diff --git a/src/components/select/select.js b/src/components/select/select.js
index 08d231d9620..0f4b25f5b91 100755
--- a/src/components/select/select.js
+++ b/src/components/select/select.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ angular.module('material.components.select', [
 function SelectDirective($mdSelect, $mdUtil, $mdTheming) {
   return {
     restrict: 'E',
+    require: '?ngModel',
     compile: compile
   };
 
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ function SelectDirective($mdSelect, $mdUtil, $mdTheming) {
 
     $mdTheming(element);
 
-    return function postLink(scope, element, attr) {
+    return function postLink(scope, element, attr, ngModel) {
       element.on('click', openSelect);
 
       element.on('keydown', openOnKeypress);
@@ -147,10 +148,9 @@ function SelectDirective($mdSelect, $mdUtil, $mdTheming) {
             scope: scope.$new(),
             template: selectTemplate,
             target: element[0],
+            ngModel: ngModel,
             hasBackdrop: true,
             loadingAsync: attr.mdOnOpen ? scope.$eval(attr.mdOnOpen) : false
-          }).then(function() {
-            element.attr('aria-expanded', false);
           });
         });
       }
@@ -474,6 +474,10 @@ function SelectProvider($$interimElementProvider) {
 
       configureAria();
 
+      if (opts.ngModel) {
+        opts.selectEl.controller('mdSelectMenu').init(opts.ngModel);
+      }
+
       if (opts.loadingAsync && opts.loadingAsync.then) {
         opts.loadingAsync.then(function() {
           scope.$$loadingAsyncDone = true;
diff --git a/src/components/select/select.spec.js b/src/components/select/select.spec.js
index 8a5a1dd29fd..1f1354f6643 100755
--- a/src/components/select/select.spec.js
+++ b/src/components/select/select.spec.js
@@ -190,6 +190,23 @@ describe('<md-select-menu>', function() {
         expect($rootScope.model).toBe(3);
       }));
 
+      it('should support the ng-change event', inject(function($rootScope, $document) {
+          var changeCalled = false;
+          $rootScope.changed = function() {
+            changeCalled = true;
+          };
+
+          var selectEl = setupSelect('ng-model="myModel", ng-change="changed()"', [1, 2, 3]);
+          openSelect(selectEl);
+          waitForSelectOpen();
+          var menuEl = $document.find('md-select-menu');
+          menuEl.triggerHandler({
+            type: 'click',
+            target: menuEl.find('md-option')[1]
+          });
+          expect(changeCalled).toBe(true);
+      }));
+
       it('should deselect old and select new on click', inject(function($rootScope) {
         $rootScope.model = 3;
         var el = setup('ng-model="$root.model"', [1,2,3]);
@@ -461,16 +478,13 @@ describe('<md-select-menu>', function() {
 
   describe('aria', function() {
     var el;
-    beforeEach(inject(function($mdUtil, $q) {
+    beforeEach(inject(function($mdUtil, $q, $document) {
       el = setupSelect('ng-model="someModel"', [1, 2, 3]);
       $mdUtil.transitionEndPromise = function() {
         var deferred = $q.defer();
         deferred.resolve();
         return deferred.promise;
       };
-    }));
-
-    afterEach(inject(function($document) {
       var selectMenus = $document.find('md-select-menu');
       selectMenus.remove();
     }));