diff --git a/src/ng/directive/input.js b/src/ng/directive/input.js
index ff5ec4a194fc..6bc87b0e7899 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/input.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/input.js
@@ -1973,22 +1973,24 @@ var ngModelDirective = function() {
   return {
     require: ['ngModel', '^?form', '^?ngModelOptions'],
     controller: NgModelController,
-    link: function(scope, element, attr, ctrls) {
-      // notify others, especially parent forms
+    link: {
+      pre: function(scope, element, attr, ctrls) {
+        // Pass the ng-model-options to the ng-model controller
+        if (ctrls[2]) {
+          ctrls[0].$options = ctrls[2].$options;
+        }
 
-      var modelCtrl = ctrls[0],
-          formCtrl = ctrls[1] || nullFormCtrl;
+        // notify others, especially parent forms
 
-      formCtrl.$addControl(modelCtrl);
+        var modelCtrl = ctrls[0],
+            formCtrl = ctrls[1] || nullFormCtrl;
 
-      // Pass the ng-model-options to the ng-model controller
-      if ( ctrls[2] ) {
-        modelCtrl.$options = ctrls[2].$options;
-      }
+        formCtrl.$addControl(modelCtrl);
 
-      scope.$on('$destroy', function() {
-        formCtrl.$removeControl(modelCtrl);
-      });
+        scope.$on('$destroy', function() {
+          formCtrl.$removeControl(modelCtrl);
+        });
+      }
     }
   };
 };
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
index a87d3cc51261..43e99f0c6e63 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/inputSpec.js
@@ -642,6 +642,17 @@ describe('input', function() {
       expect(scope.name).toEqual('a');
     });
 
+    it('should allow overriding the model update trigger event on text areas', function() {
+      compileInput(
+          '<textarea ng-model="name" name="alias" '+
+            'ng-model-options="{ updateOn: \'blur\' }"'+
+          '/>');
+
+      changeInputValueTo('a');
+      expect(scope.name).toBeUndefined();
+      browserTrigger(inputElm, 'blur');
+      expect(scope.name).toEqual('a');
+    });
 
     it('should bind the element to a list of events', function() {
       compileInput(