diff --git a/src/alert/alert.js b/src/alert/alert.js
index 658878b691..507c2b7bf2 100644
--- a/src/alert/alert.js
+++ b/src/alert/alert.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 angular.module('ui.bootstrap.alert', [])
 
-.controller('AlertController', ['$scope', '$attrs', function ($scope, $attrs) {
+.controller('AlertController', ['$scope', '$attrs', '$timeout', function ($scope, $attrs, $timeout) {
   $scope.closeable = 'close' in $attrs;
+
+  if ($scope.autoDismiss && $scope.close) {
+    $timeout(function () {
+      $scope.close();
+    }, parseInt($scope.autoDismiss));
+  }
 }])
 
 .directive('alert', function () {
@@ -13,7 +19,8 @@ angular.module('ui.bootstrap.alert', [])
     replace:true,
     scope: {
       type: '@',
-      close: '&'
+      close: '&',
+      autoDismiss: '@'
     }
   };
 });
diff --git a/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js b/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
index fa0b4fb619..bc2106853e 100644
--- a/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
+++ b/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ describe('alert', function () {
   beforeEach(module('ui.bootstrap.alert'));
   beforeEach(module('template/alert/alert.html'));
 
-  beforeEach(inject(function ($rootScope, _$compile_) {
+  beforeEach(inject(function ($rootScope, _$compile_, $timeout) {
 
     scope = $rootScope;
     $compile = _$compile_;
+    timeout = $timeout;
 
     element = angular.element(
         '<div>' +
@@ -105,4 +106,16 @@ describe('alert', function () {
     expect(element).toHaveClass('alert-info');
   });
 
+  it('should close automatically if auto-dismiss is defined on the element', function () {
+    var element = $compile('<alert type="info" close="removeAlert($index)" auto-dismiss="500">Default alert!</alert>')(scope);
+    scope.$digest();
+
+    scope.$apply(function () {
+      scope.removeAlert = jasmine.createSpy();
+    });
+    timeout.flush();
+    
+    expect(scope.removeAlert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(undefined);
+  });
+
 });