diff --git a/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/testkit/RouteTest.scala b/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/testkit/RouteTest.scala
index 6b171a9fee..df660bd89a 100644
--- a/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/testkit/RouteTest.scala
+++ b/akka-http-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/testkit/RouteTest.scala
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import akka.stream.ActorMaterializer
 import akka.http.scaladsl.server
 import akka.http.javadsl.model.HttpRequest
-import akka.http.javadsl.server.{ AllDirectives, Route, Directives }
+import akka.http.javadsl.server.{ HttpApp, AllDirectives, Route, Directives }
 import akka.http.impl.util.JavaMapping.Implicits._
 import akka.http.impl.server.RouteImplementation
 import akka.http.scaladsl.model.HttpResponse
@@ -50,5 +50,10 @@ abstract class RouteTest extends AllDirectives {
       def run(request: HttpRequest): TestResponse = runRoute(underlying, request)
     }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a [[TestRoute]] for the main route of an [[HttpApp]].
+   */
+  def testAppRoute(app: HttpApp): TestRoute = testRoute(app.createRoute)
+
   protected def createTestResponse(response: HttpResponse): TestResponse
 }
diff --git a/akka-http/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/server/HttpApp.scala b/akka-http/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/server/HttpApp.scala
index 17a273dbf3..45fe666e31 100644
--- a/akka-http/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/server/HttpApp.scala
+++ b/akka-http/src/main/scala/akka/http/javadsl/server/HttpApp.scala
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import akka.http.scaladsl.Http.ServerBinding
 abstract class HttpApp
   extends AllDirectives
   with HttpServiceBase {
-  protected def createRoute(): Route
+  def createRoute(): Route
 
   /**
    * Starts an HTTP server on the given interface and port. Creates the route by calling the