diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index e0c915512b..2fecddf36a 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ answer newbie questions, and generally made Django that much better:
     Andrew Brehaut <http://brehaut.net/blog>
     brut.alll@gmail.com
     Jonathan Buchanan <jonathan.buchanan@gmail.com>
+    Paul Bx <pb@e-scribe.com>
     Antonio Cavedoni <http://cavedoni.com/>
     C8E
     Chris Chamberlin <dja@cdc.msbx.net>
diff --git a/django/views/generic/simple.py b/django/views/generic/simple.py
index 355bd25ef8..69a494931e 100644
--- a/django/views/generic/simple.py
+++ b/django/views/generic/simple.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 from django.shortcuts import render_to_response
-from django.template import RequestContext
+from django.template import loader, RequestContext
 from django.http import HttpResponse, HttpResponsePermanentRedirect, HttpResponseGone
 
-def direct_to_template(request, template, extra_context={}, **kwargs):
+def direct_to_template(request, template, extra_context={}, mimetype=None, **kwargs):
     """
     Render a given template with any extra URL parameters in the context as
     ``{{ params }}``.
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ def direct_to_template(request, template, extra_context={}, **kwargs):
             dictionary[key] = value()
         else:
             dictionary[key] = value
-    return render_to_response(template, dictionary, context_instance=RequestContext(request))
+    c = RequestContext(request, dictionary)
+    t = loader.get_template(template)
+    return HttpResponse(t.render(c), mimetype=mimetype)
 
 def redirect_to(request, url, **kwargs):
     """