diff --git a/rest_framework/routers.py b/rest_framework/routers.py
index 9b729712c..9007788f8 100644
--- a/rest_framework/routers.py
+++ b/rest_framework/routers.py
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@ class SimpleRouter(BaseRouter):
                 initkwargs = route.initkwargs.copy()
                 initkwargs.update({
                     'basename': basename,
+                    'detail': route.detail,
                 })
 
                 view = viewset.as_view(mapping, **initkwargs)
diff --git a/rest_framework/viewsets.py b/rest_framework/viewsets.py
index 164347f93..9a85049bc 100644
--- a/rest_framework/viewsets.py
+++ b/rest_framework/viewsets.py
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ class ViewSetMixin(object):
         # eg. 'List' or 'Instance'.
         cls.suffix = None
 
+        # The detail initkwarg is reserved for introspecting the viewset type.
+        cls.detail = None
+
         # Setting a basename allows a view to reverse its action urls. This
         # value is provided by the router through the initkwargs.
         cls.basename = None
diff --git a/tests/test_routers.py b/tests/test_routers.py
index 5a1cfe8f4..bc72e55d7 100644
--- a/tests/test_routers.py
+++ b/tests/test_routers.py
@@ -446,6 +446,12 @@ class TestViewInitkwargs(TestCase):
 
         assert initkwargs['suffix'] == 'List'
 
+    def test_detail(self):
+        match = resolve('/example/notes/')
+        initkwargs = match.func.initkwargs
+
+        assert not initkwargs['detail']
+
     def test_basename(self):
         match = resolve('/example/notes/')
         initkwargs = match.func.initkwargs