diff --git a/rest_framework/schemas.py b/rest_framework/schemas.py
index db41539fd..48fb2a392 100644
--- a/rest_framework/schemas.py
+++ b/rest_framework/schemas.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
 from rest_framework.utils import formatting
 from rest_framework.utils.field_mapping import ClassLookupDict
+from rest_framework.utils.model_meta import _get_pk
 from rest_framework.views import APIView
 
 
@@ -35,6 +36,11 @@ types_lookup = ClassLookupDict({
 })
 
 
+def get_pk_name(model):
+    meta = model._meta.concrete_model._meta
+    return _get_pk(meta).name
+
+
 def as_query_fields(items):
     """
     Take a list of Fields and plain strings.
@@ -196,6 +202,9 @@ class SchemaGenerator(object):
         'delete': 'destroy',
     }
     endpoint_inspector_cls = EndpointInspector
+    # 'pk' isn't great as an externally exposed name for an identifier,
+    # so by default we prefer to use the actual model field name for schemas.
+    coerce_pk = True
 
     def __init__(self, title=None, url=None, patterns=None, urlconf=None):
         assert coreapi, '`coreapi` must be installed for schema support.'
@@ -230,6 +239,7 @@ class SchemaGenerator(object):
         links = OrderedDict()
         for path, method, callback in self.endpoints:
             view = self.create_view(callback, method, request)
+            path = self.coerce_path(path, method, view)
             if not self.should_include_view(path, method, view):
                 continue
             link = self.get_link(path, method, view)
@@ -280,6 +290,16 @@ class SchemaGenerator(object):
             return False
         return True
 
+    def coerce_path(self, path, method, view):
+        if not self.coerce_pk or '{pk}' not in path:
+            return path
+        model = getattr(getattr(view, 'queryset', None), 'model', None)
+        if model:
+            field_name = get_pk_name(model)
+        else:
+            field_name = 'id'
+        return path.replace('{pk}', '{%s}' % field_name)
+
     # Methods for generating each individual `Link` instance...
 
     def get_link(self, path, method, view):
diff --git a/tests/test_schemas.py b/tests/test_schemas.py
index c8b40fbb4..1914994a7 100644
--- a/tests/test_schemas.py
+++ b/tests/test_schemas.py
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ class TestRouterGeneratedSchema(TestCase):
                         )
                     },
                     'retrieve': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='get',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path')
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path')
                         ]
                     )
                 }
@@ -142,19 +142,19 @@ class TestRouterGeneratedSchema(TestCase):
                         ]
                     ),
                     'retrieve': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='get',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path')
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path')
                         ]
                     ),
                     'custom_action': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/custom_action/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/custom_action/',
                         action='post',
                         encoding='application/json',
                         description='A description of custom action.',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path'),
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path'),
                             coreapi.Field('c', required=True, location='form', type='string'),
                             coreapi.Field('d', required=False, location='form', type='string'),
                         ]
@@ -174,30 +174,30 @@ class TestRouterGeneratedSchema(TestCase):
                         )
                     },
                     'update': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='put',
                         encoding='application/json',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path'),
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path'),
                             coreapi.Field('a', required=True, location='form', type='string', description='A field description'),
                             coreapi.Field('b', required=False, location='form', type='string')
                         ]
                     ),
                     'partial_update': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='patch',
                         encoding='application/json',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path'),
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path'),
                             coreapi.Field('a', required=False, location='form', type='string', description='A field description'),
                             coreapi.Field('b', required=False, location='form', type='string')
                         ]
                     ),
                     'destroy': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='delete',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path')
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path')
                         ]
                     )
                 }
@@ -254,18 +254,18 @@ class TestSchemaGenerator(TestCase):
                         fields=[]
                     ),
                     'retrieve': coreapi.Link(
-                        url='/example/{pk}/',
+                        url='/example/{id}/',
                         action='get',
                         fields=[
-                            coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path')
+                            coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path')
                         ]
                     ),
                     'sub': {
                         'list': coreapi.Link(
-                            url='/example/{pk}/sub/',
+                            url='/example/{id}/sub/',
                             action='get',
                             fields=[
-                                coreapi.Field('pk', required=True, location='path')
+                                coreapi.Field('id', required=True, location='path')
                             ]
                         )
                     }