diff --git a/rest_framework/views.py b/rest_framework/views.py
index f30da98d3..9a4a75747 100644
--- a/rest_framework/views.py
+++ b/rest_framework/views.py
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ class APIView(View):
     # Note: Views are made CSRF exempt from within `as_view` as to prevent
     # accidental removal of this exemption in cases where `dispatch` needs to
     # be overridden.
-    def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+    def sync_dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         `.dispatch()` is pretty much the same as Django's regular dispatch,
         but with extra hooks for startup, finalize, and exception handling.
@@ -513,18 +513,7 @@ class APIView(View):
         self.response = self.finalize_response(request, response, *args, **kwargs)
         return self.response
 
-    def options(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
-        """
-        Handler method for HTTP 'OPTIONS' request.
-        """
-        if self.metadata_class is None:
-            return self.http_method_not_allowed(request, *args, **kwargs)
-        data = self.metadata_class().determine_metadata(request, self)
-        return Response(data, status=status.HTTP_200_OK)
-
-
-class AsyncAPIView(APIView):
-    async def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+    async def async_dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         `.dispatch()` is pretty much the same as Django's regular dispatch,
         but with extra hooks for startup, finalize, and exception handling.
@@ -555,3 +544,18 @@ class AsyncAPIView(APIView):
 
         self.response = self.finalize_response(request, response, *args, **kwargs)
         return self.response
+
+    def dispatch(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+        if hasattr(self, 'view_is_async') and self.view_is_async:
+            return self.async_dispatch(request, *args, **kwargs)
+        else:
+            return self.sync_dispatch(request, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    def options(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Handler method for HTTP 'OPTIONS' request.
+        """
+        if self.metadata_class is None:
+            return self.http_method_not_allowed(request, *args, **kwargs)
+        data = self.metadata_class().determine_metadata(request, self)
+        return Response(data, status=status.HTTP_200_OK)
diff --git a/tests/test_views.py b/tests/test_views.py
index 64fceb0d6..d46b71fbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/tests/test_views.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from rest_framework.decorators import api_view
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.settings import APISettings, api_settings
 from rest_framework.test import APIRequestFactory
-from rest_framework.views import APIView, AsyncAPIView
+from rest_framework.views import APIView
 
 factory = APIRequestFactory()
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class BasicView(APIView):
         return Response({'method': 'POST', 'data': request.data})
 
 
-class BasicAsyncView(AsyncAPIView):
+class BasicAsyncView(APIView):
     async def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         return Response({'method': 'GET'})