diff --git a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
index b3762586e..00631db79 100644
--- a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
+++ b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template.go
@@ -200,9 +200,15 @@ func buildLocation(input interface{}) string {
 	}
 
 	path := location.Path
-	if len(location.Rewrite.Target) > 0 && location.Rewrite.Target != path {
+
+	if len(location.Rewrite.Target) > 0 {
+		if location.Rewrite.Target == path {
+			// This is an invalid rewrite case
+			return path
+		}
+
 		if path == slash {
-			return fmt.Sprintf("~* %s", path)
+			return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", location.Rewrite.LocationModifier, path)
 		}
 		// baseuri regex will parse basename from the given location
 		baseuri := `(?<baseuri>.*)`
@@ -210,7 +216,11 @@ func buildLocation(input interface{}) string {
 			// Not treat the slash after "location path" as a part of baseuri
 			baseuri = fmt.Sprintf(`\/?%s`, baseuri)
 		}
-		return fmt.Sprintf(`~* ^%s%s`, path, baseuri)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s ^%s%s", location.Rewrite.LocationModifier, path, baseuri)
+	}
+
+	if len(location.Rewrite.LocationModifier) > 0 {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", location.Rewrite.LocationModifier, path)
 	}
 
 	return path
diff --git a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template_test.go b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template_test.go
index 62d0342f4..2ee91abb5 100644
--- a/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template_test.go
+++ b/controllers/nginx/pkg/template/template_test.go
@@ -32,61 +32,68 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite"
 )
 
+const (
+	emptyTarget = ""
+)
+
 var (
 	// TODO: add tests for secure endpoints
 	tmplFuncTestcases = map[string]struct {
-		Path          string
-		Target        string
-		Location      string
-		ProxyPass     string
-		AddBaseURL    bool
-		BaseURLScheme string
+		Path             string
+		Target           string
+		LocationModifier string
+		Location         string
+		ProxyPass        string
+		AddBaseURL       bool
+		BaseURLScheme    string
 	}{
-		"invalid redirect / to /": {"/", "/", "/", "proxy_pass http://upstream-name;", false, ""},
-		"redirect / to /jenkins": {"/", "/jenkins", "~* /",
+		"case insensitive location modifier": {"/something", emptyTarget, "~*", "~* /something", "proxy_pass http://upstream-name;", false, ""},
+		"case sensitive location modifier":   {"/something", emptyTarget, "~", "~ /something", "proxy_pass http://upstream-name;", false, ""},
+		"invalid redirect / to /":            {"/", "/", "~*", "/", "proxy_pass http://upstream-name;", false, ""},
+		"redirect / to /jenkins": {"/", "/jenkins", "~*", "~* /",
 			`
 	    rewrite /(.*) /jenkins/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    `, false, ""},
-		"redirect /something to /": {"/something", "/", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /something to /": {"/something", "/", "~*", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /something/(.*) /$1 break;
 	    rewrite /something / break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    `, false, ""},
-		"redirect /end-with-slash/ to /not-root": {"/end-with-slash/", "/not-root", "~* ^/end-with-slash/(?<baseuri>.*)", `
+		"redirect /end-with-slash/ to /not-root": {"/end-with-slash/", "/not-root", "~*", "~* ^/end-with-slash/(?<baseuri>.*)", `
 	    rewrite /end-with-slash/(.*) /not-root/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    `, false, ""},
-		"redirect /something-complex to /not-root": {"/something-complex", "/not-root", `~* ^/something-complex\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /something-complex to /not-root": {"/something-complex", "/not-root", "~*", `~* ^/something-complex\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /something-complex/(.*) /not-root/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    `, false, ""},
-		"redirect / to /jenkins and rewrite": {"/", "/jenkins", "~* /", `
+		"redirect / to /jenkins and rewrite": {"/", "/jenkins", "~*", "~* /", `
 	    rewrite /(.*) /jenkins/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    subs_filter '<head(.*)>' '<head$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/$baseuri">' r;
 	    subs_filter '<HEAD(.*)>' '<HEAD$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/$baseuri">' r;
 	    `, true, ""},
-		"redirect /something to / and rewrite": {"/something", "/", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /something to / and rewrite": {"/something", "/", "~*", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /something/(.*) /$1 break;
 	    rewrite /something / break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    subs_filter '<head(.*)>' '<head$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/something/$baseuri">' r;
 	    subs_filter '<HEAD(.*)>' '<HEAD$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/something/$baseuri">' r;
 	    `, true, ""},
-		"redirect /end-with-slash/ to /not-root and rewrite": {"/end-with-slash/", "/not-root", `~* ^/end-with-slash/(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /end-with-slash/ to /not-root and rewrite": {"/end-with-slash/", "/not-root", "~*", `~* ^/end-with-slash/(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /end-with-slash/(.*) /not-root/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    subs_filter '<head(.*)>' '<head$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/end-with-slash/$baseuri">' r;
 	    subs_filter '<HEAD(.*)>' '<HEAD$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/end-with-slash/$baseuri">' r;
 	    `, true, ""},
-		"redirect /something-complex to /not-root and rewrite": {"/something-complex", "/not-root", `~* ^/something-complex\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /something-complex to /not-root and rewrite": {"/something-complex", "/not-root", "~*", `~* ^/something-complex\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /something-complex/(.*) /not-root/$1 break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
 	    subs_filter '<head(.*)>' '<head$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/something-complex/$baseuri">' r;
 	    subs_filter '<HEAD(.*)>' '<HEAD$1><base href="$scheme://$http_host/something-complex/$baseuri">' r;
 	    `, true, ""},
-		"redirect /something to / and rewrite with specific scheme": {"/something", "/", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
+		"redirect /something to / and rewrite with specific scheme": {"/something", "/", "~*", `~* ^/something\/?(?<baseuri>.*)`, `
 	    rewrite /something/(.*) /$1 break;
 	    rewrite /something / break;
 	    proxy_pass http://upstream-name;
@@ -118,13 +125,17 @@ func TestFormatIP(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuildLocation(t *testing.T) {
 	for k, tc := range tmplFuncTestcases {
 		loc := &ingress.Location{
-			Path:    tc.Path,
-			Rewrite: rewrite.Redirect{Target: tc.Target, AddBaseURL: tc.AddBaseURL},
+			Path: tc.Path,
+			Rewrite: rewrite.Redirect{
+				Target:           tc.Target,
+				AddBaseURL:       tc.AddBaseURL,
+				LocationModifier: tc.LocationModifier,
+			},
 		}
 
 		newLoc := buildLocation(loc)
 		if tc.Location != newLoc {
-			t.Errorf("%s: expected '%v' but returned %v", k, tc.Location, newLoc)
+			t.Errorf("%s: expected '%v' but returned '%v'", k, tc.Location, newLoc)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -132,8 +143,12 @@ func TestBuildLocation(t *testing.T) {
 func TestBuildProxyPass(t *testing.T) {
 	for k, tc := range tmplFuncTestcases {
 		loc := &ingress.Location{
-			Path:    tc.Path,
-			Rewrite: rewrite.Redirect{Target: tc.Target, AddBaseURL: tc.AddBaseURL, BaseURLScheme: tc.BaseURLScheme},
+			Path: tc.Path,
+			Rewrite: rewrite.Redirect{
+				Target:        tc.Target,
+				AddBaseURL:    tc.AddBaseURL,
+				BaseURLScheme: tc.BaseURLScheme,
+			},
 			Backend: "upstream-name",
 		}
 
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
index 32cc421ae..b54efd189 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
@@ -19,23 +19,28 @@ package rewrite
 import (
 	extensions "k8s.io/api/extensions/v1beta1"
 
+	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/parser"
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/resolver"
 )
 
 const (
-	rewriteTo        = "ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target"
-	addBaseURL       = "ingress.kubernetes.io/add-base-url"
-	baseURLScheme    = "ingress.kubernetes.io/base-url-scheme"
-	sslRedirect      = "ingress.kubernetes.io/ssl-redirect"
-	forceSSLRedirect = "ingress.kubernetes.io/force-ssl-redirect"
-	appRoot          = "ingress.kubernetes.io/app-root"
+	rewriteTo                      = "ingress.kubernetes.io/rewrite-target"
+	locationModifier               = "ingress.kubernetes.io/location-modifier"
+	defaultRewriteLocationModifier = "~*"
+	addBaseURL                     = "ingress.kubernetes.io/add-base-url"
+	baseURLScheme                  = "ingress.kubernetes.io/base-url-scheme"
+	sslRedirect                    = "ingress.kubernetes.io/ssl-redirect"
+	forceSSLRedirect               = "ingress.kubernetes.io/force-ssl-redirect"
+	appRoot                        = "ingress.kubernetes.io/app-root"
 )
 
 // Redirect describes the per location redirect config
 type Redirect struct {
 	// Target URI where the traffic must be redirected
 	Target string `json:"target"`
+	// Location modifier
+	LocationModifier string `json:"locationModifier"`
 	// AddBaseURL indicates if is required to add a base tag in the head
 	// of the responses from the upstream servers
 	AddBaseURL bool `json:"addBaseUrl"`
@@ -92,6 +97,11 @@ func NewParser(br resolver.DefaultBackend) parser.IngressAnnotation {
 // rule used to rewrite the defined paths
 func (a rewrite) Parse(ing *extensions.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
 	rt, _ := parser.GetStringAnnotation(rewriteTo, ing)
+	locMod, _ := parser.GetStringAnnotation(locationModifier, ing)
+
+	if rt != "" && locMod == "" {
+		locMod = defaultRewriteLocationModifier
+	}
 	sslRe, err := parser.GetBoolAnnotation(sslRedirect, ing)
 	if err != nil {
 		sslRe = a.backendResolver.GetDefaultBackend().SSLRedirect
@@ -103,12 +113,18 @@ func (a rewrite) Parse(ing *extensions.Ingress) (interface{}, error) {
 	abu, _ := parser.GetBoolAnnotation(addBaseURL, ing)
 	bus, _ := parser.GetStringAnnotation(baseURLScheme, ing)
 	ar, _ := parser.GetStringAnnotation(appRoot, ing)
-	return &Redirect{
+
+	redirect := &Redirect{
 		Target:           rt,
+		LocationModifier: locMod,
 		AddBaseURL:       abu,
 		BaseURLScheme:    bus,
 		SSLRedirect:      sslRe,
 		ForceSSLRedirect: fSslRe,
 		AppRoot:          ar,
-	}, nil
+	}
+
+	glog.V(5).Infof("created redirect %s", redirect)
+
+	return redirect, nil
 }
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main_test.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main_test.go
index 6529857f9..884c7ee4e 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main_test.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main_test.go
@@ -100,6 +100,31 @@ func TestRedirect(t *testing.T) {
 	if redirect.Target != defRoute {
 		t.Errorf("Expected %v as redirect but returned %s", defRoute, redirect.Target)
 	}
+
+	if redirect.LocationModifier != defaultRewriteLocationModifier {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %v as implicit location modifier but returned %s", defaultRewriteLocationModifier, redirect.LocationModifier)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRegex(t *testing.T) {
+	ing := buildIngress()
+
+	data := map[string]string{}
+	modifier := "~"
+	data[locationModifier] = modifier
+	ing.SetAnnotations(data)
+
+	i, err := NewParser(mockBackend{}).Parse(ing)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected error with ingress: %v", err)
+	}
+	redirect, ok := i.(*Redirect)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Errorf("expected a Redirect type")
+	}
+	if redirect.LocationModifier != modifier {
+		t.Errorf("Expected %v as location modifier but returned %s", modifier, redirect.LocationModifier)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestSSLRedirect(t *testing.T) {