diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/xcontent/XContentType.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/xcontent/XContentType.java
index c33e370f48b..205f488f971 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/xcontent/XContentType.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/common/xcontent/XContentType.java
@@ -29,11 +29,17 @@ public enum XContentType {
     /**
      * A JSON based content type.
      */
-    JSON(0),
+    JSON(0) {
+        @Override public String restContentType() {
+            return "application/json; charset=UTF-8";
+        }},
     /**
      * The jackson based smile binary format. Fast and compact binary format.
      */
-    SMILE(1);
+    SMILE(1) {
+        @Override public String restContentType() {
+            return "application/smile";
+        }};
 
     public static XContentType fromRestContentType(String contentType) {
         if (contentType == null) {
@@ -59,4 +65,6 @@ public enum XContentType {
     public int index() {
         return index;
     }
+
+    public abstract String restContentType();
 }
diff --git a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/XContentRestResponse.java b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/XContentRestResponse.java
index bf99fa8fcf8..be4240318ec 100644
--- a/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/XContentRestResponse.java
+++ b/modules/elasticsearch/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/XContentRestResponse.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class XContentRestResponse extends AbstractRestResponse {
     }
 
     @Override public String contentType() {
-        return "application/json; charset=UTF-8";
+        return builder.contentType().restContentType();
     }
 
     @Override public boolean contentThreadSafe() {