diff --git a/contrib/dataimporthandler/CHANGES.txt b/contrib/dataimporthandler/CHANGES.txt
index c5865bb7c49..5946491fb72 100644
--- a/contrib/dataimporthandler/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/contrib/dataimporthandler/CHANGES.txt
@@ -226,6 +226,9 @@ Other
               can act as an event listener.
               (Noble Paul, shalin)
 
+5. SOLR-1027: Alias the 'dataimporter' namespace to a shorter name 'dih'.
+              (Noble Paul via shalin)
+
 ================== Release 1.3.0 20080915 ==================
 
 Status
diff --git a/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DataConfig.java b/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DataConfig.java
index 2a9da23be20..1b53dc174e4 100644
--- a/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DataConfig.java
+++ b/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DataConfig.java
@@ -319,8 +319,14 @@ public class DataConfig {
 
   public static final String PROCESSOR = "processor";
 
+  /**
+   * @deprecated use IMPORTER_NS_SHORT instead
+   */
+  @Deprecated
   public static final String IMPORTER_NS = "dataimporter";
 
+  public static final String IMPORTER_NS_SHORT = "dih";
+
   public static final String ROOT_ENTITY = "rootEntity";
 
   public static final String FUNCTION = "function";
diff --git a/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DocBuilder.java b/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DocBuilder.java
index 6a9864f1be2..9b0ee51f99a 100644
--- a/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DocBuilder.java
+++ b/contrib/dataimporthandler/src/main/java/org/apache/solr/handler/dataimport/DocBuilder.java
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ public class DocBuilder {
         indexerNamespace.put(key, lastIndex);
       }
     }
+    resolver.addNamespace(DataConfig.IMPORTER_NS_SHORT, indexerNamespace);
     resolver.addNamespace(DataConfig.IMPORTER_NS, indexerNamespace);
     return resolver;
   }