diff --git a/python/ray/tune/schedulers/pbt.py b/python/ray/tune/schedulers/pbt.py
index f8f7ce7dc..31259c41d 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/schedulers/pbt.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/schedulers/pbt.py
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ class PopulationBasedTraining(FIFOScheduler):
             "pbt_policy_" + trial_to_clone_id + ".txt")
         policy = [
             trial_name, trial_to_clone_name,
-            trial.last_result[TRAINING_ITERATION],
-            trial_to_clone.last_result[TRAINING_ITERATION],
+            trial.last_result.get(TRAINING_ITERATION, 0),
+            trial_to_clone.last_result.get(TRAINING_ITERATION, 0),
             trial_to_clone.config, new_config
         ]
         # Log to global file.
diff --git a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_scheduler.py b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_scheduler.py
index 427ca5363..cd2122668 100644
--- a/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_scheduler.py
+++ b/python/ray/tune/tests/test_trial_scheduler.py
@@ -622,10 +622,15 @@ class PopulationBasedTestingSuite(unittest.TestCase):
         ray.shutdown()
         _register_all()  # re-register the evicted objects
 
-    def basicSetup(self, resample_prob=0.0, explore=None, log_config=False):
+    def basicSetup(self,
+                   resample_prob=0.0,
+                   explore=None,
+                   perturbation_interval=10,
+                   log_config=False,
+                   step_once=True):
         pbt = PopulationBasedTraining(
             time_attr="training_iteration",
-            perturbation_interval=10,
+            perturbation_interval=perturbation_interval,
             resample_probability=resample_prob,
             quantile_fraction=0.25,
             hyperparam_mutations={
@@ -646,9 +651,10 @@ class PopulationBasedTestingSuite(unittest.TestCase):
                 })
             runner.add_trial(trial)
             trial.status = Trial.RUNNING
-            self.assertEqual(
-                pbt.on_trial_result(runner, trial, result(10, 50 * i)),
-                TrialScheduler.CONTINUE)
+            if step_once:
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    pbt.on_trial_result(runner, trial, result(10, 50 * i)),
+                    TrialScheduler.CONTINUE)
         pbt.reset_stats()
         return pbt, runner
 
@@ -959,6 +965,24 @@ class PopulationBasedTestingSuite(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(trials[0].config["id_factor"], 42)
         self.assertEqual(trials[0].config["float_factor"], 43)
 
+    def testFastPerturb(self):
+        pbt, runner = self.basicSetup(
+            perturbation_interval=1, step_once=False, log_config=True)
+        trials = runner.get_trials()
+
+        tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
+        for i, trial in enumerate(trials):
+            trial.local_dir = tmpdir
+            trial.last_result = {}
+        pbt.on_trial_result(runner, trials[0], result(1, 10))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            pbt.on_trial_result(runner, trials[2], result(1, 200)),
+            TrialScheduler.CONTINUE)
+        self.assertEqual(pbt._num_checkpoints, 1)
+
+        pbt._exploit(runner.trial_executor, trials[1], trials[2])
+        shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
+
 
 class AsyncHyperBandSuite(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):