diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/annotations_impl/annotations.js b/modules/angular2/src/core/annotations_impl/annotations.js
index c944a682bd..ccde9f28bf 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/annotations_impl/annotations.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/annotations_impl/annotations.js
@@ -598,6 +598,28 @@ export class Directive extends Injectable {
    */
   hostProperties:any; // String map
 
+  /**
+   * Specifies static attributes that should be propagated to a host element. Attributes specified in `hostAttributes`
+   * are propagated only if a given attribute is not present on a host element.
+   *
+   * ## Syntax
+   *
+   * ```
+   * @Directive({
+   *   selector: '[my-button]',
+   *   hostAttributes: {
+   *     'role': 'button'
+   *   }
+   * })
+   * class MyButton {
+   * }
+   *
+   * In this example using `my-button` directive (ex.: `<div my-button></div>`) on a host element (here: `<div>` )
+   * will ensure that this element will get the "button" role.
+   * ```
+   */
+  hostAttributes:any; // String map
+
   /**
    * Specifies a set of lifecycle hostListeners in which the directive participates.
    *
@@ -618,6 +640,7 @@ export class Directive extends Injectable {
       events,
       hostListeners,
       hostProperties,
+      hostAttributes,
       lifecycle,
       compileChildren = true,
     }:{
@@ -626,6 +649,7 @@ export class Directive extends Injectable {
       events:List,
       hostListeners: any,
       hostProperties: any,
+      hostAttributes: any,
       lifecycle:List,
       compileChildren:boolean
     }={})
@@ -636,6 +660,7 @@ export class Directive extends Injectable {
     this.events = events;
     this.hostListeners = hostListeners;
     this.hostProperties = hostProperties;
+    this.hostAttributes = hostAttributes;
     this.lifecycle = lifecycle;
     this.compileChildren = compileChildren;
   }
@@ -797,6 +822,7 @@ export class Component extends Directive {
       events,
       hostListeners,
       hostProperties,
+      hostAttributes,
       injectables,
       lifecycle,
       changeDetection = DEFAULT,
@@ -807,6 +833,7 @@ export class Component extends Directive {
       events:List,
       hostListeners:any,
       hostProperties:any,
+      hostAttributes:any,
       injectables:List,
       lifecycle:List,
       changeDetection:string,
@@ -819,6 +846,7 @@ export class Component extends Directive {
       events: events,
       hostListeners: hostListeners,
       hostProperties: hostProperties,
+      hostAttributes: hostAttributes,
       lifecycle: lifecycle,
       compileChildren: compileChildren
     });
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/compiler.js b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/compiler.js
index 8f8b316568..16bc783d3b 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/compiler.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/compiler.js
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ export class Compiler {
       compileChildren: compileChildren,
       hostListeners: isPresent(ann.hostListeners) ? MapWrapper.createFromStringMap(ann.hostListeners) : null,
       hostProperties: isPresent(ann.hostProperties) ? MapWrapper.createFromStringMap(ann.hostProperties) : null,
+      hostAttributes: isPresent(ann.hostAttributes) ? MapWrapper.createFromStringMap(ann.hostAttributes) : null,
       properties: isPresent(ann.properties) ? MapWrapper.createFromStringMap(ann.properties) : null,
       readAttributes: readAttributes
     });
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.dart b/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.dart
index 1588c1772d..f85414530b 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.dart
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ class BrowserDomAdapter extends GenericBrowserDomAdapter {
     return new Map.from(element.attributes);
   }
 
+  bool hasAttribute(Element element, String attribute) =>
+      element.attributes.containsKey(attribute);
+
   String getAttribute(Element element, String attribute) =>
       element.getAttribute(attribute);
 
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.es6 b/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.es6
index dfeefd5f3e..4990b95cc2 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.es6
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/dom/browser_adapter.es6
@@ -263,6 +263,9 @@ export class BrowserDomAdapter extends GenericBrowserDomAdapter {
     }
     return res;
   }
+  hasAttribute(element, attribute:string) {
+    return element.hasAttribute(attribute);
+  }
   getAttribute(element, attribute:string) {
     return element.getAttribute(attribute);
   }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/dom/dom_adapter.js b/modules/angular2/src/dom/dom_adapter.js
index ae75257f3f..cff55c4b6b 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/dom/dom_adapter.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/dom/dom_adapter.js
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ export class DomAdapter {
   attributeMap(element) {
     throw _abstract();
   }
+  hasAttribute(element, attribute:string):boolean {
+    throw _abstract();
+  }
   getAttribute(element, attribute:string):string {
     throw _abstract();
   }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/dom/html_adapter.dart b/modules/angular2/src/dom/html_adapter.dart
index 5b7173a65b..297f8680be 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/dom/html_adapter.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/dom/html_adapter.dart
@@ -211,6 +211,9 @@ class Html5LibDomAdapter implements DomAdapter {
     });
     return map;
   }
+  hasAttribute(element, String attribute) {
+    throw 'not implemented';
+  }
   getAttribute(element, String attribute) {
     throw 'not implemented';
   }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/dom/parse5_adapter.cjs b/modules/angular2/src/dom/parse5_adapter.cjs
index d126d185fa..28f9642237 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/dom/parse5_adapter.cjs
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/dom/parse5_adapter.cjs
@@ -384,6 +384,9 @@ export class Parse5DomAdapter extends DomAdapter {
     }
     return res;
   }
+  hasAttribute(element, attribute:string) {
+    return element.attribs && element.attribs.hasOwnProperty(attribute);
+  }
   getAttribute(element, attribute:string) {
     return element.attribs && element.attribs.hasOwnProperty(attribute)? element.attribs[attribute]: null;
   }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/render/api.js b/modules/angular2/src/render/api.js
index 307248e7a3..92e9404124 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/render/api.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/render/api.js
@@ -116,15 +116,17 @@ export class DirectiveMetadata {
   compileChildren:boolean;
   hostListeners:Map<string, string>;
   hostProperties:Map<string, string>;
+  hostAttributes:Map<string, string>;
   properties:Map<string, string>;
   readAttributes:List<string>;
   type:number;
-  constructor({id, selector, compileChildren, hostListeners, hostProperties, properties, readAttributes, type}) {
+  constructor({id, selector, compileChildren, hostListeners, hostProperties, hostAttributes, properties, readAttributes, type}) {
     this.id = id;
     this.selector = selector;
     this.compileChildren = isPresent(compileChildren) ? compileChildren : true;
     this.hostListeners = hostListeners;
     this.hostProperties = hostProperties;
+    this.hostAttributes = hostAttributes;
     this.properties = properties;
     this.readAttributes = readAttributes;
     this.type = type;
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser.js b/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser.js
index 91cec5eff5..9b0b32208b 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser.js
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@ export class DirectiveParser extends CompileStep {
           this._bindHostProperty(hostPropertyName, directivePropertyName, current, directiveBinderBuilder);
         });
       }
+      if (isPresent(directive.hostAttributes)) {
+        MapWrapper.forEach(directive.hostAttributes, (hostAttrValue, hostAttrName) => {
+          if (!DOM.hasAttribute(current.element, hostAttrName)) {
+            DOM.setAttribute(current.element, hostAttrName, hostAttrValue);
+          }
+        });
+      }
       if (isPresent(directive.readAttributes)) {
         ListWrapper.forEach(directive.readAttributes, (attrName) => {
           elementBinder.readAttribute(attrName);
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/convert.js b/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/convert.js
index 556ffa5574..9b57c08554 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/convert.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/render/dom/convert.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export function directiveMetadataToMap(meta: DirectiveMetadata): Map {
     ['compileChildren', meta.compileChildren],
     ['hostListeners', _cloneIfPresent(meta.hostListeners)],
     ['hostProperties', _cloneIfPresent(meta.hostProperties)],
+    ['hostAttributes', _cloneIfPresent(meta.hostAttributes)],
     ['properties', _cloneIfPresent(meta.properties)],
     ['readAttributes', _cloneIfPresent(meta.readAttributes)],
     ['type', meta.type],
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ export function directiveMetadataFromMap(map: Map): DirectiveMetadata {
     compileChildren: MapWrapper.get(map, 'compileChildren'),
     hostListeners: _cloneIfPresent(MapWrapper.get(map, 'hostListeners')),
     hostProperties: _cloneIfPresent(MapWrapper.get(map, 'hostProperties')),
+    hostAttributes: _cloneIfPresent(MapWrapper.get(map, 'hostAttributes')),
     properties: _cloneIfPresent(MapWrapper.get(map, 'properties')),
     readAttributes: _cloneIfPresent(MapWrapper.get(map, 'readAttributes')),
     type: MapWrapper.get(map, 'type')
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/integration_spec.js b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/integration_spec.js
index 7312b77b92..27a5ba1ce6 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/integration_spec.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/integration_spec.js
@@ -617,6 +617,21 @@ export function main() {
         });
       }));
 
+      it('should support updating host element via hostAttributes', inject([TestBed, AsyncTestCompleter], (tb, async) => {
+        tb.overrideView(MyComp, new View({
+          template: '<div update-host-attributes></div>',
+          directives: [DirectiveUpdatingHostAttributes]
+        }));
+
+        tb.createView(MyComp, {context: ctx}).then((view) => {
+          view.detectChanges();
+
+          expect(DOM.getAttribute(view.rootNodes[0], "role")).toEqual("button");
+
+          async.done();
+        });
+      }));
+
       it('should support updating host element via hostProperties', inject([TestBed, AsyncTestCompleter], (tb, async) => {
         tb.overrideView(MyComp, new View({
           template: '<div update-host-properties></div>',
@@ -1095,6 +1110,15 @@ class DirectiveEmitingEvent {
   }
 }
 
+@Directive({
+  selector: '[update-host-attributes]',
+  hostAttributes: {
+    'role' : 'button'
+  }
+})
+class DirectiveUpdatingHostAttributes {
+}
+
 @Directive({
   selector: '[update-host-properties]',
   hostProperties: {
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser_spec.js b/modules/angular2/test/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser_spec.js
index a219693ca9..2c40cb342b 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser_spec.js
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser_spec.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {describe, beforeEach, it, xit, expect, iit, ddescribe, el} from 'angular2/test_lib';
 import {isPresent, isBlank, assertionsEnabled} from 'angular2/src/facade/lang';
 import {ListWrapper, MapWrapper, StringMapWrapper} from 'angular2/src/facade/collection';
+import {DOM} from 'angular2/src/dom/dom_adapter';
 import {DirectiveParser} from 'angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/directive_parser';
 import {CompilePipeline} from 'angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/compile_pipeline';
 import {CompileStep} from 'angular2/src/render/dom/compiler/compile_step';
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ export function main() {
         decoratorWithMultipleAttrs,
         someDirectiveWithProps,
         someDirectiveWithHostProperties,
+        someDirectiveWithHostAttributes,
         someDirectiveWithEvents,
         someDirectiveWithGlobalEvents
       ];
@@ -123,6 +125,24 @@ export function main() {
       expect(ast.source).toEqual('dirProp');
     });
 
+    it('should set host element attributes', () => {
+      var element = el('<input some-decor-with-host-attrs>');
+      var results = process(element);
+
+      expect(DOM.getAttribute(results[0].element, 'attr_name')).toEqual('attr_val');
+    });
+
+    it('should not set host element attribute if an attribute already exists', () => {
+      var element = el('<input attr_name="initial" some-decor-with-host-attrs>');
+      var results = process(element);
+
+      expect(DOM.getAttribute(results[0].element, 'attr_name')).toEqual('initial');
+
+      DOM.removeAttribute(element, 'attr_name');
+      results = process(element);
+      expect(DOM.getAttribute(results[0].element, 'attr_name')).toEqual('attr_val');
+    });
+
     it('should read attribute values', () => {
       var element = el('<input some-decor-props some-attr="someValue">');
       var results = process(element);
@@ -242,6 +262,13 @@ var someDirectiveWithHostProperties = new DirectiveMetadata({
   })
 });
 
+var someDirectiveWithHostAttributes = new DirectiveMetadata({
+  selector: '[some-decor-with-host-attrs]',
+  hostAttributes: MapWrapper.createFromStringMap({
+    'attr_name': 'attr_val'
+  })
+});
+
 var someDirectiveWithEvents = new DirectiveMetadata({
   selector: '[some-decor-events]',
   hostListeners: MapWrapper.createFromStringMap({