diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
index d4bc086a0c..a484794c7e 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Properties/Resources.Designer.cs
@@ -203,6 +203,22 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor
             return string.Format(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, GetString("SectionsNotRendered"), p0);
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// View '{0}' must have extension '{1}' when the view represents a full path.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal static string ViewMustEndInExtension
+        {
+            get { return GetString("ViewMustEndInExtension"); }
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// View '{0}' must have extension '{1}' when the view represents a full path.
+        /// </summary>
+        internal static string FormatViewMustEndInExtension(object p0, object p1)
+        {
+            return string.Format(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, GetString("ViewMustEndInExtension"), p0, p1);
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// The method '{0}' cannot be invoked by this view.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Resources.resx b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Resources.resx
index 57bb7845be..df7106bffa 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Resources.resx
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/Resources.resx
@@ -150,6 +150,9 @@
   <data name="SectionsNotRendered" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>The following sections have been defined but have not been rendered: '{0}'.</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="ViewMustEndInExtension" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>View '{0}' must have extension '{1}' when the view represents a full path.</value>
+  </data>
   <data name="View_MethodCannotBeCalled" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>The method '{0}' cannot be invoked by this view.</value>
   </data>
diff --git a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/ViewEngine/RazorViewEngine.cs b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/ViewEngine/RazorViewEngine.cs
index 82d2fe48fc..04c495209d 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/ViewEngine/RazorViewEngine.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor/ViewEngine/RazorViewEngine.cs
@@ -25,17 +25,19 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor
 {
     public class RazorViewEngine : IViewEngine
     {
+        private static readonly string _viewExtension = ".cshtml";
+
         private static readonly string[] _viewLocationFormats =
         {
-            "/Views/{1}/{0}.cshtml",
-            "/Views/Shared/{0}.cshtml",
+            "/Views/{1}/{0}" + _viewExtension,
+            "/Views/Shared/{0}" + _viewExtension,
         };
 
         private static readonly string[] _areaViewLocationFormats =
         {
-            "/Areas/{2}/Views/{1}/{0}.cshtml",
-            "/Areas/{2}/Views/Shared/{0}.cshtml",
-            "/Views/Shared/{0}.cshtml",
+            "/Areas/{2}/Views/{1}/{0}" + _viewExtension,
+            "/Areas/{2}/Views/Shared/{0}" + _viewExtension,
+            "/Views/Shared/{0}" + _viewExtension,
         };
 
         private readonly IVirtualPathViewFactory _virtualPathFactory;
@@ -70,6 +72,8 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor
 
             if (nameRepresentsPath)
             {
+                EnsureFullPathViewExtension(viewName);
+
                 var view = _virtualPathFactory.CreateInstance(viewName);
                 return view != null ? ViewEngineResult.Found(viewName, view) :
                                       ViewEngineResult.NotFound(viewName, new[] { viewName });
@@ -93,6 +97,15 @@ namespace Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc.Razor
             }
         }
 
+        private static void EnsureFullPathViewExtension(string viewName)
+        {
+            if(!viewName.EndsWith(_viewExtension))
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                    Resources.FormatViewMustEndInExtension(viewName, _viewExtension));
+            }
+        }
+
         private static bool IsSpecificPath(string name)
         {
             char c = name[0];