diff --git a/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/web/WebMvcAutoConfiguration.java b/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/web/WebMvcAutoConfiguration.java
index 9a10a1e0e00..49be49de5f9 100644
--- a/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/web/WebMvcAutoConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-boot-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/autoconfigure/web/WebMvcAutoConfiguration.java
@@ -238,7 +238,8 @@ public class WebMvcAutoConfiguration {
 					catch (IOException ex) {
 						// Ignore
 					}
-					registry.addViewController("/").setViewName("/index.html");
+					// Use forward: prefix so that no view resolution is done
+					registry.addViewController("/").setViewName("forward:/index.html");
 					return;
 				}
 			}