diff --git a/django/middleware/common.py b/django/middleware/common.py
index c719f9e9a33..0bf0481df61 100644
--- a/django/middleware/common.py
+++ b/django/middleware/common.py
@@ -30,11 +30,16 @@ class CommonMiddleware(object):
               urlpatterns, then an HTTP-redirect is returned to this new URL;
               otherwise the initial URL is processed as usual.
 
+          This behavior can be customized by subclassing CommonMiddleware and
+          overriding the response_redirect_class attribute.
+
         - ETags: If the USE_ETAGS setting is set, ETags will be calculated from
           the entire page content and Not Modified responses will be returned
           appropriately.
     """
 
+    response_redirect_class = http.HttpResponsePermanentRedirect
+
     def process_request(self, request):
         """
         Check for denied User-Agents and rewrite the URL based on
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ class CommonMiddleware(object):
                     newurl += '?' + request.META['QUERY_STRING'].decode()
                 except UnicodeDecodeError:
                     pass
-        return http.HttpResponsePermanentRedirect(newurl)
+        return self.response_redirect_class(newurl)
 
     def process_response(self, request, response):
         """
diff --git a/docs/ref/middleware.txt b/docs/ref/middleware.txt
index 3ba7d52b9d3..8f3f3094e92 100644
--- a/docs/ref/middleware.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/middleware.txt
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ Adds a few conveniences for perfectionists:
   for each request by MD5-hashing the page content, and it'll take care of
   sending ``Not Modified`` responses, if appropriate.
 
+.. attribute:: CommonMiddleware.response_redirect_class
+
+.. versionadded:: 1.8
+
+Defaults to :class:`~django.http.HttpResponsePermanentRedirect`. Subclass
+``CommonMiddleware`` and override the attribute to customize the redirects
+issued by the middleware.
+
 .. class:: BrokenLinkEmailsMiddleware
 
 * Sends broken link notification emails to :setting:`MANAGERS` (see
diff --git a/docs/releases/1.8.txt b/docs/releases/1.8.txt
index d5bae559a71..e1bca107df2 100644
--- a/docs/releases/1.8.txt
+++ b/docs/releases/1.8.txt
@@ -304,6 +304,13 @@ Management Commands
   :setting:`FIXTURE_DIRS` contains duplicates or a default fixture directory
   path (``app_name/fixtures``), an exception is raised.
 
+Middleware
+^^^^^^^^^^
+
+* The :attr:`CommonMiddleware.response_redirect_class
+  <django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware.response_redirect_class>`
+  attribute allows you to customize the redirects issued by the middleware.
+
 Migrations
 ^^^^^^^^^^
 
diff --git a/tests/middleware/tests.py b/tests/middleware/tests.py
index ec7f7633ba6..f0a89d719ac 100644
--- a/tests/middleware/tests.py
+++ b/tests/middleware/tests.py
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ from unittest import skipIf
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core import mail
-from django.http import HttpRequest, HttpResponse, StreamingHttpResponse
+from django.http import (
+    HttpRequest, HttpResponse, StreamingHttpResponse, HttpResponsePermanentRedirect,
+    HttpResponseRedirect,
+)
 from django.middleware.clickjacking import XFrameOptionsMiddleware
 from django.middleware.common import CommonMiddleware, BrokenLinkEmailsMiddleware
 from django.middleware.http import ConditionalGetMiddleware
@@ -242,6 +245,23 @@ class CommonMiddlewareTest(TestCase):
         response = CommonMiddleware().process_request(request)
         self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 301)
 
+    def test_response_redirect_class(self):
+        request = self._get_request('slash')
+        r = CommonMiddleware().process_request(request)
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 301)
+        self.assertEqual(r.url, 'http://testserver/slash/')
+        self.assertIsInstance(r, HttpResponsePermanentRedirect)
+
+    def test_response_redirect_class_subclass(self):
+        class MyCommonMiddleware(CommonMiddleware):
+            response_redirect_class = HttpResponseRedirect
+
+        request = self._get_request('slash')
+        r = MyCommonMiddleware().process_request(request)
+        self.assertEqual(r.status_code, 302)
+        self.assertEqual(r.url, 'http://testserver/slash/')
+        self.assertIsInstance(r, HttpResponseRedirect)
+
 
 @override_settings(
     IGNORABLE_404_URLS=(re.compile(r'foo'),),