diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/operation/plain/PlainOperationRouting.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/operation/plain/PlainOperationRouting.java
index 68d6154d0135b..ed982f81c0b2f 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/operation/plain/PlainOperationRouting.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/operation/plain/PlainOperationRouting.java
@@ -49,9 +49,12 @@ public class PlainOperationRouting extends AbstractComponent implements Operatio
 
     private final HashFunction hashFunction;
 
+    private final boolean useType;
+
     @Inject public PlainOperationRouting(Settings indexSettings, HashFunction hashFunction) {
         super(indexSettings);
         this.hashFunction = hashFunction;
+        this.useType = indexSettings.getAsBoolean("cluster.routing.operation.use_type", false);
     }
 
     @Override public ShardsIterator indexShards(ClusterState clusterState, String index, String type, String id, @Nullable String routing) throws IndexMissingException, IndexShardMissingException {
@@ -159,7 +162,11 @@ protected IndexShardRoutingTable shards(ClusterState clusterState, String index,
 
     private int shardId(ClusterState clusterState, String index, String type, @Nullable String id, @Nullable String routing) {
         if (routing == null) {
-            return Math.abs(hash(type, id)) % indexMetaData(clusterState, index).numberOfShards();
+            if (!useType) {
+                return Math.abs(hash(id)) % indexMetaData(clusterState, index).numberOfShards();
+            } else {
+                return Math.abs(hash(type, id)) % indexMetaData(clusterState, index).numberOfShards();
+            }
         }
         return Math.abs(hash(routing)) % indexMetaData(clusterState, index).numberOfShards();
     }
diff --git a/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/search/TwoInstanceUnbalancedShardsEmbeddedSearchTests.java b/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/search/TwoInstanceUnbalancedShardsEmbeddedSearchTests.java
index 04f1262749fca..e3aacbb79d68a 100644
--- a/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/search/TwoInstanceUnbalancedShardsEmbeddedSearchTests.java
+++ b/modules/test/integration/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/integration/search/TwoInstanceUnbalancedShardsEmbeddedSearchTests.java
@@ -394,6 +394,17 @@ public static class UnevenOperationRoutingStrategy extends PlainOperationRouting
             super(settings, null);
         }
 
+        @Override protected int hash(String routing) {
+            long lId = Long.parseLong(routing);
+            if (lId < 60) {
+                return 0;
+            }
+            if (lId >= 60 && lId < 90) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            return 2;
+        }
+
         @Override protected int hash(String type, String id) {
             long lId = Long.parseLong(id);
             if (lId < 60) {