diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index 2a26fa07..94dbcf3c 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Changelog
 Changes in 0.9.X - DEV
 ======================
 - Allow specifying the '_cls' as a field for indexes #397
+- Stop ensure_indexes running on a secondaries unless connection is through mongos #746
 - Not overriding default values when loading a subset of fields #399
 - Saving document doesn't create new fields in existing collection #620
 - Added `Queryset.aggregate` wrapper to aggregation framework #703
diff --git a/mongoengine/document.py b/mongoengine/document.py
index a81d23b1..34bbb9f6 100644
--- a/mongoengine/document.py
+++ b/mongoengine/document.py
@@ -594,7 +594,9 @@ class Document(BaseDocument):
         index_cls = cls._meta.get('index_cls', True)
 
         collection = cls._get_collection()
-        if collection.read_preference > 1:
+        # 746: when connection is via mongos, the read preference is not necessarily an indication that
+        # this code runs on a secondary
+        if not collection.is_mongos and collection.read_preference > 1:
             return
 
         # determine if an index which we are creating includes