diff --git a/gcloud/storage/_helpers.py b/gcloud/storage/_helpers.py
index 0f36e7f04214..40358f33ee29 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/_helpers.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/_helpers.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ def __init__(self, name=None):
         :param name: The name of the object.
         """
         self.name = name
+        self._is_future = False
         self._properties = {}
         self._changes = set()
 
@@ -54,10 +55,9 @@ def reload(self):
         # Pass only '?projection=noAcl' here because 'acl' and related
         # are handled via custom endpoints.
         query_params = {'projection': 'noAcl'}
-        self._properties = self.connection.api_request(
+        api_response = self.connection.api_request(
             method='GET', path=self.path, query_params=query_params)
-        # If the api_request succeeded, we reset changes.
-        self._changes = set()
+        self._set_properties(api_response)
 
     def _patch_property(self, name, value):
         """Update field of this object's properties.
@@ -74,8 +74,31 @@ def _patch_property(self, name, value):
         :type value: object
         :param value: The value being updated.
         """
+        self._get_properties()[name] = value
         self._changes.add(name)
-        self._properties[name] = value
+
+    def _set_properties(self, value):
+        """Set the properties for the current object.
+
+        :type value: dict
+        :param value: The properties to be set.
+        """
+        self._properties = value
+        # If the values are reset, the changes must as well.
+        self._changes = set()
+
+    def _get_properties(self):
+        """Get the properties for the current object.
+
+        :rtype: dict
+        :returns: The properties of the current object.
+        :raises: :class:`ValueError` if the object is designated as a
+                 future.
+        """
+        if self._is_future:
+            raise ValueError(self, ('is a future. It cannot be used'
+                                    'until the request has completed'))
+        return self._properties
 
     def patch(self):
         """Sends all changed properties in a PATCH request.
@@ -84,13 +107,12 @@ def patch(self):
         """
         # Pass '?projection=full' here because 'PATCH' documented not
         # to work properly w/ 'noAcl'.
-        update_properties = dict((key, self._properties[key])
+        update_properties = dict((key, self._get_properties()[key])
                                  for key in self._changes)
-        self._properties = self.connection.api_request(
+        api_response = self.connection.api_request(
             method='PATCH', path=self.path, data=update_properties,
             query_params={'projection': 'full'})
-        # If the api_request succeeded, we reset changes.
-        self._changes = set()
+        self._set_properties(api_response)
 
 
 def _scalar_property(fieldname):
@@ -98,7 +120,7 @@ def _scalar_property(fieldname):
     """
     def _getter(self):
         """Scalar property getter."""
-        return self._properties.get(fieldname)
+        return self._get_properties().get(fieldname)
 
     def _setter(self, value):
         """Scalar property setter."""
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/api.py b/gcloud/storage/api.py
index ae3243a6ed52..2ac270102870 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/api.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/api.py
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def get_items_from_response(self, response):
         for item in response.get('items', []):
             name = item.get('name')
             bucket = Bucket(name, connection=self.connection)
-            bucket._properties = item
+            bucket._set_properties(item)
             yield bucket
 
 
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/blob.py b/gcloud/storage/blob.py
index ff5aef4f9f4b..f249c0f25183 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/blob.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/blob.py
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ def download_to_filename(self, filename):
 
         mtime = time.mktime(
             datetime.datetime.strptime(
-                self._properties['updated'],
+                self._get_properties()['updated'],
                 '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%fz').timetuple()
         )
         os.utime(file_obj.name, (mtime, mtime))
@@ -304,7 +304,8 @@ def upload_from_file(self, file_obj, rewind=False, size=None,
         :type num_retries: integer
         :param num_retries: Number of upload retries. Defaults to 6.
         """
-        content_type = (content_type or self._properties.get('contentType') or
+        content_type = (content_type or
+                        self._get_properties().get('contentType') or
                         'application/octet-stream')
 
         # Rewind the file if desired.
@@ -358,7 +359,7 @@ def upload_from_file(self, file_obj, rewind=False, size=None,
         if not isinstance(response_content,
                           six.string_types):  # pragma: NO COVER  Python3
             response_content = response_content.decode('utf-8')
-        self._properties = json.loads(response_content)
+        self._set_properties(json.loads(response_content))
 
     def upload_from_filename(self, filename, content_type=None):
         """Upload this blob's contents from the content of a named file.
@@ -385,7 +386,8 @@ def upload_from_filename(self, filename, content_type=None):
         :type content_type: string or ``NoneType``
         :param content_type: Optional type of content being uploaded.
         """
-        content_type = content_type or self._properties.get('contentType')
+        content_type = (content_type or
+                        self._get_properties().get('contentType'))
         if content_type is None:
             content_type, _ = mimetypes.guess_type(filename)
 
@@ -500,7 +502,7 @@ def component_count(self):
                   ``None`` if the property is not set locally. This property
                   will not be set on objects not created via ``compose``.
         """
-        component_count = self._properties.get('componentCount')
+        component_count = self._get_properties().get('componentCount')
         if component_count is not None:
             return int(component_count)
 
@@ -514,7 +516,7 @@ def etag(self):
         :rtype: string or ``NoneType``
         :returns: The blob etag or ``None`` if the property is not set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('etag')
+        return self._get_properties().get('etag')
 
     @property
     def generation(self):
@@ -526,7 +528,7 @@ def generation(self):
         :returns: The generation of the blob or ``None`` if the property
                   is not set locally.
         """
-        generation = self._properties.get('generation')
+        generation = self._get_properties().get('generation')
         if generation is not None:
             return int(generation)
 
@@ -540,7 +542,7 @@ def id(self):
         :returns: The ID of the blob or ``None`` if the property is not
                   set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('id')
+        return self._get_properties().get('id')
 
     md5_hash = _scalar_property('md5Hash')
     """MD5 hash for this object.
@@ -563,7 +565,7 @@ def media_link(self):
         :returns: The media link for the blob or ``None`` if the property is
                   not set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('mediaLink')
+        return self._get_properties().get('mediaLink')
 
     @property
     def metadata(self):
@@ -575,7 +577,7 @@ def metadata(self):
         :returns: The metadata associated with the blob or ``None`` if the
                   property is not set locally.
         """
-        return copy.deepcopy(self._properties.get('metadata'))
+        return copy.deepcopy(self._get_properties().get('metadata'))
 
     @metadata.setter
     def metadata(self, value):
@@ -598,7 +600,7 @@ def metageneration(self):
         :returns: The metageneration of the blob or ``None`` if the property
                   is not set locally.
         """
-        metageneration = self._properties.get('metageneration')
+        metageneration = self._get_properties().get('metageneration')
         if metageneration is not None:
             return int(metageneration)
 
@@ -612,7 +614,7 @@ def owner(self):
         :returns: Mapping of owner's role/ID. If the property is not set
                   locally, returns ``None``.
         """
-        return copy.deepcopy(self._properties.get('owner'))
+        return copy.deepcopy(self._get_properties().get('owner'))
 
     @property
     def self_link(self):
@@ -624,7 +626,7 @@ def self_link(self):
         :returns: The self link for the blob or ``None`` if the property is
                   not set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('selfLink')
+        return self._get_properties().get('selfLink')
 
     @property
     def size(self):
@@ -636,7 +638,7 @@ def size(self):
         :returns: The size of the blob or ``None`` if the property
                   is not set locally.
         """
-        size = self._properties.get('size')
+        size = self._get_properties().get('size')
         if size is not None:
             return int(size)
 
@@ -652,7 +654,7 @@ def storage_class(self):
         :returns: If set, one of "STANDARD", "NEARLINE", or
                   "DURABLE_REDUCED_AVAILABILITY", else ``None``.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('storageClass')
+        return self._get_properties().get('storageClass')
 
     @property
     def time_deleted(self):
@@ -665,7 +667,7 @@ def time_deleted(self):
                   set locally. If the blob has not been deleted, this will
                   never be set.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('timeDeleted')
+        return self._get_properties().get('timeDeleted')
 
     @property
     def updated(self):
@@ -677,7 +679,7 @@ def updated(self):
         :returns: RFC3339 valid timestamp, or ``None`` if the property is not
                   set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('updated')
+        return self._get_properties().get('updated')
 
 
 class _UploadConfig(object):
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/bucket.py b/gcloud/storage/bucket.py
index b9fa8f2367dc..295b79ea048d 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/bucket.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/bucket.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def get_items_from_response(self, response):
         for item in response.get('items', []):
             name = item.get('name')
             blob = Blob(name, bucket=self.bucket)
-            blob._properties = item
+            blob._set_properties(item)
             yield blob
 
 
@@ -150,9 +150,10 @@ def create(self, project=None):
                                    'from environment.')
 
         query_params = {'project': project}
-        self._properties = self.connection.api_request(
+        api_response = self.connection.api_request(
             method='POST', path='/b', query_params=query_params,
             data={'name': self.name})
+        self._set_properties(api_response)
 
     @property
     def acl(self):
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ def get_blob(self, blob_name):
                                                    path=blob.path)
             name = response.get('name')  # Expect this to be blob_name
             blob = Blob(name, bucket=self)
-            blob._properties = response
+            blob._set_properties(response)
             return blob
         except NotFound:
             return None
@@ -406,7 +407,7 @@ def copy_blob(self, blob, destination_bucket, new_name=None):
         new_blob = Blob(bucket=destination_bucket, name=new_name)
         api_path = blob.path + '/copyTo' + new_blob.path
         copy_result = self.connection.api_request(method='POST', path=api_path)
-        new_blob._properties = copy_result
+        new_blob._set_properties(copy_result)
         return new_blob
 
     def upload_file(self, filename, blob_name=None):
@@ -504,7 +505,7 @@ def cors(self):
         :returns: A sequence of mappings describing each CORS policy.
         """
         return [copy.deepcopy(policy)
-                for policy in self._properties.get('cors', ())]
+                for policy in self._get_properties().get('cors', ())]
 
     @cors.setter
     def cors(self, entries):
@@ -529,7 +530,7 @@ def etag(self):
         :returns: The bucket etag or ``None`` if the property is not
                   set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('etag')
+        return self._get_properties().get('etag')
 
     @property
     def id(self):
@@ -541,7 +542,7 @@ def id(self):
         :returns: The ID of the bucket or ``None`` if the property is not
                   set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('id')
+        return self._get_properties().get('id')
 
     @property
     def lifecycle_rules(self):
@@ -553,7 +554,7 @@ def lifecycle_rules(self):
         :rtype: list(dict)
         :returns: A sequence of mappings describing each lifecycle rule.
         """
-        info = self._properties.get('lifecycle', {})
+        info = self._get_properties().get('lifecycle', {})
         return [copy.deepcopy(rule) for rule in info.get('rule', ())]
 
     @lifecycle_rules.setter
@@ -588,7 +589,7 @@ def get_logging(self):
         :returns: a dict w/ keys, ``logBucket`` and ``logObjectPrefix``
                   (if logging is enabled), or None (if not).
         """
-        info = self._properties.get('logging')
+        info = self._get_properties().get('logging')
         return copy.deepcopy(info)
 
     def enable_logging(self, bucket_name, object_prefix=''):
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ def metageneration(self):
         :returns: The metageneration of the bucket or ``None`` if the property
                   is not set locally.
         """
-        metageneration = self._properties.get('metageneration')
+        metageneration = self._get_properties().get('metageneration')
         if metageneration is not None:
             return int(metageneration)
 
@@ -636,7 +637,7 @@ def owner(self):
         :returns: Mapping of owner's role/ID. If the property is not set
                   locally, returns ``None``.
         """
-        return copy.deepcopy(self._properties.get('owner'))
+        return copy.deepcopy(self._get_properties().get('owner'))
 
     @property
     def project_number(self):
@@ -648,7 +649,7 @@ def project_number(self):
         :returns: The project number that owns the bucket or ``None`` if the
                   property is not set locally.
         """
-        project_number = self._properties.get('projectNumber')
+        project_number = self._get_properties().get('projectNumber')
         if project_number is not None:
             return int(project_number)
 
@@ -662,7 +663,7 @@ def self_link(self):
         :returns: The self link for the bucket or ``None`` if the property is
                   not set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('selfLink')
+        return self._get_properties().get('selfLink')
 
     @property
     def storage_class(self):
@@ -676,7 +677,7 @@ def storage_class(self):
         :returns: If set, one of "STANDARD", "NEARLINE", or
                   "DURABLE_REDUCED_AVAILABILITY", else ``None``.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('storageClass')
+        return self._get_properties().get('storageClass')
 
     @property
     def time_created(self):
@@ -688,7 +689,7 @@ def time_created(self):
         :returns: RFC3339 valid timestamp, or ``None`` if the property is not
                   set locally.
         """
-        return self._properties.get('timeCreated')
+        return self._get_properties().get('timeCreated')
 
     @property
     def versioning_enabled(self):
@@ -700,7 +701,7 @@ def versioning_enabled(self):
         :rtype: boolean
         :returns: True if enabled, else False.
         """
-        versioning = self._properties.get('versioning', {})
+        versioning = self._get_properties().get('versioning', {})
         return versioning.get('enabled', False)
 
     @versioning_enabled.setter
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/iterator.py b/gcloud/storage/iterator.py
index 284e9b5392e4..ef65882988f2 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/iterator.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/iterator.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def get_items_from_response(self, response):
       items = response.get('items', [])
       for item in items:
         my_item = MyItemClass(other_arg=True)
-        my_item._properties = item
+        my_item._set_properties(item)
         yield my_item
 
 You then can use this to get **all** the results from a resource::
diff --git a/gcloud/storage/test__helpers.py b/gcloud/storage/test__helpers.py
index 8734f1ffb093..56a4b1b38ba4 100644
--- a/gcloud/storage/test__helpers.py
+++ b/gcloud/storage/test__helpers.py
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ def test_path_is_abstract(self):
         mixin = self._makeOne()
         self.assertRaises(NotImplementedError, lambda: mixin.path)
 
+    def test_future_fails(self):
+        mixin = self._makeOne()
+        mixin._is_future = True
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, mixin._get_properties)
+
     def test_reload(self):
         connection = _Connection({'foo': 'Foo'})
         derived = self._derivedClass(connection, '/path')()
@@ -105,6 +110,9 @@ def test_getter(self):
         class Test(object):
             def __init__(self, **kw):
                 self._properties = kw.copy()
+
+            def _get_properties(self):
+                return self._properties
             do_re_mi = self._callFUT('solfege')
 
         test = Test(solfege='Latido')
diff --git a/regression/storage.py b/regression/storage.py
index 027d5b57cdc7..844e9d265dc8 100644
--- a/regression/storage.py
+++ b/regression/storage.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class TestStorageWriteFiles(TestStorageFiles):
 
     def test_large_file_write_from_stream(self):
         blob = storage.Blob(bucket=self.bucket, name='LargeFile')
-        self.assertEqual(blob._properties, {})
+        self.assertEqual(blob._get_properties(), {})
 
         file_data = self.FILES['big']
         with open(file_data['path'], 'rb') as file_obj:
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ def test_large_file_write_from_stream(self):
 
     def test_small_file_write_from_filename(self):
         blob = storage.Blob(bucket=self.bucket, name='SmallFile')
-        self.assertEqual(blob._properties, {})
+        self.assertEqual(blob._get_properties(), {})
 
         file_data = self.FILES['simple']
         blob.upload_from_filename(file_data['path'])