diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
index 3ce57159d..b125d0c6a 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autosummary/generate.py
@@ -156,22 +156,19 @@ class AutosummaryRenderer:
         except TemplateNotFound:
             return False
 
-    def render(self, objtype: str, context: Dict) -> str:
+    def render(self, template_name: str, context: Dict) -> str:
         """Render a template file."""
-        if objtype.endswith('.rst'):
-            # old styled: template_name is given
-            warnings.warn('AutosummaryRenderer.render() takes an object type as an argument.',
-                          RemovedInSphinx50Warning, stacklevel=2)
-            return self.env.get_template(objtype).render(context)
+        if template_name.endswith('.rst'):
+            template = self.env.get_template(template_name)
         else:
-            # objtype is given
+            # objtype is given as template_name
             try:
-                template = self.env.get_template('autosummary/%s.rst' % objtype)
+                template = self.env.get_template('autosummary/%s.rst' % template_name)
             except TemplateNotFound:
                 # fallback to base.rst
                 template = self.env.get_template('autosummary/base.rst')
 
-            return template.render(context)
+        return template.render(context)
 
 
 # -- Generating output ---------------------------------------------------------
@@ -268,7 +265,10 @@ def generate_autosummary_content(name: str, obj: Any, parent: Any,
     ns['objtype'] = doc.objtype
     ns['underline'] = len(name) * '='
 
-    return template.render(doc.objtype, ns)
+    if template_name:
+        return template.render(template_name, ns)
+    else:
+        return template.render(doc.objtype, ns)
 
 
 def generate_autosummary_docs(sources: List[str], output_dir: str = None,
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/_templates/empty.rst b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/_templates/empty.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f7204cf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/_templates/empty.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+EMPTY
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/conf.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/conf.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc2363527
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/conf.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('.'))
+
+
+extensions = ['sphinx.ext.autosummary']
+autosummary_generate = True
+autodoc_default_options = {'members': True}
+templates_path = ['_templates']
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/index.rst b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9f28b0fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+.. autosummary::
+   :toctree: generate
+   :template: empty.rst
+
+   target.Foo
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/target.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/target.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c607b5989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autosummary-template/target.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+class Foo:
+    """docstring of Foo."""
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
index 114694166..63fafe860 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autosummary.py
@@ -378,6 +378,14 @@ def test_autosummary_skip_member(app):
     assert 'Foo._privatemeth' in content
 
 
+@pytest.mark.sphinx(testroot='ext-autosummary-template')
+def test_autosummary_template(app):
+    app.build()
+
+    content = (app.srcdir / 'generate' / 'target.Foo.rst').read_text()
+    assert 'EMPTY' in content
+
+
 @pytest.mark.sphinx('dummy', testroot='ext-autosummary',
                     confoverrides={'autosummary_generate': []})
 def test_empty_autosummary_generate(app, status, warning):