diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index 7333a278d..6b2445ad1 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@
     // If the server returns an attributes hash that differs, the model's
     // state will be `set` again.
     save: function(key, val, options) {
-      var attrs, method, xhr, attributes = this.attributes;
+      var attrs, method, xhr, dfd = new $.Deferred, attributes = this.attributes;
 
       // Handle both `"key", value` and `{key: value}` -style arguments.
       if (key == null || typeof key === 'object') {
@@ -461,9 +461,9 @@
       // `set(attr).save(null, opts)` with validation. Otherwise, check if
       // the model will be valid when the attributes, if any, are set.
       if (attrs && !options.wait) {
-        if (!this.set(attrs, options)) return false;
+        if (!this.set(attrs, options)) return dfd.rejectWith(this);
       } else {
-        if (!this._validate(attrs, options)) return false;
+        if (!this._validate(attrs, options)) return dfd.rejectWith(this);
       }
 
       // Set temporary attributes if `{wait: true}`.
diff --git a/test/model.js b/test/model.js
index faede68a8..59680877b 100644
--- a/test/model.js
+++ b/test/model.js
@@ -959,10 +959,16 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     var model = new Backbone.Model;
     model.validate = function(){ return 'invalid'; };
     model.sync = function(){ ok(false); };
-    strictEqual(model.save(), false);
+    model.save()
+      .done(function() {
+        ok(false);
+      })
+      .fail(function() {
+        ok(true);
+      });
   });
 
-  test("#1377 - Save without attrs triggers 'error'.", 1, function() {
+  test("#1377 - Save without attrs triggers 'error'.", 2, function() {
     var Model = Backbone.Model.extend({
       url: '/test/',
       sync: function(method, model, options){ options.success(); },
@@ -970,7 +976,13 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     });
     var model = new Model({id: 1});
     model.on('invalid', function(){ ok(true); });
-    model.save();
+    model.save()
+      .done(function() {
+        ok(false);
+      })
+      .fail(function() {
+        ok(true);
+      });
   });
 
   test("#1545 - `undefined` can be passed to a model constructor without coersion", function() {