diff --git a/datasette/app.py b/datasette/app.py
index 1f9e9d3009..8f69ee9881 100644
--- a/datasette/app.py
+++ b/datasette/app.py
@@ -1476,6 +1476,8 @@ def add_route(view, regex):
             routes.append((regex, view))
 
         add_route(IndexView.as_view(self), r"/(\.(?P<format>jsono?))?$")
+        add_route(IndexView.as_view(self), r"/-/(\.(?P<format>jsono?))?$")
+        add_route(permanent_redirect("/-/"), r"/-$")
         # TODO: /favicon.ico and /-/static/ deserve far-future cache expires
         add_route(favicon, "/favicon.ico")
 
diff --git a/datasette/templates/index.html b/datasette/templates/index.html
index 6e95126ddc..a3595a39d8 100644
--- a/datasette/templates/index.html
+++ b/datasette/templates/index.html
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 {% block title %}{{ metadata.title or "Datasette" }}: {% for database in databases %}{{ database.name }}{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %}{% endblock %}
 
+{% block extra_head %}
+{% if noindex %}<meta name="robots" content="noindex">{% endif %}
+{% endblock %}
+
 {% block body_class %}index{% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
diff --git a/datasette/views/index.py b/datasette/views/index.py
index a3178f5331..63cc067d58 100644
--- a/datasette/views/index.py
+++ b/datasette/views/index.py
@@ -152,8 +152,9 @@ async def get(self, request):
                 extra_links = await await_me_maybe(hook)
                 if extra_links:
                     homepage_actions.extend(extra_links)
+            alternative_homepage = request.path == "/-/"
             return await self.render(
-                ["index.html"],
+                ["default:index.html" if alternative_homepage else "index.html"],
                 request=request,
                 context={
                     "databases": databases,
@@ -166,5 +167,6 @@ async def get(self, request):
                         "top_homepage", self.ds, request
                     ),
                     "homepage_actions": homepage_actions,
+                    "noindex": request.path == "/-/",
                 },
             )
diff --git a/docs/pages.rst b/docs/pages.rst
index 239c9f8027..78d5520fb3 100644
--- a/docs/pages.rst
+++ b/docs/pages.rst
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ Add ``/.json`` to the end of the URL for the JSON version of the underlying data
 * `global-power-plants.datasettes.com/.json <https://global-power-plants.datasettes.com/.json>`_
 * `register-of-members-interests.datasettes.com/.json <https://register-of-members-interests.datasettes.com/.json>`_
 
+The index page can also be accessed at ``/-/``, useful for if the default index page has been replaced using an :ref:`index.html custom template <customization_custom_templates>`. The ``/-/`` page will always render the default Datasette ``index.html`` template.
+
 .. _DatabaseView:
 
 Database
diff --git a/tests/test_html.py b/tests/test_html.py
index 5b60d2f544..d648bdf04e 100644
--- a/tests/test_html.py
+++ b/tests/test_html.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from bs4 import BeautifulSoup as Soup
+from datasette.app import Datasette
 from datasette.utils import allowed_pragmas
 from .fixtures import (  # noqa
     app_client,
@@ -51,6 +52,27 @@ def test_homepage(app_client_two_attached_databases):
     ] == table_links
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("path", ("/", "/-/"))
+async def test_homepage_alternative_location(path, tmp_path_factory):
+    template_dir = tmp_path_factory.mktemp("templates")
+    (template_dir / "index.html").write_text("Custom homepage", "utf-8")
+    datasette = Datasette(template_dir=str(template_dir))
+    response = await datasette.client.get(path)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    html = response.text
+    if path == "/":
+        assert html == "Custom homepage"
+    else:
+        assert '<meta name="robots" content="noindex">' in html
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_homepage_alternative_redirect(ds_client):
+    response = await ds_client.get("/-")
+    assert response.status_code == 301
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_http_head(ds_client):
     response = await ds_client.head("/")