diff --git a/core/frontend/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter.js b/core/frontend/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter.js
index 54d360d54d..1862983fc5 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter.js
@@ -111,7 +111,11 @@ class StaticRoutesRouter extends ParentRouter {
         res.routerOptions = {
             type: 'custom',
             templates: this.templates,
-            defaultTemplate: 'default',
+            defaultTemplate: () => {
+                throw new common.errors.IncorrectUsageError({
+                    message: `Missing template ${res.routerOptions.templates.map(x => `${x}.hbs`).join(', ')} for route "${req.originalUrl}".`
+                });
+            },
             data: this.data.query,
             context: [this.routerName],
             contentType: this.contentType
diff --git a/core/frontend/services/routing/helpers/templates.js b/core/frontend/services/routing/helpers/templates.js
index 84ad13ffcc..60f0410e80 100644
--- a/core/frontend/services/routing/helpers/templates.js
+++ b/core/frontend/services/routing/helpers/templates.js
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ _private.pickTemplate = function pickTemplate(templateList, fallback) {
     if (!template) {
         if (!fallback) {
             template = 'index';
+        } else if (_.isFunction(fallback)) {
+            fallback();
         } else {
             template = fallback;
         }
diff --git a/core/test/regression/site/site_spec.js b/core/test/regression/site/site_spec.js
index 52a84ce597..b0a690b266 100644
--- a/core/test/regression/site/site_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/regression/site/site_spec.js
@@ -396,7 +396,9 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/': 'home'
+                            '/': {
+                                templates: ['home']
+                            }
                         },
 
                         collections: {
@@ -418,7 +420,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -454,7 +456,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('home');
                         });
                 });
 
@@ -487,7 +489,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: podcast', function () {
+                it('serve collection: podcast with default template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -506,7 +508,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: something', function () {
+                it('serve collection: something with custom template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -519,9 +521,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                             const $ = cheerio.load(response.body);
 
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('index');
-
-                            $('.post-card').length.should.equal(2);
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -530,14 +530,14 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/test/': 'test'
+                            '/something/': {templates: ['something']}
                         },
                         collections: {},
                         taxonomies: {}
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -566,14 +566,14 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
-                        url: '/test/',
+                        url: '/something/',
                         host: 'example.com'
                     };
 
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -1614,7 +1614,6 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
             before(function () {
                 sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                     routes: {
-                        '/about/': 'about',
                         '/podcast/rss/': {
                             templates: ['podcast/rss'],
                             content_type: 'text/xml'
@@ -2147,7 +2146,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/': 'home'
+                            '/': {templates: ['home']}
                         },
 
                         collections: {
@@ -2169,7 +2168,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -2205,7 +2204,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('home');
                         });
                 });
 
@@ -2238,7 +2237,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: podcast', function () {
+                it('serve collection: podcast with default template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -2257,7 +2256,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: something', function () {
+                it('serve collection: something with custom template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -2270,9 +2269,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                             const $ = cheerio.load(response.body);
 
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('index');
-
-                            $('.post-card').length.should.equal(2);
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -2281,14 +2278,14 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/test/': 'test'
+                            '/something/': {templates: ['something']}
                         },
                         collections: {},
                         taxonomies: {}
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -2317,14 +2314,14 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
-                        url: '/test/',
+                        url: '/something/',
                         host: 'example.com'
                     };
 
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -2642,7 +2639,8 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                                     router: {
                                         pages: [{redirect: true, slug: 'static-page-test'}]
                                     }
-                                }
+                                },
+                                templates: ['page']
                             }
                         },
 
@@ -3343,7 +3341,6 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
             before(function () {
                 sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                     routes: {
-                        '/about/': 'about',
                         '/podcast/rss/': {
                             templates: ['podcast/rss'],
                             content_type: 'text/xml'
@@ -3876,7 +3873,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/': 'home'
+                            '/': {templates: ['home']}
                         },
 
                         collections: {
@@ -3898,7 +3895,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -3934,7 +3931,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('home');
                         });
                 });
 
@@ -3967,7 +3964,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: podcast', function () {
+                it('serve collection: podcast with default template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -3986,7 +3983,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                         });
                 });
 
-                it('serve collection: something', function () {
+                it('serve collection: something with custom template', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
@@ -3999,9 +3996,7 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                             const $ = cheerio.load(response.body);
 
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('index');
-
-                            $('.post-card').length.should.equal(2);
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -4010,14 +4005,16 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                 before(function () {
                     sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                         routes: {
-                            '/test/': 'test'
+                            '/something/': {
+                                templates: ['something']
+                            }
                         },
                         collections: {},
                         taxonomies: {}
                     });
 
                     testUtils.integrationTesting.urlService.resetGenerators();
-                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon);
+                    testUtils.integrationTesting.defaultMocks(sinon, {theme: 'test-theme'});
 
                     return testUtils.integrationTesting.initGhost()
                         .then(function () {
@@ -4046,14 +4043,14 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                     const req = {
                         secure: true,
                         method: 'GET',
-                        url: '/test/',
+                        url: '/something/',
                         host: 'example.com'
                     };
 
                     return testUtils.mocks.express.invoke(app, req)
                         .then(function (response) {
                             response.statusCode.should.eql(200);
-                            response.template.should.eql('default');
+                            response.template.should.eql('something');
                         });
                 });
             });
@@ -4371,7 +4368,8 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
                                     router: {
                                         pages: [{redirect: true, slug: 'static-page-test'}]
                                     }
-                                }
+                                },
+                                templates: ['page']
                             }
                         },
 
@@ -5072,7 +5070,6 @@ describe('Integration - Web - Site', function () {
             before(function () {
                 sinon.stub(frontendSettingsService, 'get').returns({
                     routes: {
-                        '/about/': 'about',
                         '/podcast/rss/': {
                             templates: ['podcast/rss'],
                             content_type: 'text/xml'
diff --git a/core/test/unit/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter_spec.js b/core/test/unit/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter_spec.js
index 6836b78f39..dbfd037a0e 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter_spec.js
@@ -77,14 +77,15 @@ describe('UNIT - services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter', function () {
 
             staticRoutesRouter._prepareStaticRouteContext(req, res, next);
             next.called.should.be.true();
-            res.routerOptions.should.eql({
-                type: 'custom',
-                templates: [],
-                defaultTemplate: 'default',
-                context: ['about'],
-                data: {},
-                contentType: undefined
-            });
+
+            res.routerOptions.should.have.properties('type', 'templates', 'defaultTemplate', 'context', 'data', 'contentType');
+            res.routerOptions.type.should.eql('custom');
+            res.routerOptions.templates.should.eql([]);
+            res.routerOptions.defaultTemplate.should.be.a.Function();
+            res.routerOptions.context.should.eql(['about']);
+            res.routerOptions.data.should.eql({});
+
+            should(res.routerOptions.contentType).be.undefined();
             should.not.exist(res.locals.slug);
         });
 
@@ -93,14 +94,14 @@ describe('UNIT - services/routing/StaticRoutesRouter', function () {
 
             staticRoutesRouter._prepareStaticRouteContext(req, res, next);
             next.called.should.be.true();
-            res.routerOptions.should.eql({
-                type: 'custom',
-                templates: [],
-                defaultTemplate: 'default',
-                context: ['index'],
-                data: {},
-                contentType: undefined
-            });
+
+            res.routerOptions.should.have.properties('type', 'templates', 'defaultTemplate', 'context', 'data', 'contentType');
+            res.routerOptions.type.should.eql('custom');
+            res.routerOptions.templates.should.eql([]);
+            res.routerOptions.defaultTemplate.should.be.a.Function();
+            res.routerOptions.context.should.eql(['index']);
+            res.routerOptions.data.should.eql({});
+
             should.not.exist(res.locals.slug);
         });
     });
diff --git a/core/test/utils/fixtures/themes/test-theme/index.hbs b/core/test/utils/fixtures/themes/test-theme/index.hbs
index e9194a5a61..d73bab62b8 100644
--- a/core/test/utils/fixtures/themes/test-theme/index.hbs
+++ b/core/test/utils/fixtures/themes/test-theme/index.hbs
@@ -1 +1,8 @@
-<div class="slug">{{tag.slug}}</div>
\ No newline at end of file
+<div class="slug">{{tag.slug}}</div>
+
+{{#foreach posts}}
+
+{{!-- The tag below includes the markup for each post - partials/post-card.hbs --}}
+<article class="post-card {{post_class}}{{#unless feature_image}} no-image{{/unless}}">{{title}}</article>
+
+{{/foreach}}
\ No newline at end of file