diff --git a/examples/nested-routes/app.js b/examples/nested-routes/app.js
index 9f35e3064..926068627 100644
--- a/examples/nested-routes/app.js
+++ b/examples/nested-routes/app.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ const Quy = {
   `
 }
 const Quux = { template: '<div>quux</div>' }
+const Zap = { template: '<div><h3>zap</h3><pre>{{ $route.params.zapId }}</pre></div>' }
 
 const router = new VueRouter({
   mode: 'history',
@@ -67,7 +68,9 @@ const router = new VueRouter({
           children: [{ path: 'quux', name: 'quux', component: Quux }]
         },
 
-        { path: 'quy/:quyId', component: Quy }
+        { path: 'quy/:quyId', component: Quy },
+
+        { name: 'zap', path: 'zap/:zapId?', component: Zap }
       ]
     }
   ]
@@ -85,6 +88,8 @@ new Vue({
         <li><router-link to="/baz">/baz</router-link></li>
         <li><router-link to="/parent/qux/123">/parent/qux</router-link></li>
         <li><router-link to="/parent/quy/123">/parent/quy</router-link></li>
+        <li><router-link :to="{name: 'zap'}">/parent/zap</router-link></li>
+        <li><router-link :to="{name: 'zap', params: {zapId: 1}}">/parent/zap/1</router-link></li>
       </ul>
       <router-view class="view"></router-view>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/create-matcher.js b/src/create-matcher.js
index 748f451e8..7dbcd1be6 100644
--- a/src/create-matcher.js
+++ b/src/create-matcher.js
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ export function createMatcher (routes: Array<RouteConfig>): Matcher {
 
     if (name) {
       const record = nameMap[name]
-      const paramNames = getParams(record.path)
+      const paramNames = regexpParamsCache[record.path] ||
+        (regexpParamsCache[record.path] = getRouteRegex(record.path).keys
+          .filter(key => !key.optional)
+          .map(key => key.name))
 
       if (typeof location.params !== 'object') {
         location.params = {}
@@ -210,11 +213,6 @@ function fillParams (
   }
 }
 
-function getParams (path: string): Array<string> {
-  return regexpParamsCache[path] ||
-    (regexpParamsCache[path] = getRouteRegex(path).keys.map(key => key.name))
-}
-
 function resolveRecordPath (path: string, record: RouteRecord): string {
   return resolvePath(path, record.parent ? record.parent.path : '/', true)
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/nested-routes.js b/test/e2e/specs/nested-routes.js
index 172ded37e..75c5a4ae8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/nested-routes.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/nested-routes.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module.exports = {
     browser
     .url('http://localhost:8080/nested-routes/')
       .waitForElementVisible('#app', 1000)
-      .assert.count('li a', 6)
+      .assert.count('li a', 8)
       .assert.urlEquals('http://localhost:8080/nested-routes/parent')
       .assert.containsText('.view', 'Parent')
       .assert.containsText('.view', 'default')
@@ -45,6 +45,24 @@ module.exports = {
         )
       }, null, '/')
 
+      .click('li:nth-child(8) a')
+      .assert.urlEquals('http://localhost:8080/nested-routes/parent/zap/1')
+      .assert.containsText('.view', 'Parent')
+      .assert.containsText('.view', 'zap')
+      .assert.evaluate(function () {
+        var zapId = document.querySelector('pre').textContent
+        return (zapId === '1')
+      }, null, '/')
+
+      .click('li:nth-child(7) a')
+      .assert.urlEquals('http://localhost:8080/nested-routes/parent/zap')
+      .assert.containsText('.view', 'Parent')
+      .assert.containsText('.view', 'zap')
+      .assert.evaluate(function () {
+        var zapId = document.querySelector('pre').textContent
+        return (zapId === '')
+      }, null, '/')
+
     // check initial visit
     .url('http://localhost:8080/nested-routes/parent/foo')
       .waitForElementVisible('#app', 1000)