diff --git a/modules/IndexRoute.js b/modules/IndexRoute.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..abcfff2e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/IndexRoute.js
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import invariant from 'invariant';
+import { createRouteFromReactElement } from './RouteUtils';
+import { component, components, falsy } from './PropTypes';
+
+var { bool, func } = React.PropTypes;
+
+/**
+ * An <IndexRoute> is used to specify its parent's <Route indexRoute> in
+ * a JSX route config.
+ */
+var IndexRoute = React.createClass({
+
+  statics: {
+
+    createRouteFromReactElement(element, parentRoute) {
+      if (parentRoute) {
+        parentRoute.indexRoute = createRouteFromReactElement(element);
+      } else {
+        warning(
+          false,
+          'An <IndexRoute> does not make sense at the root of your route config'
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
+  },
+
+  propTypes: {
+    path: falsy,
+    ignoreScrollBehavior: bool,
+    component,
+    components,
+    getComponents: func
+  },
+
+  render() {
+    invariant(
+      false,
+      '<IndexRoute> elements are for router configuration only and should not be rendered'
+    );
+  }
+
+});
+
+export default IndexRoute;
diff --git a/modules/RouteUtils.js b/modules/RouteUtils.js
index 4fe4652de5..9f95890e7b 100644
--- a/modules/RouteUtils.js
+++ b/modules/RouteUtils.js
@@ -22,15 +22,23 @@ function checkPropTypes(componentName, propTypes, props) {
   }
 }
 
+function createRoute(defaultProps, props) {
+  return { ...defaultProps, ...props };
+}
+
 export function createRouteFromReactElement(element) {
   var type = element.type;
-  var route = Object.assign({}, type.defaultProps, element.props);
+  var route = createRoute(type.defaultProps, element.props);
 
   if (type.propTypes)
     checkPropTypes(type.displayName || type.name, type.propTypes, route);
 
   if (route.children) {
-    route.childRoutes = createRoutesFromReactChildren(route.children);
+    var childRoutes = createRoutesFromReactChildren(route.children, route);
+
+    if (childRoutes.length)
+      route.childRoutes = childRoutes;
+
     delete route.children;
   }
 
@@ -54,14 +62,17 @@ export function createRouteFromReactElement(element) {
  * Note: This method is automatically used when you provide <Route> children
  * to a <Router> component.
  */
-export function createRoutesFromReactChildren(children) {
+export function createRoutesFromReactChildren(children, parentRoute) {
   var routes = [];
 
   React.Children.forEach(children, function (element) {
     if (React.isValidElement(element)) {
       // Component classes may have a static create* method.
       if (element.type.createRouteFromReactElement) {
-        routes.push(element.type.createRouteFromReactElement(element));
+        var route = element.type.createRouteFromReactElement(element, parentRoute);
+
+        if (route)
+          routes.push(route);
       } else {
         routes.push(createRouteFromReactElement(element));
       }
diff --git a/modules/__tests__/createRoutesFromReactChildren-test.js b/modules/__tests__/createRoutesFromReactChildren-test.js
index 21d1d33ddd..af56cc08a2 100644
--- a/modules/__tests__/createRoutesFromReactChildren-test.js
+++ b/modules/__tests__/createRoutesFromReactChildren-test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import expect from 'expect';
 import React from 'react';
 import { createRoutesFromReactChildren } from '../RouteUtils';
+import IndexRoute from '../IndexRoute';
 import Route from '../Route';
 
 describe('createRoutesFromReactChildren', function () {
@@ -28,10 +29,28 @@ describe('createRoutesFromReactChildren', function () {
     }
   });
  
+  it('works with index routes', function () {
+    var routes = createRoutesFromReactChildren(
+      <Route path="/" component={Parent}>
+        <IndexRoute component={Hello} />
+      </Route>
+    );
+
+    expect(routes).toEqual([
+      {
+        path: '/',
+        component: Parent,
+        indexRoute: {
+          component: Hello
+        }
+      }
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('works with nested routes', function () {
     var routes = createRoutesFromReactChildren(
       <Route component={Parent}>
-        <Route path="home" components={{ hello: Hello, goodbye: Goodbye }}/>
+        <Route path="home" components={{ hello: Hello, goodbye: Goodbye }} />
       </Route>
     );
 
@@ -50,9 +69,9 @@ describe('createRoutesFromReactChildren', function () {
 
   it('works with falsy children', function () {
     var routes = createRoutesFromReactChildren([
-      <Route path="/one" component={Parent}/>,
+      <Route path="/one" component={Parent} />,
       null,
-      <Route path="/two" component={Parent}/>,
+      <Route path="/two" component={Parent} />,
       undefined
     ]);
 
@@ -71,7 +90,7 @@ describe('createRoutesFromReactChildren', function () {
     var routes = createRoutesFromReactChildren(
       <Route path="/one" component={Parent}>
         // This is a comment.
-        <Route path="/two" component={Hello}/>
+        <Route path="/two" component={Hello} />
       </Route>
     );
 
diff --git a/modules/index.js b/modules/index.js
index ceb42a4359..74a210bc27 100644
--- a/modules/index.js
+++ b/modules/index.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ export Router from './Router';
 export Link from './Link';
 
 /* components (configuration) */
+export IndexRoute from './IndexRoute';
 export Redirect from './Redirect';
 export Route from './Route';