diff --git a/src/auto-complete.js b/src/auto-complete.js
index 5f0a6621..0314bbde 100644
--- a/src/auto-complete.js
+++ b/src/auto-complete.js
@@ -8,18 +8,37 @@
  * @description
  * Provides autocomplete support for the tagsInput directive.
  *
- * @param {expression} source Callback that will be called for every keystroke and will be provided with the current
- *                            input's value. Must return a promise.
+ * @param {expression} source Expression to evaluate upon changing the input content. The input value is available as $text.
+ *                            The result of the expression must be a promise that resolves to an array of strings.
  */
-angular.module('tags-input').directive('autoComplete', function($document) {
-    function SuggestionList(loadFn) {
-        var self = {};
+angular.module('tags-input').directive('autoComplete', function($document, $interpolate, $timeout) {
+    function initializeOptions(scope, attrs, options) {
+        var converters = {};
+        converters[String] = function(value) { return value; };
+        converters[Number] = function(value) { return parseInt(value, 10); };
+        converters[Boolean] = function(value) { return value === 'true'; };
+        converters[RegExp] = function(value) { return new RegExp(value); };
+
+        scope.options = {};
+
+        angular.forEach(options, function(value, key) {
+            var interpolatedValue = attrs[key] && $interpolate(attrs[key])(scope.$parent),
+                converter = converters[options[key].type];
+
+            scope.options[key] = interpolatedValue ? converter(interpolatedValue) : options[key].defaultValue;
+        });
+    }
+
+    function SuggestionList(loadFn, options) {
+        var self = {}, debouncedLoadId;
 
         self.reset = function() {
             self.items = [];
             self.visible = false;
             self.index = -1;
             self.selected = null;
+
+            $timeout.cancel(debouncedLoadId);
         };
         self.show = function() {
             self.selected = null;
@@ -29,16 +48,15 @@ angular.module('tags-input').directive('autoComplete', function($document) {
             self.visible = false;
         };
         self.load = function(text) {
-            if (self.selected === text) {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            loadFn({ $text: text }).then(function(items) {
-                self.items = items;
-                if (items.length > 0) {
-                    self.show();
-                }
-            });
+            $timeout.cancel(debouncedLoadId);
+            debouncedLoadId = $timeout(function() {
+                loadFn({ $text: text }).then(function(items) {
+                    self.items = items;
+                    if (items.length > 0) {
+                        self.show();
+                    }
+                });
+            }, options.debounceDelay, false);
         };
         self.selectNext = function() {
             self.select(++self.index);
@@ -76,10 +94,15 @@ angular.module('tags-input').directive('autoComplete', function($document) {
                   '</div>',
         link: function(scope, element, attrs, tagsInputCtrl) {
             var hotkeys = [KEYS.enter, KEYS.tab, KEYS.escape, KEYS.up, KEYS.down],
-                suggestionList = new SuggestionList(scope.source),
+                suggestionList, tagsInput, input;
+
+            initializeOptions(scope, attrs, {
+                debounceDelay: { type: Number, defaultValue: 100 }
+            });
 
-                tagsInput = tagsInputCtrl.registerAutocomplete(),
-                input = tagsInput.input;
+            suggestionList = new SuggestionList(scope.source, scope.options);
+            tagsInput = tagsInputCtrl.registerAutocomplete();
+            input = tagsInput.input;
 
             scope.suggestionList = suggestionList;
 
diff --git a/test/auto-complete.spec.js b/test/auto-complete.spec.js
index 79a16b1f..ea82aec3 100644
--- a/test/auto-complete.spec.js
+++ b/test/auto-complete.spec.js
@@ -2,16 +2,17 @@
 'use strict';
 
 describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
-    var $compile, $scope, $q,
-        parentCtrl, element, input, suggestionList, deferred, inputChangeHandler, onTagAddedHandler;
+    var $compile, $scope, $q, $timeout,
+        parentCtrl, element, isolateScope, input, suggestionList, deferred, inputChangeHandler, onTagAddedHandler;
 
     beforeEach(function () {
         module('tags-input');
 
-        inject(function($rootScope, _$compile_, _$q_) {
+        inject(function($rootScope, _$compile_, _$q_, _$timeout_) {
             $scope = $rootScope;
             $compile = _$compile_;
             $q = _$q_;
+            $timeout = _$timeout_;
         });
 
         deferred = $q.defer();
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
     });
 
     function compile() {
-        var parent, tagsInput;
+        var parent, tagsInput, options;
 
         input = angular.element('<input type="text">');
         input.changeValue = jasmine.createSpy();
@@ -39,13 +40,15 @@ describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
 
         spyOn(parentCtrl, 'registerAutocomplete').andReturn(tagsInput);
 
-        element = angular.element('<auto-complete source="loadItems($text)"></auto-complete>');
+        options = jQuery.makeArray(arguments).join(' ');
+        element = angular.element('<auto-complete source="loadItems($text)" ' + options + '></auto-complete>');
         parent.append(element);
 
         $compile(element)($scope);
         $scope.$digest();
-        
-        suggestionList = element.isolateScope().suggestionList;
+
+        isolateScope = element.isolateScope();
+        suggestionList = isolateScope.suggestionList;
     }
 
     function resolve(items) {
@@ -87,6 +90,7 @@ describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
 
     function loadSuggestions(items) {
         suggestionList.load('');
+        $timeout.flush();
         resolve(items);
     }
 
@@ -223,25 +227,12 @@ describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
             suggestionList.select(0);
 
             // Act
-            element.isolateScope().addSuggestion();
+            isolateScope.addSuggestion();
 
             // Assert
             expect(suggestionList.selected).toBeNull();
         });
 
-        it('calls the load function for every key pressed passing the input content', function() {
-            // Act
-            changeInputValue('A');
-            changeInputValue('AB');
-            changeInputValue('ABC');
-
-            // Assert
-            expect($scope.loadItems.callCount).toBe(3);
-            expect($scope.loadItems.calls[0].args[0]).toBe('A');
-            expect($scope.loadItems.calls[1].args[0]).toBe('AB');
-            expect($scope.loadItems.calls[2].args[0]).toBe('ABC');
-        });
-
         it('does not call the load function after adding the selected suggestion to the input field', function() {
             // Arrange
             loadSuggestions(['Item1', 'Item2']);
@@ -500,6 +491,75 @@ describe('autocomplete-directive', function () {
             expect(event.isPropagationStopped()).toBe(false);
         });
     });
+
+    describe('debounce-delay option', function () {
+        it('doesn\'t call the load function immediately', function () {
+            // Arrange
+            compile('debounce-delay="100"');
+
+            // Act
+            changeInputValue('A');
+            changeInputValue('AB');
+            changeInputValue('ABC');
+
+            // Assert
+            expect($scope.loadItems).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        });
+
+        it('calls the load function only after a delay has passed', function() {
+            // Arrange
+            compile('debounce-delay="100"');
+
+            // Act
+            changeInputValue('A');
+            changeInputValue('AB');
+            changeInputValue('ABC');
+
+            $timeout.flush();
+
+            // Assert
+            expect($scope.loadItems).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ABC');
+        });
+
+        it('doesn\'t call the load function when the reset method is called', function() {
+            // Arrange
+            compile();
+            changeInputValue('A');
+
+            // Act
+            suggestionList.reset();
+            $timeout.flush();
+
+            // Assert
+            expect($scope.loadItems).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+        });
+
+        it('initializes the option to 100 milliseconds', function () {
+            // Arrange/Act
+            compile();
+
+            // Assert
+            expect(isolateScope.options.debounceDelay).toBe(100);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the option given a static string', function() {
+            // Arrange/Act
+            compile('debounce-delay="1000"');
+
+            // Assert
+            expect(isolateScope.options.debounceDelay).toBe(1000);
+        });
+
+        it('sets the option given an interpolated string', function() {
+            // Arrange/Act
+            $scope.value = 1000;
+            compile('debounce-delay="{{ value }}"');
+
+            // Assert
+            expect(isolateScope.options.debounceDelay).toBe(1000);
+        });
+    });
 });
 
 })();
diff --git a/test/test-page.html b/test/test-page.html
index ed53c81d..a4379e12 100644
--- a/test/test-page.html
+++ b/test/test-page.html
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 </head>
 <body ng-controller="Ctrl">
   <tags-input ng-model="tags" placeholder="{{ placeholder.value }}">
-    <auto-complete source="loadItems"></auto-complete>
+    <auto-complete source="loadItems($text)" debounce-delay="100"></auto-complete>
   </tags-input>
 
   <script type="text/javascript">
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
             $scope.tags = ['some', 'cool', 'tags'];
             $scope.placeholder = {value: "New tag" };
             $scope.loadItems = function(text) {
+              console.log(text);
               var deferred = $q.defer();
               deferred.resolve(['Item1', 'Item2', 'Item3']);
               return deferred.promise;