diff --git a/src/ng/http.js b/src/ng/http.js
index aa0eca740642..512c363fe21f 100644
--- a/src/ng/http.js
+++ b/src/ng/http.js
@@ -108,8 +108,7 @@ function $HttpProvider() {
     // default headers
     headers: {
       common: {
-        'Accept': 'application/json, text/plain, */*',
-        'X-Requested-With': 'XMLHttpRequest'
+        'Accept': 'application/json, text/plain, */*'
       },
       post: {'Content-Type': 'application/json;charset=utf-8'},
       put:  {'Content-Type': 'application/json;charset=utf-8'}
@@ -212,7 +211,6 @@ function $HttpProvider() {
      *
      * - `$httpProvider.defaults.headers.common` (headers that are common for all requests):
      *   - `Accept: application/json, text/plain, * / *`
-     *   - `X-Requested-With: XMLHttpRequest`
      * - `$httpProvider.defaults.headers.post`: (header defaults for HTTP POST requests)
      *   - `Content-Type: application/json`
      * - `$httpProvider.defaults.headers.put` (header defaults for HTTP PUT requests)
diff --git a/test/ng/httpSpec.js b/test/ng/httpSpec.js
index 45d31eef914b..23d6c28102fb 100644
--- a/test/ng/httpSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/httpSpec.js
@@ -371,8 +371,7 @@ describe('$http', function() {
 
       it('should set default headers for GET request', function() {
         $httpBackend.expect('GET', '/url', undefined, function(headers) {
-          return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*' &&
-                 headers['X-Requested-With'] == 'XMLHttpRequest';
+          return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*';
         }).respond('');
 
         $http({url: '/url', method: 'GET', headers: {}});
@@ -383,7 +382,6 @@ describe('$http', function() {
       it('should set default headers for POST request', function() {
         $httpBackend.expect('POST', '/url', 'messageBody', function(headers) {
           return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*' &&
-                 headers['X-Requested-With'] == 'XMLHttpRequest' &&
                  headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json;charset=utf-8';
         }).respond('');
 
@@ -395,7 +393,6 @@ describe('$http', function() {
       it('should set default headers for PUT request', function() {
         $httpBackend.expect('PUT', '/url', 'messageBody', function(headers) {
           return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*' &&
-                 headers['X-Requested-With'] == 'XMLHttpRequest' &&
                  headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json;charset=utf-8';
         }).respond('');
 
@@ -406,8 +403,7 @@ describe('$http', function() {
 
       it('should set default headers for custom HTTP method', function() {
         $httpBackend.expect('FOO', '/url', undefined, function(headers) {
-          return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*' &&
-                 headers['X-Requested-With'] == 'XMLHttpRequest';
+          return headers['Accept'] == 'application/json, text/plain, */*';
         }).respond('');
 
         $http({url: '/url', method: 'FOO', headers: {}});
@@ -418,7 +414,6 @@ describe('$http', function() {
       it('should override default headers with custom', function() {
         $httpBackend.expect('POST', '/url', 'messageBody', function(headers) {
           return headers['Accept'] == 'Rewritten' &&
-                 headers['X-Requested-With'] == 'XMLHttpRequest' &&
                  headers['Content-Type'] == 'Rewritten';
         }).respond('');