diff --git a/DefaultRoute.js b/DefaultRoute.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8bfa55a793
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DefaultRoute.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require('./modules/components/DefaultRoute');
diff --git a/examples/dynamic-segments/app.js b/examples/dynamic-segments/app.js
index 6a94d5ed3d..9792ce0e91 100644
--- a/examples/dynamic-segments/app.js
+++ b/examples/dynamic-segments/app.js
@@ -47,14 +47,15 @@ var Task = React.createClass({
 });
 
 var routes = (
-  <Routes>
-    <Route handler={App}>
-      <Route name="user" path="/user/:userId" handler={User}>
-        <Route name="task" path="/user/:userId/tasks/:taskId" handler={Task}/>
-        <Redirect from="/user/:userId/todos/:taskId" to="task"/>
-      </Route>
+  <Route handler={App}>
+    <Route name="user" path="/user/:userId" handler={User}>
+      <Route name="task" path="/user/:userId/tasks/:taskId" handler={Task}/>
+      <Redirect from="/user/:userId/todos/:taskId" to="task"/>
     </Route>
-  </Routes>
+  </Route>
 );
 
-React.renderComponent(routes, document.getElementById('example'));
+React.renderComponent(
+  <Routes children={routes}/>,
+  document.getElementById('example')
+);
diff --git a/examples/master-detail/app.js b/examples/master-detail/app.js
index 46ba1c4d75..272e489b10 100644
--- a/examples/master-detail/app.js
+++ b/examples/master-detail/app.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 var React = require('react');
 var Router = require('../../index');
 var Route = Router.Route;
+var DefaultRoute = Router.DefaultRoute;
 var Routes = Router.Routes;
 var Link = Router.Link;
 
@@ -85,12 +86,10 @@ var App = React.createClass({
   },
 
   componentDidMount: function() {
-    console.log('componentDidMount')
     ContactStore.addChangeListener(this.updateContacts);
   },
 
   componentWillUnmount: function () {
-    console.log('componentWillUnmount')
     ContactStore.removeChangeListener(this.updateContacts);
   },
 
@@ -104,10 +103,6 @@ var App = React.createClass({
     });
   },
 
-  indexTemplate: function() {
-    return <h1>Address Book</h1>;
-  },
-
   render: function() {
     var contacts = this.state.contacts.map(function(contact) {
       return <li key={contact.id}><Link to="contact" id={contact.id}>{contact.first}</Link></li>
@@ -121,13 +116,19 @@ var App = React.createClass({
           </ul>
         </div>
         <div className="Content">
-          {this.props.activeRouteHandler() || this.indexTemplate()}
+          {this.props.activeRouteHandler()}
         </div>
       </div>
     );
   }
 });
 
+var Index = React.createClass({
+  render: function() {
+    return <h1>Address Book</h1>;
+  }
+});
+
 var Contact = React.createClass({
   getInitialState: function() {
     return {
@@ -204,16 +205,18 @@ var NotFound = React.createClass({
 });
 
 var routes = (
-  <Routes>
-    <Route handler={App}>
-      <Route name="new" path="contact/new" handler={NewContact}/>
-      <Route name="not-found" path="contact/not-found" handler={NotFound}/>
-      <Route name="contact" path="contact/:id" handler={Contact}/>
-    </Route>
-  </Routes>
+  <Route handler={App}>
+    <DefaultRoute handler={Index}/>
+    <Route name="new" path="contact/new" handler={NewContact}/>
+    <Route name="not-found" path="contact/not-found" handler={NotFound}/>
+    <Route name="contact" path="contact/:id" handler={Contact}/>
+  </Route>
 );
 
-React.renderComponent(routes, document.getElementById('example'));
+React.renderComponent(
+  <Routes children={routes}/>,
+  document.getElementById('example')
+);
 
 // Request utils.
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 436d957f0e..c2bb0391bd 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 exports.ActiveState = require('./ActiveState');
 exports.AsyncState = require('./AsyncState');
+exports.DefaultRoute = require('./DefaultRoute');
 exports.Link = require('./Link');
 exports.Redirect = require('./Redirect');
 exports.Route = require('./Route');
diff --git a/modules/components/DefaultRoute.js b/modules/components/DefaultRoute.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ef281bcc6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/components/DefaultRoute.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+var copyProperties = require('react/lib/copyProperties');
+var Route = require('./Route');
+
+/**
+ * A <DefaultRoute> component is a special kind of <Route> that
+ * renders when its parent matches but none of its siblings do.
+ * Only one such route may be used at any given level in the
+ * route hierarchy.
+ */
+function DefaultRoute(props) {
+  return Route(
+    copyProperties(props, {
+      name: null,
+      path: null
+    })
+  );
+}
+
+module.exports = DefaultRoute;
diff --git a/modules/components/Route.js b/modules/components/Route.js
index 14c6679ca3..407e6cf7c7 100644
--- a/modules/components/Route.js
+++ b/modules/components/Route.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ var withoutProperties = require('../helpers/withoutProperties');
 var RESERVED_PROPS = {
   handler: true,
   path: true,
+  defaultRoute: true,
+  paramNames: true,
   children: true // ReactChildren
 };
 
diff --git a/modules/components/Routes.js b/modules/components/Routes.js
index bde17afcba..c279a4fc9d 100644
--- a/modules/components/Routes.js
+++ b/modules/components/Routes.js
@@ -94,7 +94,20 @@ var Routes = React.createClass({
   },
 
   getInitialState: function () {
-    return {};
+    return {
+      routes: this.getRoutes()
+    };
+  },
+
+  getRoutes: function () {
+    var routes = [];
+
+    React.Children.forEach(this.props.children, function (child) {
+      if (child = RouteStore.registerRoute(child, this))
+        routes.push(child);
+    }, this);
+
+    return routes;
   },
 
   getLocation: function () {
@@ -107,12 +120,7 @@ var Routes = React.createClass({
   },
 
   componentWillMount: function () {
-    React.Children.forEach(this.props.children, function (child) {
-      RouteStore.registerRoute(child);
-    });
-
     PathStore.setup(this.getLocation());
-
     PathStore.addChangeListener(this.handlePathChange);
   },
 
@@ -146,15 +154,7 @@ var Routes = React.createClass({
    *                               { route: <PostRoute>, params: { id: '123' } } ]
    */
   match: function (path) {
-    var rootRoutes = this.props.children;
-    if (!Array.isArray(rootRoutes)) {
-      rootRoutes = [rootRoutes];
-    }
-    var matches = null;
-    for (var i = 0; matches == null && i < rootRoutes.length; i++) {
-      matches = findMatches(Path.withoutQuery(path), rootRoutes[i]);
-    }
-    return matches;
+    return findMatches(Path.withoutQuery(path), this.state.routes, this.props.defaultRoute);
   },
 
   /**
@@ -229,53 +229,42 @@ var Routes = React.createClass({
 
 });
 
-function findMatches(path,route){
-  var matches = null;
+function findMatches(path, routes, defaultRoute) {
+  var matches = null, route, params;
 
-  if (Array.isArray(route)) {
-    for (var i = 0, len = route.length; matches == null && i < len; ++i) {
-      matches = findMatches(path, route[i]);
-    }
-  } else {
-    matches = findMatchesForRoute(path,route);
-  }
-
-  return matches;
-}
+  for (var i = 0, len = routes.length; i < len; ++i) {
+    route = routes[i];
 
-function findMatchesForRoute(path, route) {
-  var children = route.props.children, matches;
-  var params;
+    // Check the subtree first to find the most deeply-nested match.
+    matches = findMatches(path, route.props.children, route.props.defaultRoute);
 
-  // Check the subtree first to find the most deeply-nested match.
-  if (Array.isArray(children)) {
-    for (var i = 0, len = children.length; matches == null && i < len; ++i) {
-      matches = findMatches(path, children[i]);
-    }
-  } else if (children) {
-    matches = findMatches(path, children);
-  }
+    if (matches != null) {
+      var rootParams = getRootMatch(matches).params;
+      
+      params = route.props.paramNames.reduce(function (params, paramName) {
+        params[paramName] = rootParams[paramName];
+        return params;
+      }, {});
 
-  if (matches) {
-    var rootParams = getRootMatch(matches).params;
-    params = {};
+      matches.unshift(makeMatch(route, params));
 
-    Path.extractParamNames(route.props.path).forEach(function (paramName) {
-      params[paramName] = rootParams[paramName];
-    });
+      return matches;
+    }
 
-    matches.unshift(makeMatch(route, params));
+    // No routes in the subtree matched, so check this route.
+    params = Path.extractParams(route.props.path, path);
 
-    return matches;
+    if (params)
+      return [ makeMatch(route, params) ];
   }
 
-  // No routes in the subtree matched, so check this route.
-  params = Path.extractParams(route.props.path, path);
+  // No routes matched, so try the default route if there is one.
+  params = defaultRoute && Path.extractParams(defaultRoute.props.path, path);
 
   if (params)
-    return [ makeMatch(route, params) ];
+    return [ makeMatch(defaultRoute, params) ];
 
-  return null;
+  return matches;
 }
 
 function makeMatch(route, params) {
diff --git a/modules/stores/RouteStore.js b/modules/stores/RouteStore.js
index 16ba3105a8..7525ed5304 100644
--- a/modules/stores/RouteStore.js
+++ b/modules/stores/RouteStore.js
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ var RouteStore = {
    * from the store.
    */
   unregisterRoute: function (route) {
-    if (route.props.name)
-      delete _namedRoutes[route.props.name];
+    var props = route.props;
 
-    React.Children.forEach(route.props.children, function (child) {
-      RouteStore.unregisterRoute(child);
-    });
+    if (props.name)
+      delete _namedRoutes[props.name];
+
+    React.Children.forEach(props.children, RouteStore.unregisterRoute);
   },
 
   /**
@@ -39,50 +39,76 @@ var RouteStore = {
    * does some normalization and validation on route props.
    */
   registerRoute: function (route, _parentRoute) {
-    // Make sure the <Route>'s path begins with a slash. Default to its name.
-    // We can't do this in getDefaultProps because it may not be called on
-    // <Route>s that are never actually mounted.
-    if (route.props.path || route.props.name) {
-      route.props.path = Path.normalize(route.props.path || route.props.name);
-    } else {
-      route.props.path = '/';
-    }
+    // Note: When route is a top-level route, _parentRoute
+    // is actually a <Routes>, not a <Route>. We do this so
+    // <Routes> can get a defaultRoute like <Route> does.
+    var props = route.props;
 
-    // Make sure the <Route> has a valid React component for a handler.
     invariant(
-      React.isValidClass(route.props.handler),
-      'The handler for Route "' + (route.props.name || route.props.path) + '" ' +
-      'must be a valid React component'
+      React.isValidClass(props.handler),
+      'The handler for the "%s" route must be a valid React class',
+      props.name || props.path
     );
 
-    // Make sure the <Route> has all params that its parent needs.
-    if (_parentRoute) {
-      var paramNames = Path.extractParamNames(route.props.path);
+    // Default routes have no name, path, or children.
+    var isDefault = !(props.path || props.name || props.children);
 
-      Path.extractParamNames(_parentRoute.props.path).forEach(function (paramName) {
+    if (props.path || props.name) {
+      props.path = Path.normalize(props.path || props.name);
+    } else if (_parentRoute && _parentRoute.props.path) {
+      props.path = _parentRoute.props.path;
+    } else {
+      props.path = '/';
+    }
+
+    props.paramNames = Path.extractParamNames(props.path);
+
+    // Make sure the route's path has all params its parent needs.
+    if (_parentRoute && Array.isArray(_parentRoute.props.paramNames)) {
+      _parentRoute.props.paramNames.forEach(function (paramName) {
         invariant(
-          paramNames.indexOf(paramName) !== -1,
-          'The nested route path "' + route.props.path + '" is missing the "' + paramName + '" ' +
-          'parameter of its parent path "' + _parentRoute.props.path + '"'
+          props.paramNames.indexOf(paramName) !== -1,
+          'The nested route path "%s" is missing the "%s" parameter of its parent path "%s"',
+          props.path, paramName, _parentRoute.props.path
         );
       });
     }
 
-    // Make sure the <Route> can be looked up by <Link>s.
-    if (route.props.name) {
-      var existingRoute = _namedRoutes[route.props.name];
+    // Make sure the route can be looked up by <Link>s.
+    if (props.name) {
+      var existingRoute = _namedRoutes[props.name];
 
       invariant(
         !existingRoute || route === existingRoute,
-        'You cannot use the name "' + route.props.name + '" for more than one route'
+        'You cannot use the name "%s" for more than one route',
+        props.name
       );
 
-      _namedRoutes[route.props.name] = route;
+      _namedRoutes[props.name] = route;
     }
 
-    React.Children.forEach(route.props.children, function (child) {
-      RouteStore.registerRoute(child, route);
+    if (_parentRoute && isDefault) {
+      invariant(
+        _parentRoute.props.defaultRoute == null,
+        'You may not have more than one <DefaultRoute> per <Route>'
+      );
+
+      _parentRoute.props.defaultRoute = route;
+
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    // Make sure children is an array, excluding <DefaultRoute>s.
+    var children = [];
+
+    React.Children.forEach(props.children, function (child) {
+      if (child = RouteStore.registerRoute(child, route))
+        children.push(child);
     });
+
+    props.children = children;
+
+    return route;
   },
 
   /**
diff --git a/specs/DefaultRoute.spec.js b/specs/DefaultRoute.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e7455924f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/specs/DefaultRoute.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+require('./helper');
+var RouteStore = require('../modules/stores/RouteStore');
+var DefaultRoute = require('../modules/components/DefaultRoute');
+var Route = require('../modules/components/Route');
+var Routes = require('../modules/components/Routes');
+
+var App = React.createClass({
+  displayName: 'App',
+  render: function () {
+    return React.DOM.div();
+  }
+});
+
+describe('when registering a DefaultRoute', function () {
+  describe('nested inside a Route component', function () {
+    it('becomes that Route\'s defaultRoute', function () {
+      var defaultRoute;
+      var route = Route({ handler: App },
+        defaultRoute = DefaultRoute({ handler: App })
+      );
+
+      RouteStore.registerRoute(route);
+      expect(route.props.defaultRoute).toBe(defaultRoute);
+      RouteStore.unregisterRoute(route);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('nested inside a Routes component', function () {
+    it('becomes that Routes\' defaultRoute', function () {
+      var defaultRoute;
+      var routes = Routes({ handler: App },
+        defaultRoute = DefaultRoute({ handler: App })
+      );
+
+      RouteStore.registerRoute(defaultRoute, routes);
+      expect(routes.props.defaultRoute).toBe(defaultRoute);
+      RouteStore.unregisterRoute(defaultRoute);
+    });
+  });
+});
+
+describe('when no child routes match a URL, but the parent matches', function () {
+  it('matches the default route', function () {
+    var defaultRoute;
+    var routes = renderComponent(
+      Routes(null,
+        Route({ name: 'user', path: '/users/:id', handler: App },
+          Route({ name: 'home', path: '/users/:id/home', handler: App }),
+          // Make it the middle sibling to test order independence.
+          defaultRoute = DefaultRoute({ handler: App }),
+          Route({ name: 'news', path: '/users/:id/news', handler: App })
+        )
+      )
+    );
+
+    var matches = routes.match('/users/5');
+    assert(matches);
+    expect(matches.length).toEqual(2);
+
+    expect(matches[1].route).toBe(defaultRoute);
+
+    expect(matches[0].route.props.name).toEqual('user');
+
+    removeComponent(routes);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/specs/Route.spec.js b/specs/Route.spec.js
index f255b63b25..61361a2d8b 100644
--- a/specs/Route.spec.js
+++ b/specs/Route.spec.js
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ describe('a nested Route that matches the URL', function () {
       Routes(null,
         Route({ handler: App },
           Route({ name: 'posts', path: '/posts/:id', handler: App },
-            Route({ name: 'comment', path: '/posts/:id/comments/:commentId', handler: App })
+            Route({ name: 'comment', path: '/posts/:id/comments/:commentID', handler: App })
           )
         )
       )
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ describe('a nested Route that matches the URL', function () {
 
     var rootMatch = getRootMatch(matches);
     expect(rootMatch.route.props.name).toEqual('comment');
-    expect(rootMatch.params).toEqual({ id: 'abc', commentId: '123' });
+    expect(rootMatch.params).toEqual({ id: 'abc', commentID: '123' });
 
     var postsMatch = matches[1];
     expect(postsMatch.route.props.name).toEqual('posts');
diff --git a/specs/RouteStore.spec.js b/specs/RouteStore.spec.js
index 614fc7b656..ded71e5b14 100644
--- a/specs/RouteStore.spec.js
+++ b/specs/RouteStore.spec.js
@@ -43,6 +43,19 @@ describe('when registering a route', function () {
       expect(route.props.path).toEqual('/');
       RouteStore.unregisterRoute(route);
     });
+
+    describe('that is nested inside another route', function () {
+      it('uses the parent\'s path', function () {
+        var child;
+        var route = Route({ name: 'home', handler: App },
+          child = Route({ handler: App })
+        );
+
+        RouteStore.registerRoute(route);
+        expect(child.props.path).toEqual(route.props.path);
+        RouteStore.unregisterRoute(route);
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('with a name but no path', function () {
diff --git a/specs/main.js b/specs/main.js
index d7f80e3d62..4c6c5cb003 100644
--- a/specs/main.js
+++ b/specs/main.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // for every spec file, there must be some sort of config but I can't find it ...
 require('./ActiveStore.spec.js');
 require('./AsyncState.spec.js');
+require('./DefaultRoute.spec.js');
 require('./Path.spec.js');
 require('./PathStore.spec.js');
 require('./Route.spec.js');