diff --git a/src/ng/directive/select.js b/src/ng/directive/select.js
index df2359d12294..7c73a4f4ff61 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/select.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/select.js
@@ -209,10 +209,10 @@ var selectDirective = ['$compile', '$parse', function($compile,   $parse) {
       };
 
 
-      self.removeOption = function(value) {
+      self.removeOption = function(value, anySelected) {
         if (this.hasOption(value)) {
           delete optionsMap[value];
-          if (ngModelCtrl.$viewValue == value) {
+          if (ngModelCtrl.$viewValue == value && !anySelected) {
             this.renderUnknownOption(value);
           }
         }
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ var selectDirective = ['$compile', '$parse', function($compile,   $parse) {
               if (count > 0) {
                 selectCtrl.addOption(label);
               } else if (count < 0) {
-                selectCtrl.removeOption(label);
+                selectCtrl.removeOption(label, anySelected);
               }
             });
           }
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
index 4abde899325a..df07e5e1b73c 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
@@ -233,6 +233,30 @@ describe('select', function() {
         expect(scope.robot).toBe('');
       });
 
+      it('should not add the empty string when an option is selected and options are set in a timeout', inject(function($timeout) {
+
+        compile('<select ng-model="simpleModel" ng-options="opt.id as opt.label for opt in simpleOpts">' +
+                    '</select>');
+
+        scope.$apply(function() {
+          scope.simpleModel = 0;
+        });
+
+        $timeout(function() {
+          scope.simpleOpts = [
+            {id: 0, label: 'x'},
+            {id: 1, label: 'y'}
+          ];
+        }, 0);
+
+        $timeout.flush();
+
+        var options = element.find('option');
+
+        expect(options.length).toEqual(2);
+        expect(options.eq(0)).toEqualOption('0', 'x');
+        expect(options.eq(1)).toEqualOption('1', 'y');
+      }));
 
       describe('interactions with repeated options', function() {