diff --git a/src/ngRoute/route.js b/src/ngRoute/route.js
index b140ddfb..9ffabc32 100644
--- a/src/ngRoute/route.js
+++ b/src/ngRoute/route.js
@@ -212,10 +212,14 @@ function $RouteProvider(){
    * Sets route definition that will be used on route change when no other route definition
    * is matched.
    *
-   * @param {Object} params Mapping information to be assigned to `$route.current`.
+   * @param {Object|string} params Mapping information to be assigned to `$route.current`.
+   * If called with a string, the value maps to `redirectTo`.
    * @returns {Object} self
    */
   this.otherwise = function(params) {
+    if (typeof params === 'string') {
+      params = {redirectTo: params};
+    }
     this.when(null, params);
     return this;
   };
diff --git a/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js b/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
index 220d4f47..8a0a370f 100644
--- a/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngRoute/routeSpec.js
@@ -460,6 +460,23 @@ describe('$route', function() {
         expect(onChangeSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
       });
     });
+
+
+    it('should interpret a string as a redirect route', function() {
+      module(function($routeProvider) {
+        $routeProvider.when('/foo', {templateUrl: 'foo.html'});
+        $routeProvider.when('/baz', {templateUrl: 'baz.html'});
+        $routeProvider.otherwise('/foo');
+      });
+
+      inject(function($route, $location, $rootScope) {
+        $location.path('/unknownRoute');
+        $rootScope.$digest();
+
+        expect($location.path()).toBe('/foo');
+        expect($route.current.templateUrl).toBe('foo.html');
+      });
+    });
   });