diff --git a/modules/change_detection/src/parser/parser.js b/modules/change_detection/src/parser/parser.js
index 475fe0e2dc..e60460e49d 100644
--- a/modules/change_detection/src/parser/parser.js
+++ b/modules/change_detection/src/parser/parser.js
@@ -420,20 +420,39 @@ class _ParseAST {
     return positionals;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * An identifier, a keyword, a string with an optional `-` inbetween.
+   */
+  expectTemplateBindingKey() {
+    var result = '';
+    var operatorFound = false;
+    do {
+      result += this.expectIdentifierOrKeywordOrString();
+      operatorFound = this.optionalOperator('-');
+      if (operatorFound) {
+        result += '-';
+      }
+    } while (operatorFound);
+
+    return result.toString();
+  }
+
   parseTemplateBindings() {
     var bindings = [];
     while (this.index < this.tokens.length) {
-      var key = this.expectIdentifierOrKeywordOrString();
+      var key = this.expectTemplateBindingKey();
       this.optionalCharacter($COLON);
       var name = null;
       var expression = null;
-      if (this.optionalOperator("#")) {
-        name = this.expectIdentifierOrKeyword();
-      } else {
-        var start = this.inputIndex;
-        var ast = this.parseExpression();
-        var source = this.input.substring(start, this.inputIndex);
-        expression = new ASTWithSource(ast, source);
+      if (this.next !== EOF) {
+        if (this.optionalOperator("#")) {
+          name = this.expectIdentifierOrKeyword();
+        } else {
+          var start = this.inputIndex;
+          var ast = this.parseExpression();
+          var source = this.input.substring(start, this.inputIndex);
+          expression = new ASTWithSource(ast, source);
+        }
       }
       ListWrapper.push(bindings, new TemplateBinding(key, name, expression));
       if (!this.optionalCharacter($SEMICOLON)) {
diff --git a/modules/change_detection/test/parser/parser_spec.js b/modules/change_detection/test/parser/parser_spec.js
index a4a1a555f2..9160157e9d 100644
--- a/modules/change_detection/test/parser/parser_spec.js
+++ b/modules/change_detection/test/parser/parser_spec.js
@@ -417,7 +417,12 @@ export function main() {
         expect(bindings).toEqual([]);
       });
 
-      it('should only allow identifier, string, or keyword as keys', () => {
+      it('should parse a string without a value', () => {
+        var bindings = parseTemplateBindings('a');
+        expect(keys(bindings)).toEqual(['a']);
+      });
+
+      it('should only allow identifier, string, or keyword including dashes as keys', () => {
         var bindings = parseTemplateBindings("a:'b'");
         expect(keys(bindings)).toEqual(['a']);
 
@@ -427,6 +432,9 @@ export function main() {
         bindings = parseTemplateBindings("\"a\":'b'");
         expect(keys(bindings)).toEqual(['a']);
 
+        bindings = parseTemplateBindings("a-b:'c'");
+        expect(keys(bindings)).toEqual(['a-b']);
+
         expect( () => {
           parseTemplateBindings('(:0');
         }).toThrowError(new RegExp('expected identifier, keyword, or string'));
diff --git a/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter.js b/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter.js
index c0be92ff39..ba3fa1b360 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter.js
+++ b/modules/core/src/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter.js
@@ -79,8 +79,10 @@ export class ViewSplitter extends CompileStep {
       var binding = bindings[i];
       if (isPresent(binding.name)) {
         compileElement.addVariableBinding(binding.key, binding.name);
-      } else {
+      } else if (isPresent(binding.expression)) {
         compileElement.addPropertyBinding(binding.key, binding.expression);
+      } else {
+        compileElement.element.setAttribute(binding.key, '');
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter_spec.js b/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter_spec.js
index 3aea463728..a8818f1853 100644
--- a/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter_spec.js
+++ b/modules/core/test/compiler/pipeline/view_splitter_spec.js
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ export function main() {
         expect(results[1].variableBindings).toEqual(MapWrapper.createFromStringMap({'varName': 'mapName'}));
       });
 
+      it('should add entries without value as attribute to the element', () => {
+        var rootElement = createElement('<div><div template="varname"></div></div>');
+        var results = createPipeline().process(rootElement);
+        expect(results[1].attrs()).toEqual(MapWrapper.createFromStringMap({'varname': ''}));
+        expect(results[1].propertyBindings).toBe(null);
+        expect(results[1].variableBindings).toBe(null);
+      });
+
     });
 
   });