diff --git a/src/modal/modal.js b/src/modal/modal.js
index f0b82a4fd2..804e208dd3 100644
--- a/src/modal/modal.js
+++ b/src/modal/modal.js
@@ -702,23 +702,16 @@ angular.module('ui.bootstrap.modal', ['ui.bootstrap.stackedMap', 'ui.bootstrap.p
 
                   // the third param will make the controller instantiate later,private api
                   // @see https://github.com/angular/angular.js/blob/master/src/ng/controller.js#L126
-                  ctrlInstantiate = $controller(modalOptions.controller, ctrlLocals, true);
-                  if (modalOptions.controllerAs) {
+                  ctrlInstantiate = $controller(modalOptions.controller, ctrlLocals, true, modalOptions.controllerAs);
+                  if (modalOptions.controllerAs && modalOptions.bindToController) {
                     ctrlInstance = ctrlInstantiate.instance;
-
-                    if (modalOptions.bindToController) {
-                      ctrlInstance.$close = modalScope.$close;
-                      ctrlInstance.$dismiss = modalScope.$dismiss;
-                      angular.extend(ctrlInstance, providedScope);
-                    }
-
-                    ctrlInstance = ctrlInstantiate();
-
-                    modalScope[modalOptions.controllerAs] = ctrlInstance;
-                  } else {
-                    ctrlInstance = ctrlInstantiate();
+                    ctrlInstance.$close = modalScope.$close;
+                    ctrlInstance.$dismiss = modalScope.$dismiss;
+                    angular.extend(ctrlInstance, providedScope);
                   }
 
+                  ctrlInstance = ctrlInstantiate();
+
                   if (angular.isFunction(ctrlInstance.$onInit)) {
                     ctrlInstance.$onInit();
                   }