diff --git a/src/datepicker/datepicker.js b/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
index 8c0af8eeb8..130ada20d4 100644
--- a/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
+++ b/src/datepicker/datepicker.js
@@ -272,23 +272,6 @@ function ($compile, $parse, $document, $position, dateFilter, datepickerPopupCon
         scope.$destroy();
       });
 
-      function formatDate(value) {
-        return (value) ? dateFilter(value, dateFormat) : null;
-      }
-      ngModel.$formatters.push(formatDate);
-
-      // TODO: reverse from dateFilter string to Date object
-      function parseDate(value) {
-        if ( value ) {
-          var date = new Date(value);
-          if (!isNaN(date)) {
-            return date;
-          }
-        }
-        return value;
-      }
-      ngModel.$parsers.push(parseDate);
-
       var getIsOpen, setIsOpen;
       if ( attrs.isOpen ) {
         getIsOpen = $parse(attrs.isOpen);
@@ -333,33 +316,58 @@ function ($compile, $parse, $document, $position, dateFilter, datepickerPopupCon
         datepickerEl.attr(angular.extend({}, originalScope.$eval(attrs.datepickerOptions)));
       }
 
-      var $setModelValue = $parse(attrs.ngModel).assign;
+      // TODO: reverse from dateFilter string to Date object
+      function parseDate(viewValue) {
+        if (!viewValue) {
+          ngModel.$setValidity('date', true);
+          return null;
+        } else if (angular.isDate(viewValue)) {
+          ngModel.$setValidity('date', true);
+          return viewValue;
+        } else if (angular.isString(viewValue)) {
+          var date = new Date(viewValue);
+          if (isNaN(date)) {
+            ngModel.$setValidity('date', false);
+            return undefined;
+          } else {
+            ngModel.$setValidity('date', true);
+            return date;
+          }
+        } else {
+          ngModel.$setValidity('date', false);
+          return undefined;
+        }
+      }
+      ngModel.$parsers.unshift(parseDate);
 
       // Inner change
       scope.dateSelection = function() {
-        $setModelValue(originalScope, scope.date);
+        ngModel.$setViewValue(scope.date);
+        ngModel.$render();
+
         if (closeOnDateSelection) {
           setOpen( false );
         }
       };
 
+      element.bind('input change keyup', function() {
+        scope.$apply(function() {
+          updateCalendar();
+        });
+      });
+
       // Outter change
-      scope.$watch(function() {
-        return ngModel.$modelValue;
-      }, function(value) {
-        if (angular.isString(value)) {
-          var date = parseDate(value);
-
-          if (value && !date) {
-            $setModelValue(originalScope, null);
-            throw new Error(value + ' cannot be parsed to a date object.');
-          } else {
-            value = date;
-          }
-        }
-        scope.date = value;
+      ngModel.$render = function() {
+        var date = ngModel.$viewValue ? dateFilter(ngModel.$viewValue, dateFormat) : '';
+        element.val(date);
+
+        updateCalendar();
+      };
+
+      function updateCalendar() {
+        scope.date = ngModel.$modelValue;
         updatePosition();
-      });
+      }
 
       function addWatchableAttribute(attribute, scopeProperty, datepickerAttribute) {
         if (attribute) {
@@ -409,6 +417,8 @@ function ($compile, $parse, $document, $position, dateFilter, datepickerPopupCon
         }
       });
 
+      var $setModelValue = $parse(attrs.ngModel).assign;
+
       scope.today = function() {
         $setModelValue(originalScope, new Date());
       };
diff --git a/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js b/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
index 221c85ad04..2e81632d5f 100644
--- a/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
+++ b/src/datepicker/test/datepicker.spec.js
@@ -1000,6 +1000,12 @@ describe('datepicker directive', function () {
       expect($rootScope.date).toEqual(new Date('September 15, 2010 15:30:00'));
     });
 
+    it('should mark the input field dirty when a day is clicked', function() {
+      expect(inputEl).toHaveClass('ng-pristine');
+      clickOption(2, 3);
+      expect(inputEl).toHaveClass('ng-dirty');
+    });
+
     it('updates the input correctly when model changes', function() {
       $rootScope.date = new Date("January 10, 1983 10:00:00");
       $rootScope.$digest();
@@ -1014,11 +1020,22 @@ describe('datepicker directive', function () {
       expect(dropdownEl.css('display')).toBe('none');
     });
 
-    it('updates the model when input value changes', function() {
+    it('updates the model & calendar when input value changes', function() {
       changeInputValueTo(inputEl, 'March 5, 1980');
+
       expect($rootScope.date.getFullYear()).toEqual(1980);
       expect($rootScope.date.getMonth()).toEqual(2);
       expect($rootScope.date.getDate()).toEqual(5);
+
+      expect(getOptions()).toEqual([
+        ['24', '25', '26', '27', '28', '29', '01'],
+        ['02', '03', '04', '05', '06', '07', '08'],
+        ['09', '10', '11', '12', '13', '14', '15'],
+        ['16', '17', '18', '19', '20', '21', '22'],
+        ['23', '24', '25', '26', '27', '28', '29'],
+        ['30', '31', '01', '02', '03', '04', '05']
+      ]);
+      expectSelectedElement( 1, 3 );
     });
 
     it('closes when click outside of calendar', function() {
@@ -1074,7 +1091,7 @@ describe('datepicker directive', function () {
       });
     });
 
-    describe('use with ng-required directive', function() {
+    describe('use with `ng-required` directive', function() {
       beforeEach(inject(function() {
         $rootScope.date = '';
         var wrapElement = $compile('<div><input ng-model="date" datepicker-popup ng-required="true"><div>')($rootScope);
@@ -1092,8 +1109,42 @@ describe('datepicker directive', function () {
       });
     });
 
-  });
+    describe('use with `ng-change` directive', function() {
+      beforeEach(inject(function() {
+        $rootScope.changeHandler = jasmine.createSpy('changeHandler');
+        $rootScope.date = new Date();
+        var wrapElement = $compile('<div><input ng-model="date" datepicker-popup ng-required="true" ng-change="changeHandler()"><div>')($rootScope);
+        $rootScope.$digest();
+        assignElements(wrapElement);
+      }));
 
+      it('should not be called initially', function() {
+        expect($rootScope.changeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+
+      it('should be called when a day is clicked', function() {
+        clickOption(2, 3);
+        expect($rootScope.changeHandler).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+
+      it('should not be called when model changes programatically', function() {
+        $rootScope.date = new Date();
+        $rootScope.$digest();
+        expect($rootScope.changeHandler).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+
+    describe('to invalid input', function() {
+      it('sets `ng-invalid`', function() {
+        changeInputValueTo(inputEl, 'pizza');
+
+        expect(inputEl).toHaveClass('ng-invalid');
+        expect(inputEl).toHaveClass('ng-invalid-date');
+        expect($rootScope.date).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(inputEl.val()).toBe('pizza');
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe('datepicker directive with empty initial state', function () {