diff --git a/django/conf/global_settings.py b/django/conf/global_settings.py
index 2853d6c618343..837158a0a4a47 100644
--- a/django/conf/global_settings.py
+++ b/django/conf/global_settings.py
@@ -253,6 +253,10 @@
 from django import get_version
 URL_VALIDATOR_USER_AGENT = "Django/%s (http://www.djangoproject.com)" % get_version()
 
+# The tablespaces to use for each model when not specified otherwise.
+DEFAULT_TABLESPACE = ''
+DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE = ''
+
 ##############
 # MIDDLEWARE #
 ##############
diff --git a/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py b/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
index ddf695816e538..7eb57d96c9728 100644
--- a/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def __init__(self, verbose_name=None, name=None, primary_key=False,
         self.radio_admin = radio_admin
         self.help_text = help_text
         self.db_column = db_column
-        self.db_tablespace = db_tablespace
+        self.db_tablespace = db_tablespace or settings.DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE
 
         # Set db_index to True if the field has a relationship and doesn't explicitly set db_index.
         self.db_index = db_index
diff --git a/django/db/models/options.py b/django/db/models/options.py
index 788d1c80dea7e..23d9b04fe9542 100644
--- a/django/db/models/options.py
+++ b/django/db/models/options.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def __init__(self, meta):
         self.object_name, self.app_label = None, None
         self.get_latest_by = None
         self.order_with_respect_to = None
-        self.db_tablespace = None
+        self.db_tablespace = settings.DEFAULT_TABLESPACE
         self.admin = None
         self.meta = meta
         self.pk = None
diff --git a/docs/databases.txt b/docs/databases.txt
index d4853f75f83db..5ee6aa4304e84 100644
--- a/docs/databases.txt
+++ b/docs/databases.txt
@@ -258,6 +258,12 @@ many-to-many table would be stored in the ``indexes`` tablespace. The ``data``
 field would also generate an index, but no tablespace for it is specified, so
 it would be stored in the model tablespace ``tables`` by default.
 
+The settings.py file supports two additional options to specify
+default values for the db_tablespace options. This is useful for
+setting a tablespace for the Django internal apps and other
+contributed applications.  These options are ``DEFAULT_TABLESPACE``
+and ``DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE``.
+
 Django does not create the tablespaces for you. Please refer to `Oracle's
 documentation`_ for details on creating and managing tablespaces.
 
diff --git a/docs/model-api.txt b/docs/model-api.txt
index f39b711e84f00..590c601d75371 100644
--- a/docs/model-api.txt
+++ b/docs/model-api.txt
@@ -618,8 +618,9 @@ statement for this field.
 **New in Django development version**
 
 The name of the database tablespace to use for this field's index, if
-indeed this field is indexed. The default is the ``db_tablespace`` of
-the model, if any. If the backend doesn't support tablespaces, this
+indeed this field is indexed. The default is the project's
+``DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE`` setting, if set, or the ``db_tablespace``
+of the model, if any. If the backend doesn't support tablespaces, this
 option is ignored.
 
 ``default``
diff --git a/docs/settings.txt b/docs/settings.txt
index 45ba86e6085db..bb055160a5f8f 100644
--- a/docs/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/settings.txt
@@ -404,6 +404,22 @@ Default: ``'webmaster@localhost'``
 Default e-mail address to use for various automated correspondence from the
 site manager(s).
 
+DEFAULT_TABLESPACE
+------------------
+
+Default: ``''`` (Empty string)
+
+Default tablespace to use for models that do not specify one, if the
+backend supports it.
+
+DEFAULT_INDEX_TABLESPACE
+------------------------
+
+Default: ``''`` (Empty string)
+
+Default tablespace to use for indexes on fields that do not specify
+one, if the backend supports it.
+
 DISALLOWED_USER_AGENTS
 ----------------------