diff --git a/addons/website/controllers/main.py b/addons/website/controllers/main.py
index 6b14a16c9aa..baa6b6c780b 100644
--- a/addons/website/controllers/main.py
+++ b/addons/website/controllers/main.py
@@ -129,13 +129,6 @@ class Website(openerp.addons.web.controllers.main.Home):
         values = {
             'path': path,
         }
-        try:
-            module, xmlid = path.split('.', 1)
-            IMD = request.registry.get("ir.model.data")
-            obj = IMD.get_object_reference(request.cr, request.uid, module, xmlid)
-            values['main_object'] = request.registry[obj[0]].browse(request.cr, request.uid, obj[1])
-        except Exception:
-            pass
         try:
             html = request.website.render(path, values)
         except ValueError:
diff --git a/addons/website/models/website.py b/addons/website/models/website.py
index 83f9e6e6d40..ec9d56632f5 100644
--- a/addons/website/models/website.py
+++ b/addons/website/models/website.py
@@ -168,18 +168,25 @@ class website(osv.osv):
             inherit_branding=qweb_context.setdefault('editable', False),
         )
 
+        view_ref = None
         # check if xmlid of the template exists
         try:
             module, xmlid = template.split('.', 1)
-            IMD.get_object_reference(cr, uid, module, xmlid)
+            view_ref = IMD.get_object_reference(cr, uid, module, xmlid)
         except ValueError: # catches both unpack errors and gor errors
             module, xmlid = 'website', template
             try:
-                IMD.get_object_reference(cr, uid, module, xmlid)
+                view_ref = IMD.get_object_reference(cr, uid, module, xmlid)
             except ValueError:
                 logger.error("Website Rendering Error.\n\n%s" % traceback.format_exc())
                 return self.render(cr, uid, ids, 'website.404', qweb_context)
 
+        try:
+            main_object = request.registry[view_ref[0]].browse(cr, uid, view_ref[1])
+            qweb_context['main_object'] = main_object
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
         try:
             return view.render(
                 cr, uid, "%s.%s" % (module, xmlid), qweb_context,