diff --git a/wp-includes/template-loader.php b/wp-includes/template-loader.php
index 461a42608..9911bb272 100644
--- a/wp-includes/template-loader.php
+++ b/wp-includes/template-loader.php
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ if ( defined('WP_USE_THEMES') && WP_USE_THEMES ) :
 	elseif ( is_archive()        && $template = get_archive_template()        ) :
 	elseif ( is_comments_popup() && $template = get_comments_popup_template() ) :
 	elseif ( is_paged()          && $template = get_paged_template()          ) :
-	elseif ( file_exists( TEMPLATEPATH . '/index.php' ) ) :
-		$template = TEMPLATEPATH . '/index.php';
+	else :
+		$template = get_index_template();
 	endif;
 	if ( $template = apply_filters( 'template_include', $template ) )
 		include( $template );
diff --git a/wp-includes/theme.php b/wp-includes/theme.php
index 3e3ca319f..29e677b56 100644
--- a/wp-includes/theme.php
+++ b/wp-includes/theme.php
@@ -685,6 +685,17 @@ function get_query_template($type) {
 	return apply_filters("{$type}_template", locate_template(array("{$type}.php")));
 }
 
+/**
+ * Retrieve path of index template in current or parent template.
+ *
+ * @since 3.0.0
+ *
+ * @return string
+ */
+function get_index_template() {
+	return get_query_template('index');
+}
+
 /**
  * Retrieve path of 404 template in current or parent template.
  *