diff --git a/django/views/static.py b/django/views/static.py
index c8ebf0c22d..8355950fe0 100644
--- a/django/views/static.py
+++ b/django/views/static.py
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_INDEX_TEMPLATE = """
 
 def directory_index(path, fullpath):
     try:
-        t = loader.get_template('static/directory_index.html')
+        t = loader.select_template(['static/directory_index.html',
+                'static/directory_index'])
     except TemplateDoesNotExist:
         t = Template(DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_INDEX_TEMPLATE, name='Default directory index template')
     files = []
diff --git a/docs/howto/static-files.txt b/docs/howto/static-files.txt
index b0b76bd78b..bff472fc3f 100644
--- a/docs/howto/static-files.txt
+++ b/docs/howto/static-files.txt
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ You can customize the index view by creating a template called
     * ``directory`` -- the directory name (a string)
     * ``file_list`` -- a list of file names (as strings) in the directory
 
-Here's the default ``static/directory_index`` template:
+Here's the default ``static/directory_index.html`` template:
 
 .. code-block:: html+django
 
@@ -112,6 +112,14 @@ Here's the default ``static/directory_index`` template:
     </body>
     </html>
 
+.. versionchanged:: 1.0.3
+    Prior to Django 1.0.3, there was a bug in the view that provided directory
+    listings. The template that was loaded had to be called
+    ``static/directory_listing`` (with no ``.html`` extension). For backwards
+    compatibility with earlier versions, Django will still load templates with
+    the older (no extension) name, but it will prefer a the
+    ``directory_index.html`` version.
+
 Limiting use to DEBUG=True
 ==========================