diff --git a/modules/@angular/http/src/backends/xhr_backend.ts b/modules/@angular/http/src/backends/xhr_backend.ts
index 5478d190e9..93530ed717 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/http/src/backends/xhr_backend.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/http/src/backends/xhr_backend.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,12 @@ export class XHRConnection implements Connection {
       };
       // error event handler
       let onError = (err: any) => {
-        var responseOptions = new ResponseOptions({body: err, type: ResponseType.Error});
+        var responseOptions = new ResponseOptions({
+          body: err,
+          type: ResponseType.Error,
+          status: _xhr.status,
+          statusText: _xhr.statusText,
+        });
         if (isPresent(baseResponseOptions)) {
           responseOptions = baseResponseOptions.merge(responseOptions);
         }
diff --git a/modules/@angular/http/test/backends/xhr_backend_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/http/test/backends/xhr_backend_spec.ts
index 3569ca8e1b..313609041c 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/http/test/backends/xhr_backend_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/http/test/backends/xhr_backend_spec.ts
@@ -181,6 +181,24 @@ export function main() {
            existingXHRs[0].dispatchEvent('error');
          }));
 
+      it('should set the status text and status code on error',
+         inject([AsyncTestCompleter], (async: AsyncTestCompleter) => {
+           var connection = new XHRConnection(
+               sampleRequest, new MockBrowserXHR(),
+               new ResponseOptions({type: ResponseType.Error}));
+           connection.response.subscribe(null, (res: Response) => {
+             expect(res.type).toBe(ResponseType.Error);
+             expect(res.status).toEqual(0);
+             expect(res.statusText).toEqual('');
+             async.done();
+           });
+           const xhr = existingXHRs[0];
+           // status=0 with a text='' is common for CORS errors
+           xhr.setStatusCode(0);
+           xhr.setStatusText('');
+           xhr.dispatchEvent('error');
+         }));
+
       it('should call open with method and url when subscribed to', () => {
         var connection = new XHRConnection(sampleRequest, new MockBrowserXHR());
         expect(openSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
@@ -188,7 +206,6 @@ export function main() {
         expect(openSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('GET', sampleRequest.url);
       });
 
-
       it('should call send on the backend with request body when subscribed to', () => {
         var body = 'Some body to love';
         var base = new BaseRequestOptions();