diff --git a/railties/lib/rails/engine.rb b/railties/lib/rails/engine.rb
index 6a13a84108..108d654ce3 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails/engine.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/rails/engine.rb
@@ -473,9 +473,13 @@ module Rails
     # files inside eager_load paths.
     def eager_load!
       config.eager_load_paths.each do |load_path|
-        matcher = /\A#{Regexp.escape(load_path.to_s)}\/(.*)\.rb\Z/
-        Dir.glob("#{load_path}/**/*.rb").sort.each do |file|
-          require_dependency file.sub(matcher, '\1')
+        if File.file?(load_path)
+          require_dependency load_path
+        else
+          matcher = /\A#{Regexp.escape(load_path.to_s)}\/(.*)\.rb\Z/
+          Dir.glob("#{load_path}/**/*.rb").sort.each do |file|
+            require_dependency file.sub(matcher, '\1')
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/railties/lib/rails/engine/configuration.rb b/railties/lib/rails/engine/configuration.rb
index 6bf0406b21..7595272c03 100644
--- a/railties/lib/rails/engine/configuration.rb
+++ b/railties/lib/rails/engine/configuration.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ module Rails
         @paths ||= begin
           paths = Rails::Paths::Root.new(@root)
 
+          paths.add "config/routes.rb",    eager_load: true
           paths.add "app",                 eager_load: true, glob: "{*,*/concerns}"
           paths.add "app/assets",          glob: "*"
           paths.add "app/controllers",     eager_load: true
@@ -55,7 +56,6 @@ module Rails
           paths.add "config/environments", glob: "#{Rails.env}.rb"
           paths.add "config/initializers", glob: "**/*.rb"
           paths.add "config/locales",      glob: "*.{rb,yml}"
-          paths.add "config/routes.rb"
 
           paths.add "db"
           paths.add "db/migrate"