diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.dart b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.dart
index 450f753da5..d8fbc4757f 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.dart
@@ -91,8 +91,9 @@ class PublicTestability implements _JsObjectProxyable {
 
 class GetTestability {
   static addToWindow(TestabilityRegistry registry) {
-    js.context['getAngularTestability'] = _jsify((Element elem) {
-      Testability testability = registry.findTestabilityInTree(elem);
+    js.context['getAngularTestability'] = _jsify((Element elem,
+        [bool findInAncestors = true]) {
+      Testability testability = registry.findTestabilityInTree(elem, findInAncestors);
       if (testability == null) {
         throw 'Could not find testability for element.';
       }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.ts
index f4a23508e0..e8ccf97f58 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/get_testability.ts
@@ -15,14 +15,15 @@ class PublicTestability {
 
 export class GetTestability {
   static addToWindow(registry: TestabilityRegistry) {
-    global.getAngularTestability = function(elem: Element): PublicTestability {
-      var testability = registry.findTestabilityInTree(elem);
+    global.getAngularTestability = function(elem: Element, findInAncestors: boolean = true):
+        PublicTestability {
+          var testability = registry.findTestabilityInTree(elem, findInAncestors);
 
-      if (testability == null) {
-        throw new Error('Could not find testability for element.');
-      }
-      return new PublicTestability(testability);
-    };
+          if (testability == null) {
+            throw new Error('Could not find testability for element.');
+          }
+          return new PublicTestability(testability);
+        };
     global.getAllAngularTestabilities = function(): List<PublicTestability> {
       var testabilities = registry.getAllTestabilities();
       return testabilities.map((testability) => { return new PublicTestability(testability); });
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/testability.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/testability.ts
index 80e14461de..c7bc613407 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/testability.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/testability/testability.ts
@@ -84,12 +84,14 @@ export class TestabilityRegistry {
 
   getAllTestabilities(): List<Testability> { return MapWrapper.values(this._applications); }
 
-  findTestabilityInTree(elem: Node): Testability {
+  findTestabilityInTree(elem: Node, findInAncestors: boolean = true): Testability {
     if (elem == null) {
       return null;
     }
     if (this._applications.has(elem)) {
       return this._applications.get(elem);
+    } else if (!findInAncestors) {
+      return null;
     }
     if (DOM.isShadowRoot(elem)) {
       return this.findTestabilityInTree(DOM.getHost(elem));