diff --git a/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/route.js b/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/route.js
index 5b3e15e58ed..9e813e3568e 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/route.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/route.js
@@ -811,11 +811,17 @@ var Route = EmberObject.extend(ActionHandler, Evented, {
 
       var handlerInfos = transition.state.handlerInfos;
       var router = this.router;
-      var qpMeta = router._queryParamsFor(handlerInfos[handlerInfos.length - 1].name);
+      var qpMeta;
       var changes = router._qpUpdates;
       var replaceUrl;
 
-      stashParamNames(router, handlerInfos);
+      // handlerInfos are empty for some no-op/queryParamsOnly transitions
+      if (!handlerInfos.length) {
+        qpMeta = router._queryParamsFor(this.routeName);
+      } else {
+        qpMeta = router._queryParamsFor(handlerInfos[handlerInfos.length - 1].name);
+        stashParamNames(router, handlerInfos);
+      }
 
       for (var i = 0; i < qpMeta.qps.length; ++i) {
         var qp = qpMeta.qps[i];
@@ -823,6 +829,9 @@ var Route = EmberObject.extend(ActionHandler, Evented, {
         var controller = route.controller;
         var presentKey = qp.urlKey in params && qp.urlKey;
 
+        if (!controller) {
+          controller = route._addController();
+        }
         // Do a reverse lookup to see if the changed query
         // param URL key corresponds to a QP property on
         // this controller.
@@ -1197,13 +1206,16 @@ var Route = EmberObject.extend(ActionHandler, Evented, {
     }
   },
 
+
   /**
-    This hook is the entry point for router.js
+    Adds query param observers to controller and sets this.controller prop
 
+    @method _addController
+    @param {Object} context
     @private
-    @method setup
   */
-  setup(context, transition) {
+
+  _addController(context) {
     var controller;
 
     var controllerName = this.controllerName || this.routeName;
@@ -1215,12 +1227,25 @@ var Route = EmberObject.extend(ActionHandler, Evented, {
       controller = definedController;
     }
 
+    var propNames = get(this, '_qp.propertyNames');
+    addQueryParamsObservers(controller, propNames);
+    this.controller = controller;
+    return controller;
+  },
+
+  /**
+    This hook is the entry point for router.js
+
+    @private
+    @method setup
+  */
+  setup(context, transition) {
+    var controller = this.controller;
+
     // Assign the route's controller so that it can more easily be
     // referenced in action handlers. Side effects. Side effects everywhere.
-    if (!this.controller) {
-      var propNames = get(this, '_qp.propertyNames');
-      addQueryParamsObservers(controller, propNames);
-      this.controller = controller;
+    if (!controller) {
+      controller = this._addController(context);
     }
 
     var queryParams = get(this, '_qp');
diff --git a/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/router.js b/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/router.js
index a142adf7ffb..ae079ba30f7 100644
--- a/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/router.js
+++ b/packages/ember-routing/lib/system/router.js
@@ -987,6 +987,9 @@ function calculatePostTransitionState(emberRouter, leafRouteName, contexts) {
 
 function updatePaths(router) {
   let infos = router.router.currentHandlerInfos;
+
+  if (!Array.isArray(infos) || infos.length === 0) { return; }
+
   let path = EmberRouter._routePath(infos);
   let currentRouteName = infos[infos.length - 1].name;
 
diff --git a/packages/ember/tests/routing/query_params_test.js b/packages/ember/tests/routing/query_params_test.js
index cb8d80c0861..ace4658588b 100644
--- a/packages/ember/tests/routing/query_params_test.js
+++ b/packages/ember/tests/routing/query_params_test.js
@@ -622,6 +622,24 @@ if (isEnabled('ember-routing-route-configured-query-params')) {
     equal(router.get('location.path'), '/?foo=false', 'shorhand supported (bool)');
   });
 
+  QUnit.test('transitionTo called from route.beforeModel hook supports query params when configuration occurs on the route', function() {
+    App.IndexRoute = Route.extend({
+      queryParams: {
+        foo: {
+          defaultValue: 'lol'
+        }
+      },
+      beforeModel(tranition) {
+        this.transitionTo({queryParams: { foo: 'bar' }});
+      }
+    });
+
+    startingURL = "/?foo=lol";
+    bootApplication();
+
+    equal(router.get('location.path'), '/?foo=bar');
+  });
+
   QUnit.test('transitionTo supports query params (multiple) when configuration occurs on the route', function() {
     App.IndexRoute = Route.extend({
       queryParams: {
@@ -2852,6 +2870,25 @@ if (isEnabled('ember-routing-route-configured-query-params')) {
     equal(router.get('location.path'), '/?foo=false', 'shorhand supported (bool)');
   });
 
+  QUnit.test('transitionTo called from route.beforeModel hook supports query params', function() {
+    App.IndexController = Controller.extend({
+      queryParams: ['foo'],
+      foo: 'lol'
+    });
+
+    App.IndexRoute = Route.extend({
+      beforeModel: function(transition) {
+        this.transitionTo({queryParams: { foo: 'bar' }});
+      }
+    });
+    startingURL = '/?foo=wat';
+
+    bootApplication();
+
+    equal(router.get('location.path'), '/?foo=bar');
+  });
+
+
   QUnit.test('transitionTo supports query params (multiple)', function() {
     App.IndexController = Controller.extend({
       queryParams: ['foo', 'bar'],