diff --git a/modules/components/Route.js b/modules/components/Route.js
index 961dc413bf..5faa495133 100644
--- a/modules/components/Route.js
+++ b/modules/components/Route.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 var React = require('react');
 var Configuration = require('../Configuration');
 var PropTypes = require('../PropTypes');
-
+var RouteHandler = require('./RouteHandler');
 /**
  * <Route> components specify components that are rendered to the page when the
  * URL matches a given pattern.
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ var PropTypes = require('../PropTypes');
  *       );
  *     }
  *   });
+ *
+ * If no handler is provided for the route, it will render a matched child route.
  */
 var Route = React.createClass({
 
@@ -49,8 +51,14 @@ var Route = React.createClass({
   propTypes: {
     name: PropTypes.string,
     path: PropTypes.string,
-    handler: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    handler: PropTypes.func,
     ignoreScrollBehavior: PropTypes.bool
+  },
+
+  getDefaultProps: function(){
+    return {
+      handler: RouteHandler
+    };
   }
 
 });
diff --git a/modules/components/__tests__/Route-test.js b/modules/components/__tests__/Route-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..623387fdf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/components/__tests__/Route-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+var expect = require('expect');
+var React = require('react');
+var Router = require('../../index');
+var DefaultRoute = require('../DefaultRoute');
+var Route = require('../Route');
+var { Foo, Bar } = require('../../utils/TestHandlers');
+
+describe('Route', function () {
+
+  it('renders default child route if path match but no handler provided', function () {
+    var routes = (
+      <Route path='/'>
+        <Route path='/bar' handler={Bar} />
+        <DefaultRoute handler={Foo} />
+      </Route>
+    );
+
+    Router.run(routes, '/', function (App) {
+      var html = React.renderToString(<App/>);
+      expect(html).toMatch(/Foo/);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('renders matched child route if no handler provided', function () {
+    var routes = (
+      <Route path='/'>
+        <Route path='/bar' handler={Bar} />
+        <DefaultRoute handler={Foo} />
+      </Route>
+    );
+
+    Router.run(routes, '/bar', function (App) {
+      var html = React.renderToString(<App/>);
+      expect(html).toMatch(/Bar/);
+    });
+  });
+
+});