diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequest.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequest.java
index 19659171a67..a16a6db83ca 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequest.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequest.java
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ import static org.elasticsearch.action.ValidateActions.addValidationError;
  */
 public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implements IndicesRequest {
 
-    private String sourceAlias;
+    private String alias;
     private boolean simulate;
     private Set<Condition> conditions = new HashSet<>(2);
     private CreateIndexRequest createIndexRequest = new CreateIndexRequest("_na_");
@@ -77,15 +77,15 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
 
     RolloverRequest() {}
 
-    public RolloverRequest(String sourceAlias) {
-        this.sourceAlias = sourceAlias;
+    public RolloverRequest(String alias) {
+        this.alias = alias;
     }
 
     @Override
     public ActionRequestValidationException validate() {
         ActionRequestValidationException validationException = createIndexRequest == null ? null : createIndexRequest.validate();
-        if (sourceAlias == null) {
-            validationException = addValidationError("source alias is missing", validationException);
+        if (alias == null) {
+            validationException = addValidationError("index alias is missing", validationException);
         }
         if (createIndexRequest == null) {
             validationException = addValidationError("create index request is missing", validationException);
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
     @Override
     public void readFrom(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
         super.readFrom(in);
-        sourceAlias = in.readString();
+        alias = in.readString();
         simulate = in.readBoolean();
         int size = in.readVInt();
         for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
     @Override
     public void writeTo(StreamOutput out) throws IOException {
         super.writeTo(out);
-        out.writeString(sourceAlias);
+        out.writeString(alias);
         out.writeBoolean(simulate);
         out.writeVInt(conditions.size());
         for (Condition condition : conditions) {
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
 
     @Override
     public String[] indices() {
-        return new String[] {sourceAlias};
+        return new String[] {alias};
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
         return IndicesOptions.strictSingleIndexNoExpandForbidClosed();
     }
 
-    public void setSourceAlias(String sourceAlias) {
-        this.sourceAlias = sourceAlias;
+    public void setAlias(String alias) {
+        this.alias = alias;
     }
 
     public void simulate(boolean simulate) {
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ public class RolloverRequest extends AcknowledgedRequest<RolloverRequest> implem
         return conditions;
     }
 
-    public String getSourceAlias() {
-        return sourceAlias;
+    public String getAlias() {
+        return alias;
     }
 
     public CreateIndexRequest getCreateIndexRequest() {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequestBuilder.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequestBuilder.java
index bef680110ab..dd6e22dae70 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequestBuilder.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/RolloverRequestBuilder.java
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ public class RolloverRequestBuilder extends MasterNodeOperationRequestBuilder<Ro
         super(client, action, new RolloverRequest());
     }
 
-    public RolloverRequestBuilder setSourceAlias(String sourceAlias) {
-        this.request.setSourceAlias(sourceAlias);
+    public RolloverRequestBuilder setAlias(String sourceAlias) {
+        this.request.setAlias(sourceAlias);
         return this;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/TransportRolloverAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/TransportRolloverAction.java
index a3ff8fe23cd..61ae2852f68 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/TransportRolloverAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/indices/rollover/TransportRolloverAction.java
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ public class TransportRolloverAction extends TransportMasterNodeAction<RolloverR
                                    final ActionListener<RolloverResponse> listener) {
         final MetaData metaData = state.metaData();
         validate(metaData, rolloverRequest);
-        final AliasOrIndex aliasOrIndex = metaData.getAliasAndIndexLookup().get(rolloverRequest.getSourceAlias());
+        final AliasOrIndex aliasOrIndex = metaData.getAliasAndIndexLookup().get(rolloverRequest.getAlias());
         final IndexMetaData indexMetaData = aliasOrIndex.getIndices().get(0);
         final String sourceIndexName = indexMetaData.getIndex().getName();
         client.admin().indices().prepareStats(sourceIndexName).clear().setDocs(true).execute(
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ public class TransportRolloverAction extends TransportMasterNodeAction<RolloverR
             .ackTimeout(request.ackTimeout())
             .masterNodeTimeout(request.masterNodeTimeout());
         AliasAction[] actions = new AliasAction[2];
-        actions[0] = new AliasAction(AliasAction.Type.ADD, newIndex, request.getSourceAlias());
-        actions[1] = new AliasAction(AliasAction.Type.REMOVE, oldIndex, request.getSourceAlias());
+        actions[0] = new AliasAction(AliasAction.Type.ADD, newIndex, request.getAlias());
+        actions[1] = new AliasAction(AliasAction.Type.REMOVE, oldIndex, request.getAlias());
         updateRequest.actions(actions);
         return updateRequest;
     }
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ public class TransportRolloverAction extends TransportMasterNodeAction<RolloverR
     }
 
     static void validate(MetaData metaData, RolloverRequest request) {
-        final AliasOrIndex aliasOrIndex = metaData.getAliasAndIndexLookup().get(request.getSourceAlias());
+        final AliasOrIndex aliasOrIndex = metaData.getAliasAndIndexLookup().get(request.getAlias());
         if (aliasOrIndex == null) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("source alias does not exist");
         }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/support/AbstractClient.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/support/AbstractClient.java
index 18a3a2ae202..d42cfb6a44a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/support/AbstractClient.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/client/support/AbstractClient.java
@@ -1709,8 +1709,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractClient extends AbstractComponent implements Client
         }
 
         @Override
-        public RolloverRequestBuilder prepareRolloverIndex(String sourceAlias) {
-            return new RolloverRequestBuilder(this, RolloverAction.INSTANCE).setSourceAlias(sourceAlias);
+        public RolloverRequestBuilder prepareRolloverIndex(String alias) {
+            return new RolloverRequestBuilder(this, RolloverAction.INSTANCE).setAlias(alias);
         }
 
         @Override
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestRolloverIndexAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestRolloverIndexAction.java
index 08565fca9cf..cccdf22d1d4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestRolloverIndexAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/rest/action/admin/indices/RestRolloverIndexAction.java
@@ -37,16 +37,14 @@ public class RestRolloverIndexAction extends BaseRestHandler {
     @Inject
     public RestRolloverIndexAction(Settings settings, RestController controller, Client client) {
         super(settings, client);
-        controller.registerHandler(RestRequest.Method.POST, "/{alias}/_rollover", this);
-        controller.registerHandler(RestRequest.Method.GET, "/{alias}/_rollover", this);
+        controller.registerHandler(RestRequest.Method.POST, "/{index}/_rollover", this);
+        controller.registerHandler(RestRequest.Method.GET, "/{index}/_rollover", this);
     }
 
+    @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked"})
     @Override
     public void handleRequest(final RestRequest request, final RestChannel channel, final Client client) {
-        if (request.param("alias") == null) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("no alias");
-        }
-        RolloverRequest rolloverIndexRequest = new RolloverRequest(request.param("alias"));
+        RolloverRequest rolloverIndexRequest = new RolloverRequest(request.param("index"));
         if (request.hasContent()) {
             rolloverIndexRequest.source(request.content());
         }
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/api/indices.rollover.json b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/api/indices.rollover.json
index 22ae6498149..ec66d48116a 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/api/indices.rollover.json
+++ b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/api/indices.rollover.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "indices.rollover": {
     "documentation": "http://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/master/indices-rollover-index.html",
-    "methods": ["PUT", "POST"],
+    "methods": ["POST"],
     "url": {
-      "path": "/{alias}/_rollover",
-      "paths": ["/{alias}/_rollover"],
+      "path": "/{index}/_rollover",
+      "paths": ["/{index}/_rollover"],
       "parts": {
-        "alias": {
+        "index": {
           "type" : "string",
           "required" : true,
           "description" : "The name of the alias to rollover"
diff --git a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.rollover/10_basic.yaml b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.rollover/10_basic.yaml
index a9acf8d150a..8252a7f0254 100644
--- a/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.rollover/10_basic.yaml
+++ b/rest-api-spec/src/main/resources/rest-api-spec/test/indices.rollover/10_basic.yaml
@@ -3,10 +3,8 @@
   # create index with alias
   - do:
       indices.create:
-        index: logs
+        index: logs-1
         body:
-          settings:
-            number_of_replicas: "0"
           aliases:
             logs_index: {}
             logs_search: {}
@@ -14,7 +12,7 @@
   # index document
   - do:
       index:
-        index: logs
+        index: logs-1
         type:  test
         id:    "1"
         body:  { "foo": "hello world" }
@@ -25,7 +23,7 @@
         type:  test
         id:    "1"
 
-  - match: { _index:   logs }
+  - match: { _index:   logs-1 }
   - match: { _type:    test   }
   - match: { _id:      "1"     }
   - match: { _source:  { foo: "hello world" } }
@@ -33,37 +31,46 @@
   # perform alias rollover
   - do:
     indices.rollover:
-      alias: "logs_search"
+      index: "logs_search"
       body:
-        condition.max_docs: 1
+        conditions:
+          max_docs: 1
 
-  - match: { old_index: logs }
-  - match: { new_index: logs-1 }
+  - match: { old_index: logs-1 }
+  - match: { new_index: logs-2 }
+  - match: { rolled_over: true }
+  - match: { rollover_index_created: true }
+  - match: { simulated: false }
+  - match: { conditions: { "[max_docs: 1]": true } }
 
   # ensure new index is created
   - do:
       indices.exists:
-        index: logs-1
+        index: logs-2
 
   - is_true: ''
 
+  - do:
+      cluster.health:
+        wait_for_status: yellow
+
   # index into new index
   - do:
       index:
-        index: logs-1
+        index: logs-2
         type:  test
         id:    "2"
         body:  { "foo": "hello world" }
 
+  - do:
+      indices.refresh: {}
+
   # check alias points to the new index
   - do:
-      get:
+      search:
         index: logs_search
         type:  test
-        id:    "2"
 
-  - match: { _index:   logs-1 }
-  - match: { _type:    test   }
-  - match: { _id:      "2"     }
-  - match: { _source:  { foo: "hello world" } }
+  - match: { hits.total: 1 }
+  - match: { hits.hits.0._index: "logs-2"}