diff --git a/mercurial/cmdutil.py b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
--- a/mercurial/cmdutil.py
+++ b/mercurial/cmdutil.py
@@ -1649,7 +1649,10 @@ class changeset_templater(changeset_prin
                     self.t(self._parts['footer'], **props))
 
 def logtemplatespec(tmpl, mapfile):
-    return formatter.templatespec('changeset', tmpl, mapfile)
+    if mapfile:
+        return formatter.templatespec('changeset', tmpl, mapfile)
+    else:
+        return formatter.templatespec('', tmpl, None)
 
 def _lookuplogtemplate(ui, tmpl, style):
     """Find the template matching the given template spec or style
@@ -1706,7 +1709,7 @@ def show_changeset(ui, repo, opts, buffe
 
     spec = _lookuplogtemplate(ui, opts.get('template'), opts.get('style'))
 
-    if not spec.tmpl and not spec.mapfile:
+    if not spec.ref and not spec.tmpl and not spec.mapfile:
         return changeset_printer(ui, repo, matchfn, opts, buffered)
 
     return changeset_templater(ui, repo, spec, matchfn, opts, buffered)
diff --git a/mercurial/formatter.py b/mercurial/formatter.py
--- a/mercurial/formatter.py
+++ b/mercurial/formatter.py
@@ -391,11 +391,14 @@ def lookuptemplate(ui, topic, tmpl):
     selected, all templates defined in the file will be loaded, and the
     template matching the given topic will be rendered. No aliases will be
     loaded from user config.
+
+    If no map file selected, all templates in [templates] section will be
+    available as well as aliases in [templatealias].
     """
 
     # looks like a literal template?
     if '{' in tmpl:
-        return templatespec(topic, tmpl, None)
+        return templatespec('', tmpl, None)
 
     # perhaps a stock style?
     if not os.path.split(tmpl)[0]:
@@ -405,9 +408,8 @@ def lookuptemplate(ui, topic, tmpl):
             return templatespec(topic, None, mapname)
 
     # perhaps it's a reference to [templates]
-    t = ui.config('templates', tmpl)
-    if t:
-        return templatespec(topic, templater.unquotestring(t), None)
+    if ui.config('templates', tmpl):
+        return templatespec(tmpl, None, None)
 
     if tmpl == 'list':
         ui.write(_("available styles: %s\n") % templater.stylelist())
@@ -420,10 +422,10 @@ def lookuptemplate(ui, topic, tmpl):
             return templatespec(topic, None, os.path.realpath(tmpl))
         with util.posixfile(tmpl, 'rb') as f:
             tmpl = f.read()
-        return templatespec(topic, tmpl, None)
+        return templatespec('', tmpl, None)
 
     # constant string?
-    return templatespec(topic, tmpl, None)
+    return templatespec('', tmpl, None)
 
 def loadtemplater(ui, spec, cache=None):
     """Create a templater from either a literal template or loading from
@@ -440,6 +442,8 @@ def maketemplater(ui, tmpl, cache=None):
 def _maketemplater(ui, topic, tmpl, cache=None):
     aliases = ui.configitems('templatealias')
     t = templater.templater(cache=cache, aliases=aliases)
+    t.cache.update((k, templater.unquotestring(v))
+                   for k, v in ui.configitems('templates'))
     if tmpl:
         t.cache[topic] = tmpl
     return t
diff --git a/mercurial/help/templates.txt b/mercurial/help/templates.txt
--- a/mercurial/help/templates.txt
+++ b/mercurial/help/templates.txt
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ defines a template, ``nodedate``, which 
 
   $ hg log -r . -Tnodedate
 
+A template defined in ``templates`` section can also be referenced from
+another template::
+
+  $ hg log -r . -T "{rev} {nodedate}"
+
+but be aware that the keywords cannot be overridden by templates. For example,
+a template defined as ``templates.rev`` cannot be referenced as ``{rev}``.
+
 Examples
 ========
 
diff --git a/tests/test-command-template.t b/tests/test-command-template.t
--- a/tests/test-command-template.t
+++ b/tests/test-command-template.t
@@ -209,14 +209,29 @@ Make sure user/global hgrc does not affe
 
 Add some simple styles to settings
 
-  $ echo '[templates]' >> .hg/hgrc
-  $ printf 'simple = "{rev}\\n"\n' >> .hg/hgrc
-  $ printf 'simple2 = {rev}\\n\n' >> .hg/hgrc
+  $ cat <<'EOF' >> .hg/hgrc
+  > [templates]
+  > simple = "{rev}\n"
+  > simple2 = {rev}\n
+  > rev = "should not precede {rev} keyword\n"
+  > EOF
 
   $ hg log -l1 -Tsimple
   8
   $ hg log -l1 -Tsimple2
   8
+  $ hg log -l1 -Trev
+  should not precede 8 keyword
+  $ hg log -l1 -T '{simple}'
+  8
+
+Map file shouldn't see user templates:
+
+  $ cat <<EOF > tmpl
+  > changeset = 'nothing expanded:{simple}\n'
+  > EOF
+  $ hg log -l1 --style ./tmpl
+  nothing expanded:
 
 Test templates and style maps in files: