrchestrationTemplate)
     end
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/services_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/services_spec.rb
index c2feda07fbc..875f86cadf3 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/services_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/services_spec.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
   let(:svc)  { FactoryGirl.create(:service, :name => "svc",  :description => "svc description")  }
   let(:svc1) { FactoryGirl.create(:service, :name => "svc1", :description => "svc1 description") }
   let(:svc2) { FactoryGirl.create(:service, :name => "svc2", :description => "svc2 description") }
+  let(:orchestration_template) { FactoryGirl.create(:orchestration_template) }
+  let(:ems) { FactoryGirl.create(:ext_management_system) }
 
   describe "Services create" do
     it "rejects requests without appropriate role" do
@@ -61,6 +63,46 @@
                                    [{"name" => "svc_new_1"},
                                     {"name" => "svc_new_2"}])
     end
+
+    it 'supports creation of a single resource with href references' do
+      api_basic_authorize collection_action_identifier(:services, :create)
+
+      request = {
+        'action'   => 'create',
+        'resource' => {
+          'type'                   => 'ServiceOrchestration',
+          'name'                   => 'svc_new',
+          'parent_service'         => { 'href' => services_url(svc1.id)},
+          'orchestration_template' => { 'href' => orchestration_templates_url(orchestration_template.id) },
+          'orchestration_manager'  => { 'href' => providers_url(ems.id) }
+        }
+      }
+      expect do
+        run_post(services_url, request)
+      end.to change(Service, :count).by(1)
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok)
+      expect_results_to_match_hash("results", [{"name" => "svc_new"}])
+    end
+
+    it 'supports creation of a single resource with id references' do
+      api_basic_authorize collection_action_identifier(:services, :create)
+
+      request = {
+        'action'   => 'create',
+        'resource' => {
+          'type'                   => 'ServiceOrchestration',
+          'name'                   => 'svc_new',
+          'parent_service'         => { 'id' => svc1.id},
+          'orchestration_template' => { 'id' => orchestration_template.id },
+          'orchestration_manager'  => { 'id' => ems.id }
+        }
+      }
+      expect do
+        run_post(services_url, request)
+      end.to change(Service, :count).by(1)
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok)
+      expect_results_to_match_hash("results", [{"name" => "svc_new"}])
+    end
   end
 
   describe "Services edit" do