diff --git a/aspen/algorithms/website.py b/aspen/algorithms/website.py
index d90a37e9b..3d35a6b4b 100644
--- a/aspen/algorithms/website.py
+++ b/aspen/algorithms/website.py
@@ -62,19 +62,30 @@ def raise_200_for_OPTIONS(request):
 
 
 def dispatch_request_to_filesystem(website, request):
+
+    def handle_directory(result):
+        if not website.list_directories:
+            raise Response(404)
+        result.extra['autoindexdir'] = result.match
+        result.match = website.ours_or_theirs('autoindex.html.spt')
+        assert result.match is not None # sanity check
+        return result
+
     result = dispatcher.dispatch( website
-                                , indices=website.indices
-                                , media_type_default=website.media_type_default
-                                , pathparts=request.line.uri.path.parts
-                                , uripath=request.line.uri.path.raw
-                                , querystring=request.line.uri.querystring.raw
-                                , startdir=website.www_root
+                                , indices               = website.indices
+                                , media_type_default    = website.media_type_default
+                                , pathparts             = request.line.uri.path.parts
+                                , uripath               = request.line.uri.path.raw
+                                , querystring           = request.line.uri.querystring.raw
+                                , startdir              = website.www_root
+                                , handle_directory      = handle_directory
                                  )
     request.fs = result.match
     for k, v in result.wildcards.iteritems():
         request.line.uri.path[k] = v
     return {'dispatch_result': result}
 
+
 def apply_typecasters_to_path(website, request):
     typecasting.apply_typecasters(website.typecasters, request.line.uri.path)
 
diff --git a/aspen/dispatcher.py b/aspen/dispatcher.py
index a6e3c6061..656969578 100644
--- a/aspen/dispatcher.py
+++ b/aspen/dispatcher.py
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ def update_neg_type(media_type_default, capture_accept, filename):
 
 
 def dispatch(website, indices, media_type_default, pathparts, uripath, querystring,
-        startdir, pure_dispatch=False):
+        startdir, handle_directory, pure_dispatch=False):
     """Concretize dispatch_abstract.
     """
 
@@ -342,12 +342,7 @@ def dispatch(website, indices, media_type_default, pathparts, uripath, querystri
 
     if result.status == DispatchStatus.okay:
         if result.match.endswith('/'):              # autoindex
-            if not website.list_directories:
-                raise Response(404)
-            result.extra['autoindexdir'] = result.match
-            result.match = website.ours_or_theirs('autoindex.html.spt')
-            assert result.match is not None # sanity check
-            return result  # return so we skip the no-escape check
+            return handle_directory(result)  # return so we skip the no-escape check
 
     elif result.status == DispatchStatus.non_leaf:  # trailing-slash redirect
         location = uripath + '/'
diff --git a/tests/test_dispatcher.py b/tests/test_dispatcher.py
index 3e1d9ad17..e36b29a14 100644
--- a/tests/test_dispatcher.py
+++ b/tests/test_dispatcher.py
@@ -5,11 +5,9 @@
 
 import os
 from pytest import raises
-from StringIO import StringIO
 
 import aspen
 from aspen import dispatcher, Response
-from aspen.http.request import Request
 
 
 # Helpers
@@ -58,6 +56,7 @@ def test_dispatcher_returns_a_result(harness):
                                 , '/'
                                 , ''
                                 , harness.fs.www.root
+                                , lambda result: result
                                  )
     assert result.status == dispatcher.DispatchStatus.okay
     assert result.match == os.path.join(harness.fs.www.root, 'index.html')
@@ -72,6 +71,7 @@ def test_dispatcher_returns_a_result_for_favicon(harness):
                                 , '/favicon.ico'
                                 , ''
                                 , harness.fs.www.root
+                                , lambda result: result
                                  )
     assert result.status == dispatcher.DispatchStatus.okay
     assert result.match == harness.client.website.find_ours('favicon.ico')
@@ -80,14 +80,21 @@ def test_dispatcher_returns_a_result_for_favicon(harness):
 
 def test_dispatcher_returns_a_result_for_autoindex(harness):
     harness.client.website.list_directories = True
-    result = dispatcher.dispatch( harness.client.website
+    tracer = object()
+    actual = dispatcher.dispatch( harness.client.website
                                 , []
                                 , ''
                                 , ['']
                                 , '/'
                                 , ''
                                 , harness.fs.www.root
+                                , lambda result: tracer
                                  )
+    assert actual is tracer
+
+def test_dispatcher_in_algorithm_returns_a_better_result_for_autoindex(harness):
+    harness.client.website.list_directories = True
+    result = harness.simple(filepath=None, uripath='/', want='dispatch_result')
     assert result.status == dispatcher.DispatchStatus.okay
     assert result.match == harness.client.website.find_ours('autoindex.html.spt')
     assert result.wildcards == {}