diff --git a/spring-boot-dependencies/pom.xml b/spring-boot-dependencies/pom.xml
index c0658973ff..3c231ff2c1 100644
--- a/spring-boot-dependencies/pom.xml
+++ b/spring-boot-dependencies/pom.xml
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 		<spring-loaded.version>1.2.7.RELEASE</spring-loaded.version>
 		<spring-mobile.version>2.0.0.M1</spring-mobile.version>
 		<spring-plugin.version>1.2.0.RELEASE</spring-plugin.version>
-		<spring-restdocs.version>1.2.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</spring-restdocs.version>
+		<spring-restdocs.version>1.2.0.RC1</spring-restdocs.version>
 		<spring-retry.version>1.2.0.RELEASE</spring-retry.version>
 		<spring-security.version>5.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</spring-security.version>
 		<spring-security-jwt.version>1.0.7.RELEASE</spring-security-jwt.version>
diff --git a/spring-boot-docs/src/main/asciidoc/spring-boot-features.adoc b/spring-boot-docs/src/main/asciidoc/spring-boot-features.adoc
index be8e6a762a..4a82c87b48 100644
--- a/spring-boot-docs/src/main/asciidoc/spring-boot-features.adoc
+++ b/spring-boot-docs/src/main/asciidoc/spring-boot-features.adoc
@@ -5770,7 +5770,7 @@ remove the need for Spring REST Docs' JUnit rule.
 
 	@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
 	@WebMvcTest(UserController.class)
-	@AutoConfigureRestDocs("target/generated-snippets")
+	@AutoConfigureRestDocs
 	public class UserDocumentationTests {
 
 		@Autowired
@@ -5786,10 +5786,11 @@ remove the need for Spring REST Docs' JUnit rule.
 	}
 ----
 
-In addition to configuring the output directory, `@AutoConfigureRestDocs` can also
-configure the host, scheme, and port that will appear in any documented URIs. If you
-require more control over Spring REST Docs' configuration a
-`RestDocsMockMvcConfigurationCustomizer` bean can be used:
+`@AutoConfigureRestDocs` can be used to override the default output directory
+(`target/generated-snippets` if you are using Maven or `build/generated-snippets` if you
+are using Gradle). It can also be used to configure the host, scheme, and port that will
+appear in any documented URIs. If you require more control over Spring REST Docs'
+configuration a `RestDocsMockMvcConfigurationCustomizer` bean can be used:
 
 [source,java,indent=0]
 ----
diff --git a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocumentationContextProviderRegistrar.java b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocumentationContextProviderRegistrar.java
index 7b5a62f456..745a10a46a 100644
--- a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocumentationContextProviderRegistrar.java
+++ b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocumentationContextProviderRegistrar.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ package org.springframework.boot.test.autoconfigure.restdocs;
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
-import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanDefinition;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionBuilder;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.BeanDefinitionRegistry;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.ImportBeanDefinitionRegistrar;
 import org.springframework.core.type.AnnotationMetadata;
 import org.springframework.restdocs.ManualRestDocumentation;
+import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
  * {@link ImportBeanDefinitionRegistrar} used by {@link AutoConfigureRestDocs}.
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@ class RestDocumentationContextProviderRegistrar implements ImportBeanDefinitionR
 			BeanDefinitionRegistry registry) {
 		Map<String, Object> annotationAttributes = importingClassMetadata
 				.getAnnotationAttributes(AutoConfigureRestDocs.class.getName());
+		BeanDefinitionBuilder definitionBuilder = BeanDefinitionBuilder
+				.genericBeanDefinition(ManualRestDocumentation.class);
 		String outputDir = (String) annotationAttributes.get("outputDir");
-		AbstractBeanDefinition beanDefinition = BeanDefinitionBuilder
-				.genericBeanDefinition(ManualRestDocumentation.class)
-				.addConstructorArgValue(outputDir).getBeanDefinition();
+		if (StringUtils.hasText(outputDir)) {
+			definitionBuilder.addConstructorArgValue(outputDir);
+		}
 		registry.registerBeanDefinition(ManualRestDocumentation.class.getName(),
-				beanDefinition);
+				definitionBuilder.getBeanDefinition());
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationAdvancedConfigurationIntegrationTests.java b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationAdvancedConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
index d27d6b2047..a13c0230d9 100644
--- a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationAdvancedConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationAdvancedConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilder
  */
 @RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
 @WebMvcTest(controllers = RestDocsTestController.class, secure = false)
-@AutoConfigureRestDocs("target/generated-snippets")
+@AutoConfigureRestDocs
 public class RestDocsAutoConfigurationAdvancedConfigurationIntegrationTests {
 
 	@Before
diff --git a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationIntegrationTests.java b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
index e349425609..becb943dfe 100644
--- a/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-test-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/test/autoconfigure/restdocs/RestDocsAutoConfigurationIntegrationTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2016 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2017 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilder
  */
 @RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
 @WebMvcTest
-@AutoConfigureRestDocs(outputDir = "target/generated-snippets", uriScheme = "https", uriHost = "api.example.com", uriPort = 443)
+@AutoConfigureRestDocs(uriScheme = "https", uriHost = "api.example.com", uriPort = 443)
 public class RestDocsAutoConfigurationIntegrationTests {
 
 	@Before