diff --git a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/helpers/render.js b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/helpers/render.js
index b384e58048f..111e6d4a7a3 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/helpers/render.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/helpers/render.js
@@ -124,8 +124,19 @@ export function renderHelper(params, hash, options, env) {
   name = name.replace(/\//g, '.');
   // \ legacy slash as namespace support
 
+  var templateName = 'template:' + name;
+  Ember.assert(
+    "You used `{{render '" + name + "'}}`, but '" + name + "' can not be " +
+    "found as either a template or a view.",
+    container._registry.has("view:" + name) || container._registry.has(templateName) || !!options.template
+  );
 
-  view = container.lookup('view:' + name) || container.lookup('view:default');
+  var template = options.template;
+  view = container.lookup('view:' + name);
+  if (!view) {
+    view = container.lookup('view:default');
+    template = template || container.lookup(templateName);
+  }
 
   // provide controller override
   var controllerName;
@@ -174,14 +185,6 @@ export function renderHelper(params, hash, options, env) {
 
   hash.viewName = camelize(name);
 
-  var templateName = 'template:' + name;
-  Ember.assert(
-    "You used `{{render '" + name + "'}}`, but '" + name + "' can not be " +
-    "found as either a template or a view.",
-    container._registry.has("view:" + name) || container._registry.has(templateName) || !!options.template
-  );
-  var template = options.template || container.lookup(templateName);
-
   if (router && !initialContext) {
     router._connectActiveView(name, view);
   }
diff --git a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
index a5a837240e8..55059199150 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
@@ -535,3 +535,23 @@ QUnit.test("throws an assertion if {{render}} is called with a literal for a mod
     runAppend(view);
   }, "The second argument of {{render}} must be a path, e.g. {{render \"post\" post}}.");
 });
+
+QUnit.test("{{render}} helper should let view provide its own template", function() {
+  var template = "{{render 'fish'}}";
+  var controller = EmberController.extend({ container: container });
+  view = EmberView.create({
+    controller: controller.create(),
+    template: compile(template)
+  });
+
+  container._registry.register('template:fish', compile('Hello fish!'));
+  container._registry.register('template:other', compile('Hello other!'));
+
+  container._registry.register('view:fish', EmberView.extend({
+    templateName: 'other'
+  }));
+
+  runAppend(view);
+
+  equal(view.$().text(), 'Hello other!');
+});