diff --git a/src/directives/hotTable.js b/src/directives/hotTable.js
index fa455421..2372f0d1 100644
--- a/src/directives/hotTable.js
+++ b/src/directives/hotTable.js
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@
                 } else {
                   scope.hotInstance.loadData(newValue);
                   scope.htSettings.data = newValue;
-
                 }
               } else if (newValue !== oldValue) {
                 scope.htSettings[key] = newValue;
@@ -125,6 +124,19 @@
               }
             }, ['datarows', 'columns', 'rowHeights', 'colWidths', 'rowHeaders', 'colHeaders'].indexOf(key) >= 0);
           });
+          
+          /**
+           * Check for reference equality changes for datarows
+           * TODO: must the remaining bindingsKeys need to be added also if their reference changes
+           */
+          scope.$watch('datarows', function(newValue) {
+            if (newValue === void 0) {
+              return;
+            }
+            if (scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data !== newValue) {
+              scope.hotInstance.loadData(newValue);
+            }
+          });
 
           /**
            * Check if data length has been changed
diff --git a/test/directives/hotTable/watchingOptions.spec.js b/test/directives/hotTable/watchingOptions.spec.js
index 2b8f8f4e..86d9ffad 100644
--- a/test/directives/hotTable/watchingOptions.spec.js
+++ b/test/directives/hotTable/watchingOptions.spec.js
@@ -20,9 +20,29 @@ describe('hotTable - Watching options', function() {
 
     scope.$digest();
 
-    expect(scope.hotInstance.getData()).toBe(rootScope.value);
+    expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data).toBe(rootScope.value);
   });
+  
+  it('should ensure a new copy of `datarows` is made when the reference is changed but it has the same value', function() {
+    rootScope.value = [[1,2,3,4]];
+    var scope = angular.element(compile('<hot-table datarows="value"></hot-table>')(rootScope)).isolateScope();
+
+    scope.$digest();
+
+    expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data).toBe(rootScope.value);
+
+    rootScope.value = [[1, 2, 3, 4]];
 
+    rootScope.$digest();
+
+    expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data).toBe(rootScope.value);
+
+    rootScope.value.push([[5, 6, 7, 8]]);
+    scope.$digest();
+
+    expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data).toBe(rootScope.value);
+  });
+  
   it('should create table with `dataSchema` attribute', function() {
     rootScope.value = {id: null};
     var scope = angular.element(compile('<hot-table dataschema="value"></hot-table>')(rootScope)).isolateScope();
@@ -831,4 +851,4 @@ describe('hotTable - Watching options', function() {
     expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().className).toBe('foo');
     expect(scope.hotInstance.getSettings().data).toEqual([[1]]);
   });
-});
+});
\ No newline at end of file