diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngInclude.js b/src/ng/directive/ngInclude.js
index 7f395f96407b..b721aa235fee 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngInclude.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngInclude.js
@@ -188,18 +188,23 @@ var ngIncludeDirective = ['$http', '$templateCache', '$anchorScroll', '$compile'
               if (thisChangeId !== changeCounter) return;
               var newScope = scope.$new();
 
-              $transclude(newScope, function(clone) {
-                cleanupLastIncludeContent();
-
-                currentScope = newScope;
-                currentElement = clone;
-
-                currentElement.html(response);
-                $animate.enter(currentElement, null, $element, afterAnimation);
-                $compile(currentElement.contents())(currentScope);
-                currentScope.$emit('$includeContentLoaded');
-                scope.$eval(onloadExp);
-              });
+              // Note: This will also link all children of ng-include that were contained in the original
+              // html. If that content contains controllers, ... they could pollute/change the scope.
+              // However, using ng-include on an element with additional content does not make sense...
+              // Note: We can't remove them in the cloneAttchFn of $transclude as that
+              // function is called before linking the content, which would apply child
+              // directives to non existing elements.
+              var clone = $transclude(newScope, noop);
+              cleanupLastIncludeContent();
+
+              currentScope = newScope;
+              currentElement = clone;
+
+              currentElement.html(response);
+              $animate.enter(currentElement, null, $element, afterAnimation);
+              $compile(currentElement.contents())(currentScope);
+              currentScope.$emit('$includeContentLoaded');
+              scope.$eval(onloadExp);
             }).error(function() {
               if (thisChangeId === changeCounter) cleanupLastIncludeContent();
             });
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/ngIncludeSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/ngIncludeSpec.js
index 59f8b4aebc48..2d115e8b683f 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/ngIncludeSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/ngIncludeSpec.js
@@ -465,10 +465,22 @@ describe('ngInclude', function() {
 });
 
 describe('ngInclude and transcludes', function() {
+  var element, directive;
+
+  beforeEach(module(function($compileProvider) {
+    element = null;
+    directive = $compileProvider.directive;
+  }));
+
+  afterEach(function() {
+    if (element) {
+      dealoc(element);
+    }
+  });
+
   it('should allow access to directive controller from children when used in a replace template', function() {
     var controller;
-    module(function($compileProvider) {
-      var directive = $compileProvider.directive;
+    module(function() {
       directive('template', valueFn({
         template: '<div ng-include="\'include.html\'"></div>',
         replace: true,
@@ -485,13 +497,33 @@ describe('ngInclude and transcludes', function() {
     });
     inject(function($compile, $rootScope, $httpBackend) {
       $httpBackend.expectGET('include.html').respond('<div><div test></div></div>');
-      var element = $compile('<div><div template></div></div>')($rootScope);
+      element = $compile('<div><div template></div></div>')($rootScope);
       $rootScope.$apply();
       $httpBackend.flush();
       expect(controller.flag).toBe(true);
-      dealoc(element);
     });
   });
+
+  it("should compile it's content correctly (although we remove it later)", function() {
+    var testElement;
+    module(function() {
+      directive('test', function() {
+        return {
+          link: function(scope, element) {
+            testElement = element;
+          }
+        };
+      });
+    });
+    inject(function($compile, $rootScope, $httpBackend) {
+      $httpBackend.expectGET('include.html').respond(' ');
+      element = $compile('<div><div ng-include="\'include.html\'"><div test></div></div></div>')($rootScope);
+      $rootScope.$apply();
+      $httpBackend.flush();
+      expect(testElement[0].nodeName).toBe('DIV');
+    });
+
+  });
 });
 
 describe('ngInclude animations', function() {