diff --git a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/keywords/render.js b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/keywords/render.js
index 9f3be67702f..82c18f6f7de 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/keywords/render.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/lib/keywords/render.js
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ export default {
     }
 
     var parentController = read(scope.getLocal('controller'));
+    let target = parentController || router;
     var controller;
 
     // choose name
@@ -195,8 +196,8 @@ export default {
 
       controller = factory.create({
         model: read(context),
-        parentController: parentController,
-        target: parentController
+        parentController,
+        target
       });
 
       node.addDestruction(controller);
@@ -205,8 +206,8 @@ export default {
                    generateController(owner, controllerName);
 
       controller.setProperties({
-        target: parentController,
-        parentController: parentController
+        target,
+        parentController
       });
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
index a85739b7a74..05b3d34ee59 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing-htmlbars/tests/helpers/render_test.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ function runSet(object, key, value) {
   });
 }
 
+const ORIGINAL_LEGACY_CONTROLLER_FLAG = Ember.ENV._ENABLE_LEGACY_CONTROLLER_SUPPORT;
 var view, appInstance;
 
 QUnit.module('ember-routing-htmlbars: {{render}} helper', {
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ QUnit.module('ember-routing-htmlbars: {{render}} helper', {
   },
 
   teardown() {
+    Ember.ENV._ENABLE_LEGACY_CONTROLLER_SUPPORT = ORIGINAL_LEGACY_CONTROLLER_FLAG;
     runDestroy(appInstance);
     runDestroy(view);
 
@@ -687,3 +689,38 @@ QUnit.test('{{render}} helper should not require view to provide its own templat
 
   equal(view.$().text(), 'Hello fish!');
 });
+
+QUnit.test('{{render}} helper should set router as target when parentController is not found', function() {
+  expect(2);
+
+  Ember.ENV._ENABLE_LEGACY_CONTROLLER_SUPPORT = false;
+
+  let template = `{{render 'post' post1}}`;
+
+  view = EmberView.create({
+    [OWNER]: appInstance,
+    template: compile(template)
+  });
+
+  let postController;
+  let PostController = EmberController.extend({
+    init() {
+      this._super(...arguments);
+      postController = this;
+    }
+  });
+
+  let routerStub = {
+    send(actionName) {
+      equal(actionName, 'someAction');
+      ok(true, 'routerStub#send called');
+    }
+  };
+  appInstance.register('router:main', routerStub, { instantiate: false });
+  appInstance.register('controller:post', PostController);
+  appInstance.register('template:post', compile('post template'));
+
+  runAppend(view);
+
+  postController.send('someAction');
+});