diff --git a/packages/common/src/directives/ng_for_of.ts b/packages/common/src/directives/ng_for_of.ts
index a3ca619cbd..89cb9c1b2e 100644
--- a/packages/common/src/directives/ng_for_of.ts
+++ b/packages/common/src/directives/ng_for_of.ts
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ export class NgForOf<T> implements DoCheck {
       const viewRef = <EmbeddedViewRef<NgForOfContext<T>>>this._viewContainer.get(i);
       viewRef.context.index = i;
       viewRef.context.count = ilen;
+      viewRef.context.ngForOf = this._ngForOf;
     }
 
     changes.forEachIdentityChange((record: any) => {
diff --git a/packages/common/test/directives/ng_for_spec.ts b/packages/common/test/directives/ng_for_spec.ts
index 683333d0b6..0935650f7e 100644
--- a/packages/common/test/directives/ng_for_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/common/test/directives/ng_for_spec.ts
@@ -183,9 +183,12 @@ let thisArg: any;
 
     it('should allow of saving the collection', async(() => {
          const template =
-             '<ul><li *ngFor="let item of [1,2,3] as items; index as i">{{i}}/{{items.length}} - {{item}};</li></ul>';
+             '<ul><li *ngFor="let item of items as collection; index as i">{{i}}/{{collection.length}} - {{item}};</li></ul>';
          fixture = createTestComponent(template);
 
+         detectChangesAndExpectText('0/2 - 1;1/2 - 2;');
+
+         getComponent().items = [1, 2, 3];
          detectChangesAndExpectText('0/3 - 1;1/3 - 2;2/3 - 3;');
        }));