diff --git a/docs/content/guide/directive.ngdoc b/docs/content/guide/directive.ngdoc
index 26df46dfd952..8657a5d4406f 100644
--- a/docs/content/guide/directive.ngdoc
+++ b/docs/content/guide/directive.ngdoc
@@ -321,34 +321,32 @@ compiler}. The attributes are:
       parent scope. <br/>
       The 'isolate' scope takes an object hash which defines a set of local scope properties
       derived from the parent scope. These local properties are useful for aliasing values for
-      templates. Locals definition is a hash of normalized element attribute name to their
-      corresponding binding strategy. Valid binding strategies are:
-
-      * `attribute` - one time read of element attribute value and save it to widget scope. <br/>
-        Given `<widget my-attr='abc'>` and widget definition of `scope: {myAttr:'attribute'}`,
-        then widget scope property `myAttr` will be `"abc"`.
-
-      * `evaluate` - one time evaluation of expression stored in the attribute. <br/> Given
-        `<widget my-attr='name'>` and widget definition of `scope: {myAttr:'evaluate'}`, and
-        parent scope `{name:'angular'}` then widget scope property `myAttr` will be `"angular"`.
-
-      * `bind` - Set up one way binding from the element attribute to the widget scope. <br/>
-        Given `<widget my-attr='{{name}}'>` and widget definition of `scope: {myAttr:'bind'}`,
-        and parent scope `{name:'angular'}` then widget scope property `myAttr` will be
-        `"angular"`, but any changes in the parent scope will be reflected in the widget scope.
-
-      * `accessor` - Set up getter/setter function for the expression in the widget element
-        attribute to the widget scope. <br/> Given `<widget my-attr='name'>` and widget definition
-        of `scope: {myAttr:'prop'}`, and parent scope `{name:'angular'}` then widget scope
-        property `myAttr` will be a function such that `myAttr()` will return `"angular"` and
-        `myAttr('new value')` will update the parent scope `name` property. This is useful for
-        treating the element as a data-model for reading/writing.
-
-      * `expression` - Treat element attribute as an expression to be executed on the parent scope.
-        <br/>
-        Given `<widget my-attr='doSomething()'>` and widget definition of `scope:
-        {myAttr:'expression'}`, and parent scope `{doSomething:function() {}}` then calling the
-        widget scope function `myAttr` will execute the expression against the parent scope.
+      templates. Locals definition is a hash of local scope property to its source:
+
+      * `@` or `@attr` - bind a local scope property to the DOM attribute. The result is always a
+        string since DOM attributes are strings. If no `attr` name is specified then the local name
+        and attribute name are same. Given `<widget my-attr="hello {{name}}">` and widget definition
+        of `scope: { localName:'@myAttr' }`, then widget scope property `localName` will reflect
+        the interpolated value of `hello {{name}}`. As the `name` attribute changes so will the
+        `localName` property on the widget scope. The `name` is read from the parent scope (not
+        component scope).
+
+      * `=` or `=expression` - set up bi-directional binding between a local scope property and the
+        parent scope property. If no `attr` name is specified then the local name and attribute
+        name are same. Given `<widget my-attr="parentModel">` and widget definition of
+        `scope: { localModel:'=myAttr' }`, then widget scope property `localName` will reflect the
+        value of `parentModel` on the parent scope. Any changes to `parentModel` will be reflected
+        in `localModel` and any changes in `localModel` will reflect in `parentModel`.
+
+      * `&` or `&attr` - provides a way to execute an expression in the context of the parent scope.
+        If no `attr` name is specified then the local name and attribute name are same.
+        Given `<widget my-attr="count = count + value">` and widget definition of
+        `scope: { localFn:'increment()' }`, then isolate scope property `localFn` will point to
+        a function wrapper for the `increment()` expression. Often it's desirable to pass data from
+        the isolate scope via an expression and to the parent scope, this can be done by passing a
+        map of local variable names and values into the expression wrapper fn. For example if the
+        expression is `increment(amount)` then we can specify the amount value by calling the
+        `localFn` as `localFn({amount: 22})`.
 
   * `controller` - Controller constructor function. The controller is instantiated before the
     pre-linking phase and it is shared with other directives if they request it by name (see
@@ -369,32 +367,6 @@ compiler}. The attributes are:
     * `^` - Look for the controller on parent elements as well.
 
 
-  * `inject` (object hash) -  Specifies a way to inject bindings into a controller. Injection
-    definition is a hash of normalized element attribute names to their corresponding binding
-    strategy. Valid binding strategies are:
-
-    * `attribute` - inject attribute value. <br/>
-      Given `<widget my-attr='abc'>` and widget definition of `inject: {myAttr:'attribute'}`, then
-      `myAttr` will inject `"abc"`.
-
-    * `evaluate` - inject one time evaluation of expression stored in the attribute. <br/>
-      Given `<widget my-attr='name'>` and widget definition of `inject: {myAttr:'evaluate'}`, and
-      parent scope `{name:'angular'}` then `myAttr` will inject `"angular"`.
-
-    * `accessor` - inject a getter/setter function for the expression in the widget element
-      attribute to the widget scope. <br/>
-      Given `<widget my-attr='name'>` and widget definition of `inject: {myAttr:'prop'}`, and
-      parent scope `{name:'angular'}` then injecting `myAttr` will inject a function such
-      that `myAttr()` will return `"angular"` and `myAttr('new value')` will update the parent
-      scope `name` property. This is usefull for treating the element as a data-model for
-      reading/writing.
-
-    * `expression` - Inject expression function. <br/>
-      Given `<widget my-attr='doSomething()'>` and widget definition of
-      `inject: {myAttr:'expression'}`, and parent scope `{doSomething:function() {}}` then
-      injecting `myAttr` will inject a function which when called will execute the expression
-      against the parent scope.
-
   * `restrict` - String of subset of `EACM` which restricts the directive to a specific directive
     declaration style. If omitted directives are allowed on attributes only.
 
@@ -649,9 +621,9 @@ Following is an example of building a reusable widget.
            // This HTML will replace the zippy directive.
            replace: true,
            transclude: true,
-           scope: { zippyTitle:'bind' },
+           scope: { title:'@zippyTitle' },
            template: '<div>' +
-                       '<div class="title">{{zippyTitle}}</div>' +
+                       '<div class="title">{{title}}</div>' +
                        '<div class="body" ng-transclude></div>' +
                      '</div>',
            // The linking function will add behavior to the template
diff --git a/src/ng/compile.js b/src/ng/compile.js
index ee12026385b1..e1aba35b8db3 100644
--- a/src/ng/compile.js
+++ b/src/ng/compile.js
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@
  */
 
 
+var NON_ASSIGNABLE_MODEL_EXPRESSION = 'Non-assignable model expression: ';
+
+
 /**
  * @ngdoc function
  * @name angular.module.ng.$compile
@@ -225,47 +228,6 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide) {
     function($injector,   $interpolate,   $exceptionHandler,   $http,   $templateCache,   $parse,
              $controller,   $rootScope) {
 
-    var LOCAL_MODE = {
-      attribute: function(localName, mode, parentScope, scope, attr) {
-        scope[localName] = attr[localName];
-      },
-
-      evaluate: function(localName, mode, parentScope, scope, attr) {
-        scope[localName] = parentScope.$eval(attr[localName]);
-      },
-
-      bind: function(localName, mode, parentScope, scope, attr) {
-        var getter = $interpolate(attr[localName]);
-        scope.$watch(
-          function() { return getter(parentScope); },
-          function(v) { scope[localName] = v; }
-        );
-      },
-
-      accessor: function(localName, mode, parentScope, scope, attr) {
-        var getter = noop,
-            setter = noop,
-            exp = attr[localName];
-
-        if (exp) {
-          getter = $parse(exp);
-          setter = getter.assign || function() {
-            throw Error("Expression '" + exp + "' not assignable.");
-          };
-        }
-
-        scope[localName] = function(value) {
-          return arguments.length ? setter(parentScope, value) : getter(parentScope);
-        };
-      },
-
-      expression: function(localName, mode, parentScope, scope, attr) {
-        scope[localName] = function(locals) {
-          $parse(attr[localName])(parentScope, locals);
-        };
-      }
-    };
-
     var Attributes = function(element, attr) {
       this.$$element = element;
       this.$attr = attr || {};
@@ -746,9 +708,67 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide) {
         $element = attrs.$$element;
 
         if (newScopeDirective && isObject(newScopeDirective.scope)) {
-          forEach(newScopeDirective.scope, function(mode, name) {
-            (LOCAL_MODE[mode] || wrongMode)(name, mode,
-                scope.$parent || scope, scope, attrs);
+          var LOCAL_REGEXP = /^\s*([@=&])\s*(\w*)\s*$/;
+
+          var parentScope = scope.$parent || scope;
+
+          forEach(newScopeDirective.scope, function(definiton, scopeName) {
+            var match = definiton.match(LOCAL_REGEXP) || [],
+                attrName = match[2]|| scopeName,
+                mode = match[1], // @, =, or &
+                lastValue,
+                parentGet, parentSet;
+
+            switch (mode) {
+
+              case '@': {
+                attrs.$observe(attrName, function(value) {
+                  scope[scopeName] = value;
+                });
+                attrs.$$observers[attrName].$$scope = parentScope;
+                break;
+              }
+
+              case '=': {
+                parentGet = $parse(attrs[attrName]);
+                parentSet = parentGet.assign || function() {
+                  // reset the change, or we will throw this exception on every $digest
+                  lastValue = scope[scopeName] = parentGet(parentScope);
+                  throw Error(NON_ASSIGNABLE_MODEL_EXPRESSION + attrs[attrName] +
+                      ' (directive: ' + newScopeDirective.name + ')');
+                };
+                lastValue = scope[scopeName] = parentGet(parentScope);
+                scope.$watch(function() {
+                  var parentValue = parentGet(parentScope);
+
+                  if (parentValue !== scope[scopeName]) {
+                    // we are out of sync and need to copy
+                    if (parentValue !== lastValue) {
+                      // parent changed and it has precedence
+                      lastValue = scope[scopeName] = parentValue;
+                    } else {
+                      // if the parent can be assigned then do so
+                      parentSet(parentScope, lastValue = scope[scopeName]);
+                    }
+                  }
+                  return parentValue;
+                });
+                break;
+              }
+
+              case '&': {
+                parentGet = $parse(attrs[attrName]);
+                scope[scopeName] = function(locals) {
+                  return parentGet(parentScope, locals);
+                }
+                break;
+              }
+
+              default: {
+                throw Error('Invalid isolate scope definition for directive ' +
+                    newScopeDirective.name + ': ' + definiton);
+              }
+            }
           });
         }
 
@@ -761,12 +781,6 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide) {
               $transclude: boundTranscludeFn
             };
 
-
-            forEach(directive.inject || {}, function(mode, name) {
-              (LOCAL_MODE[mode] || wrongMode)(name, mode,
-                  newScopeDirective ? scope.$parent || scope : scope, locals, attrs);
-            });
-
             controller = directive.controller;
             if (controller == '@') {
               controller = attrs[directive.name];
@@ -1007,9 +1021,10 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide) {
 
           attr[name] = undefined;
           ($$observers[name] || ($$observers[name] = [])).$$inter = true;
-          scope.$watch(interpolateFn, function(value) {
-            attr.$set(name, value);
-          });
+          (attr.$$observers && attr.$$observers[name].$$scope || scope).
+            $watch(interpolateFn, function(value) {
+              attr.$set(name, value);
+            });
         })
       });
     }
diff --git a/src/ng/directive/input.js b/src/ng/directive/input.js
index aa79082b45eb..04af4c2a6cb9 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/input.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/input.js
@@ -857,8 +857,8 @@ var VALID_CLASS = 'ng-valid',
  * </example>
  *
  */
-var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', 'ngModel', '$element',
-    function($scope, $exceptionHandler, $attr, ngModel, $element) {
+var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', '$element', '$parse',
+    function($scope, $exceptionHandler, $attr, $element, $parse) {
   this.$viewValue = Number.NaN;
   this.$modelValue = Number.NaN;
   this.$parsers = [];
@@ -870,6 +870,14 @@ var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', 'ngModel', '$e
   this.$invalid = false;
   this.$name = $attr.name;
 
+  var ngModelGet = $parse($attr.ngModel),
+      ngModelSet = ngModelGet.assign;
+
+  if (!ngModelSet) {
+    throw Error(NON_ASSIGNABLE_MODEL_EXPRESSION + $attr.ngModel +
+        ' (' + startingTag($element) + ')');
+  }
+
   /**
    * @ngdoc function
    * @name angular.module.ng.$compileProvider.directive.ngModel.NgModelController#$render
@@ -974,7 +982,7 @@ var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', 'ngModel', '$e
 
     if (this.$modelValue !== value) {
       this.$modelValue = value;
-      ngModel(value);
+      ngModelSet($scope, value);
       forEach(this.$viewChangeListeners, function(listener) {
         try {
           listener();
@@ -987,9 +995,7 @@ var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', 'ngModel', '$e
 
   // model -> value
   var ctrl = this;
-  $scope.$watch(function() {
-    return ngModel();
-  }, function(value) {
+  $scope.$watch(ngModelGet, function(value) {
 
     // ignore change from view
     if (ctrl.$modelValue === value) return;
@@ -1044,9 +1050,6 @@ var NgModelController = ['$scope', '$exceptionHandler', '$attrs', 'ngModel', '$e
  */
 var ngModelDirective = function() {
   return {
-    inject: {
-      ngModel: 'accessor'
-    },
     require: ['ngModel', '^?form'],
     controller: NgModelController,
     link: function(scope, element, attr, ctrls) {
diff --git a/test/ng/compileSpec.js b/test/ng/compileSpec.js
index d2b0360cdd1b..93183b931354 100644
--- a/test/ng/compileSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/compileSpec.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 describe('$compile', function() {
-  var element, directive;
+  var element, directive, $compile, $rootScope;
 
   beforeEach(module(provideLog, function($provide, $compileProvider){
     element = null;
@@ -54,8 +54,17 @@ describe('$compile', function() {
       priority: -100, // even with negative priority we still should be able to stop descend
       terminal: true
     }));
+
+    return function(_$compile_, _$rootScope_) {
+      $rootScope = _$rootScope_;
+      $compile = _$compile_;
+    };
   }));
 
+  function compile(html) {
+    element = angular.element(html);
+    $compile(element)($rootScope);
+  }
 
   afterEach(function(){
     dealoc(element);
@@ -1633,105 +1642,166 @@ describe('$compile', function() {
   });
 
 
-  describe('locals', function() {
-    it('should marshal to locals', function() {
-      module(function() {
-        directive('widget', function(log) {
-          return {
-            scope: {
-              attr: 'attribute',
-              prop: 'evaluate',
-              bind: 'bind',
-              assign: 'accessor',
-              read: 'accessor',
-              exp: 'expression',
-              nonExist: 'accessor',
-              nonExistExpr: 'expression'
-            },
-            link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
-              scope.nonExist(); // noop
-              scope.nonExist(123); // noop
-              scope.nonExistExpr(); // noop
-              scope.nonExistExpr(123); // noop
-              log(scope.attr);
-              log(scope.prop);
-              log(scope.assign());
-              log(scope.read());
-              log(scope.assign('ng'));
-              scope.exp({myState:'OK'});
-              expect(function() { scope.read(undefined); }).
-                  toThrow("Expression ''D'' not assignable.");
-              scope.$watch('bind', log);
-            }
-          };
-        });
+  describe('isolated locals', function() {
+    var componentScope;
+
+    beforeEach(module(function() {
+      directive('myComponent', function() {
+        return {
+          scope: {
+            attr: '@',
+            attrAlias: '@attr',
+            ref: '=',
+            refAlias: '= ref',
+            expr: '&',
+            exprAlias: '&expr'
+          },
+          link: function(scope) {
+            componentScope = scope;
+          }
+        };
       });
-      inject(function(log, $compile, $rootScope) {
-        $rootScope.myProp = 'B';
-        $rootScope.bi = {nd: 'C'};
-        $rootScope.name = 'C';
-        element = $compile(
-            '<div><div widget attr="A" prop="myProp" bind="{{bi.nd}}" assign="name" read="\'D\'" ' +
-                'exp="state=myState">{{bind}}</div></div>')
-            ($rootScope);
-        expect(log).toEqual('A; B; C; D; ng');
-        expect($rootScope.name).toEqual('ng');
-        expect($rootScope.state).toEqual('OK');
-        log.reset();
+      directive('badDeclaration', function() {
+        return {
+          scope: { attr: 'xxx' }
+        };
+      });
+    }));
+
+    describe('attribute', function() {
+      it('should copy simple attribute', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component attr="some text">');
+        expect(componentScope.attr).toEqual(undefined);
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual(undefined);
+
         $rootScope.$apply();
-        expect(element.text()).toEqual('C');
-        expect(log).toEqual('C');
-        $rootScope.bi.nd = 'c';
+
+        expect(componentScope.attr).toEqual('some text');
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual('some text');
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual(componentScope.attr);
+      }));
+
+
+      it('should update when interpolated attribute updates', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component attr="hello {{name}}">');
+        expect(componentScope.attr).toEqual(undefined);
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual(undefined);
+
+        $rootScope.name = 'misko';
         $rootScope.$apply();
-        expect(log).toEqual('C; c');
-      });
+
+        expect(componentScope.attr).toEqual('hello misko');
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual('hello misko');
+
+        $rootScope.name = 'igor';
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+
+        expect(componentScope.attr).toEqual('hello igor');
+        expect(componentScope.attrAlias).toEqual('hello igor');
+      }));
     });
-  });
 
 
-  describe('controller', function() {
-    it('should inject locals to controller', function() {
-      module(function() {
-        directive('widget', function(log) {
-          return {
-            controller: function(attr, prop, assign, read, exp){
-              log(attr);
-              log(prop);
-              log(assign());
-              log(read());
-              log(assign('ng'));
-              exp();
-              expect(function() { read(undefined); }).
-                  toThrow("Expression ''D'' not assignable.");
-              this.result = 'OK';
-            },
-            inject: {
-              attr: 'attribute',
-              prop: 'evaluate',
-              assign: 'accessor',
-              read: 'accessor',
-              exp: 'expression'
-            },
-            link: function(scope, element, attrs, controller) {
-              log(controller.result);
-            }
-          };
-        });
-      });
-      inject(function(log, $compile, $rootScope) {
-        $rootScope.myProp = 'B';
-        $rootScope.bi = {nd: 'C'};
-        $rootScope.name = 'C';
-        element = $compile(
-            '<div><div widget attr="A" prop="myProp" bind="{{bi.nd}}" assign="name" read="\'D\'" ' +
-                'exp="state=\'OK\'">{{bind}}</div></div>')
-            ($rootScope);
-        expect(log).toEqual('A; B; C; D; ng; OK');
-        expect($rootScope.name).toEqual('ng');
-      });
+    describe('object reference', function() {
+      it('should update local when origin changes', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component ref="name">');
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe(undefined);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+
+        $rootScope.name = 'misko';
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe($rootScope.name);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe($rootScope.name);
+
+        $rootScope.name = {};
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe($rootScope.name);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe($rootScope.name);
+      }));
+
+
+      it('should update local when origin changes', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component ref="name">');
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe(undefined);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+
+        componentScope.ref = 'misko';
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect($rootScope.name).toBe('misko');
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe('misko');
+        expect($rootScope.name).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+
+        componentScope.name = {};
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect($rootScope.name).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe(componentScope.ref);
+      }));
+
+
+      it('should update local when both change', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component ref="name">');
+        $rootScope.name = {mark:123};
+        componentScope.ref = 'misko';
+
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect($rootScope.name).toEqual({mark:123})
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe($rootScope.name);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe($rootScope.name);
+
+        $rootScope.name = 'igor';
+        componentScope.ref = {};
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect($rootScope.name).toEqual('igor')
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe($rootScope.name);
+        expect(componentScope.refAlias).toBe($rootScope.name);
+      }));
+
+      it('should complain on non assignable changes', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component ref="\'hello \' + name">');
+        $rootScope.name = 'world';
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe('hello world');
+
+        componentScope.ref = 'ignore me';
+        expect($rootScope.$apply).
+            toThrow("Non-assignable model expression: 'hello ' + name (directive: myComponent)");
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe('hello world');
+        // reset since the exception was rethrown which prevented phase clearing
+        $rootScope.$$phase = null;
+
+        $rootScope.name = 'misko';
+        $rootScope.$apply();
+        expect(componentScope.ref).toBe('hello misko');
+      }));
+    });
+
+
+    describe('executable expression', function() {
+      it('should allow expression execution with locals', inject(function() {
+        compile('<div><span my-component expr="count = count + offset">');
+        $rootScope.count = 2;
+
+        expect(typeof componentScope.expr).toBe('function');
+        expect(typeof componentScope.exprAlias).toBe('function');
+
+        expect(componentScope.expr({offset: 1})).toEqual(3);
+        expect($rootScope.count).toEqual(3);
+
+        expect(componentScope.exprAlias({offset: 10})).toEqual(13);
+        expect($rootScope.count).toEqual(13);
+      }));
     });
 
+    it('should throw on unknown definition', inject(function() {
+      expect(function() {
+        compile('<div><span bad-declaration>');
+      }).toThrow('Invalid isolate scope definition for directive badDeclaration: xxx');
+    }));
+  });
 
+
+  describe('controller', function() {
     it('should get required controller', function() {
       module(function() {
         directive('main', function(log) {
@@ -1986,11 +2056,11 @@ describe('$compile', function() {
       module(function() {
         directive('box', valueFn({
           transclude: 'content',
-          scope: { name: 'evaluate', show: 'accessor' },
+          scope: { name: '=', show: '=' },
           template: '<div><h1>Hello: {{name}}!</h1><div ng-transclude></div></div>',
           link: function(scope, element) {
             scope.$watch(
-                function() { return scope.show(); },
+                'show',
                 function(show) {
                   if (!show) {
                     element.find('div').find('div').remove();
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
index d7ca7aea3520..3b511011d1a6 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ describe('NgModelController', function() {
   var ctrl, scope, ngModelAccessor, element, parentFormCtrl;
 
   beforeEach(inject(function($rootScope, $controller) {
-    var attrs = {name: 'testAlias'};
+    var attrs = {name: 'testAlias', ngModel: 'value'};
 
     parentFormCtrl = {
       $setValidity: jasmine.createSpy('$setValidity'),
@@ -17,12 +17,7 @@ describe('NgModelController', function() {
     scope = $rootScope;
     ngModelAccessor = jasmine.createSpy('ngModel accessor');
     ctrl = $controller(NgModelController, {
-      $scope: scope, $element: element.find('input'), ngModel: ngModelAccessor, $attrs: attrs
-    });
-    // mock accessor (locals)
-    ngModelAccessor.andCallFake(function(val) {
-      if (isDefined(val)) scope.value = val;
-      return scope.value;
+      $scope: scope, $element: element.find('input'), $attrs: attrs
     });
   }));
 
@@ -32,6 +27,26 @@ describe('NgModelController', function() {
   });
 
 
+  it('should fail on non-assignable model binding', inject(function($controller) {
+    var exception;
+
+    try {
+      $controller(NgModelController, {
+        $scope: null,
+        $element: jqLite('<input ng-model="1+2">'),
+        $attrs: {
+          ngModel: '1+2'
+        }
+      });
+    } catch (e) {
+      exception = e;
+    }
+
+    expect(exception.message).
+        toMatch(/Non-assignable model expression: 1\+2 \(<input( value="")? ng-model="1\+2">\)/);
+  }));
+
+
   it('should init the properties', function() {
     expect(ctrl.$dirty).toBe(false);
     expect(ctrl.$pristine).toBe(true);