diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/forms/directives/shared.ts b/modules/angular2/src/forms/directives/shared.ts
index 2b4cf5401b..5ee2b68d9d 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/forms/directives/shared.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/forms/directives/shared.ts
@@ -23,13 +23,14 @@ export function setUpControl(c: Control, dir: ControlDirective) {
   dir.valueAccessor.registerOnChange(newValue => {
     dir.viewToModelUpdate(newValue);
     c.updateValue(newValue);
+    c.markAsDirty();
   });
 
   // model -> view
   c.registerOnChange(newValue => dir.valueAccessor.writeValue(newValue));
 
   // touched
-  dir.valueAccessor.registerOnTouched(() => c.touch());
+  dir.valueAccessor.registerOnTouched(() => c.markAsTouched());
 }
 
 function _throwError(dir: ControlDirective, message: string): void {
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/forms/model.ts b/modules/angular2/src/forms/model.ts
index f375c29a36..eb490b6679 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/forms/model.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/forms/model.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,16 @@ export class AbstractControl {
 
   get valueChanges(): Observable { return this._valueChanges; }
 
-  touch(): void { this._touched = true; }
+  markAsTouched(): void { this._touched = true; }
+
+  markAsDirty({onlySelf}: {onlySelf?: boolean} = {}): void {
+    onlySelf = isPresent(onlySelf) ? onlySelf : false;
+
+    this._pristine = false;
+    if (isPresent(this._parent) && !onlySelf) {
+      this._parent.markAsDirty({onlySelf: onlySelf});
+    }
+  }
 
   setParent(parent) { this._parent = parent; }
 
@@ -80,7 +89,6 @@ export class AbstractControl {
     emitEvent = isPresent(emitEvent) ? emitEvent : true;
 
     this._updateValue();
-    this._pristine = false;
 
     if (emitEvent) {
       ObservableWrapper.callNext(this._valueChanges, this._value);
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/forms/model_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/forms/model_spec.ts
index 1bd89382b8..54b24ddf08 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/forms/model_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/forms/model_spec.ts
@@ -39,19 +39,6 @@ export function main() {
         });
       });
 
-      describe("pristine", () => {
-        it("should be true after creating a control", () => {
-          var c = new Control("value");
-          expect(c.pristine).toEqual(true);
-        });
-
-        it("should be false after changing the value of the control", () => {
-          var c = new Control("value");
-          c.updateValue("new value");
-          expect(c.pristine).toEqual(false);
-        });
-      });
-
       describe("dirty", () => {
         it("should be false after creating a control", () => {
           var c = new Control("value");
@@ -60,7 +47,7 @@ export function main() {
 
         it("should be true after changing the value of the control", () => {
           var c = new Control("value");
-          c.updateValue("new value");
+          c.markAsDirty();
           expect(c.dirty).toEqual(true);
         });
       });
@@ -215,20 +202,22 @@ export function main() {
         });
       });
 
-      describe("pristine", () => {
-        it("should be true after creating a control", () => {
-          var c = new Control('value');
-          var g = new ControlGroup({"one": c});
+      describe("dirty", () => {
+        var c,g;
 
-          expect(g.pristine).toEqual(true);
+        beforeEach(() => {
+          c = new Control('value');
+          g = new ControlGroup({"one": c});
+        });
+
+        it("should be false after creating a control", () => {
+          expect(g.dirty).toEqual(false);
         });
 
         it("should be false after changing the value of the control", () => {
-          var c = new Control('value');
-          var g = new ControlGroup({"one": c});
-          c.updateValue('new value');
+          c.markAsDirty();
 
-          expect(g.pristine).toEqual(false);
+          expect(g.dirty).toEqual(true);
         });
       });
 
@@ -452,19 +441,22 @@ export function main() {
           });
         });
 
-        describe("pristine", () => {
-          it("should be true after creating a control", () => {
-            var a = new ControlArray([new Control(1)]);
-            expect(a.pristine).toBe(true);
+        describe("dirty", () => {
+          var c,a;
+
+          beforeEach(() => {
+            c = new Control('value');
+            a = new ControlArray([c]);
+          });
+
+          it("should be false after creating a control", () => {
+            expect(a.dirty).toEqual(false);
           });
 
           it("should be false after changing the value of the control", () => {
-            var c = new Control(1);
-            var a = new ControlArray([c]);
+            c.markAsDirty();
 
-            c.updateValue('new value');
-
-            expect(a.pristine).toEqual(false);
+            expect(a.dirty).toEqual(true);
           });
         });