diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngBind.js b/src/ng/directive/ngBind.js
index b37df64f..b854ba75 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngBind.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngBind.js
@@ -50,14 +50,19 @@
      </file>
    </example>
  */
-var ngBindDirective = ngDirective(function(scope, element, attr) {
-  element.addClass('ng-binding').data('$binding', attr.ngBind);
-  scope.$watch(attr.ngBind, function ngBindWatchAction(value) {
-    // We are purposefully using == here rather than === because we want to
-    // catch when value is "null or undefined"
-    // jshint -W041
-    element.text(value == undefined ? '' : value);
-  });
+var ngBindDirective = ngDirective({
+  compile: function(templateElement) {
+    templateElement.addClass('ng-binding');
+    return function (scope, element, attr) {
+      element.data('$binding', attr.ngBind);
+      scope.$watch(attr.ngBind, function ngBindWatchAction(value) {
+        // We are purposefully using == here rather than === because we want to
+        // catch when value is "null or undefined"
+        // jshint -W041
+        element.text(value == undefined ? '' : value);
+      });
+    };
+  }
 });