diff --git a/administrator/components/com_content/models/article.php b/administrator/components/com_content/models/article.php
index fb30aadb9eb84..60598aedf333c 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_content/models/article.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_content/models/article.php
@@ -466,6 +466,37 @@ public function save($data)
 			$data['state'] = 0;
 		}
 
+		// Automatic handling of alias for empty fields
+		if (in_array($app->input->get('task'), array('apply', 'save', 'save2new')) && (int) $app->input->get('id') == 0)
+		{
+			if ($data['alias'] == null)
+			{
+				if (JFactory::getConfig()->get('unicodeslugs') == 1)
+				{
+					$data['alias'] = JFilterOutput::stringURLUnicodeSlug($data['title']);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					$data['alias'] = JFilterOutput::stringURLSafe($data['title']);
+				}
+
+				$table = JTable::getInstance('Content', 'JTable');
+
+				if ($table->load(array('alias' => $data['alias'], 'catid' => $data['catid'])))
+				{
+					$msg = JText::_('COM_CONTENT_SAVE_WARNING');
+				}
+
+				list($title, $alias) = $this->generateNewTitle($data['catid'], $data['alias'], $data['title']);
+				$data['alias'] = $alias;
+
+				if (isset($msg))
+				{
+					$app->enqueueMessage($msg, 'warning');
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		if (parent::save($data))
 		{
 
diff --git a/administrator/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_content.ini b/administrator/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_content.ini
index 6d3b1b05eccb5..f0c2966b9091c 100644
--- a/administrator/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_content.ini
+++ b/administrator/language/en-GB/en-GB.com_content.ini
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ COM_CONTENT_PAGEBREAK_TITLE="Page Title:"
 COM_CONTENT_PAGEBREAK_TOC="Table of Contents Alias:"
 COM_CONTENT_RIGHT="Right"
 COM_CONTENT_SAVE_SUCCESS="Article successfully saved"
+COM_CONTENT_SAVE_WARNING="Alias already existed so a number was added at the end. You can re-edit the article to customise the alias"
 COM_CONTENT_SELECT_AN_ARTICLE="Select an Article"
 COM_CONTENT_SHARED_DESC="These settings apply for Shared Options in List, Blog and Featured unless they are changed by the menu settings."
 COM_CONTENT_SHARED_LABEL="Shared Options"