diff --git a/src/ng/animator.js b/src/ng/animator.js
index 662ed6834ea0..667962dbbb25 100644
--- a/src/ng/animator.js
+++ b/src/ng/animator.js
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ var $AnimatorProvider = function() {
        * Reveals the element by setting the CSS property `display` to `block` and then starts the show animation directly after.
        *
        * @param {jQuery/jqLite element} element the element that will be rendered visible or hidden
+       * @param {boolean} instant Should the actual animation be shown or skip it? (useful for setting initial state)
       */
       animator.show = animateActionFactory('show', show, noop);
 
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@ var $AnimatorProvider = function() {
        * Starts the hide animation first and sets the CSS `display` property to `none` upon completion.
        *
        * @param {jQuery/jqLite element} element the element that will be rendered visible or hidden
+       * @param {boolean} instant Should the actual animation be shown or skip it? (useful for setting initial state)
       */
       animator.hide = animateActionFactory('hide', noop, hide);
       return animator;
@@ -235,10 +237,11 @@ var $AnimatorProvider = function() {
               afterFn(element, parent, after);
               return;
             }
+            var instant = (typeof(parent) === 'boolean') && parent === true;
 
-            element.addClass(setupClass);
+            if (!instant) element.addClass(setupClass);
             beforeFn(element, parent, after);
-            if (element.length == 0) return done();
+            if (element.length == 0 || instant) return done();
 
             var memento = (polyfillSetup || noop)(element);
 
diff --git a/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js b/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
index 7ccc0aa06b71..7ea3bc7f35f3 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/ngShowHide.js
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@
 var ngShowDirective = ['$animator', function($animator) {
   return function(scope, element, attr) {
     var animate = $animator(scope, attr);
-    scope.$watch(attr.ngShow, function ngShowWatchAction(value){
-      animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'show' : 'hide'](element);
+    scope.$watch(attr.ngShow, function ngShowWatchAction(value, oldValue){
+      animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'show' : 'hide'](element, value === oldValue);
     });
   };
 }];
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ var ngShowDirective = ['$animator', function($animator) {
 var ngHideDirective = ['$animator', function($animator) {
   return function(scope, element, attr) {
     var animate = $animator(scope, attr);
-    scope.$watch(attr.ngHide, function ngHideWatchAction(value){
-      animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'hide' : 'show'](element);
+    scope.$watch(attr.ngHide, function ngHideWatchAction(value, oldValue){
+      animate[toBoolean(value) ? 'hide' : 'show'](element, value === oldValue);
     });
   };
 }];
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
index d1d314e72912..afea0b513e66 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/ngShowHideSpec.js
@@ -69,33 +69,42 @@ describe('ngShow / ngHide - ngAnimate', function() {
         '</div>'
       )($scope);
       $scope.$digest();
+      // initially no animation should be fired, lets check
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-setup');
 
+      // lets fire hide animation
+      $scope.on = false;
+      $scope.$digest();
       if ($sniffer.supportsTransitions) {
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-setup');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-setup');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1).process();
-
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-start');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-start');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1000).process();
       } else {
         expect(window.setTimeout.queue).toEqual([]);
       }
 
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-start');
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-setup');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-setup');
 
-      $scope.on = false;
+      // and show animation:
+      $scope.on = true;
       $scope.$digest();
+
       if ($sniffer.supportsTransitions) {
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-setup');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1).process();
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-start');
+
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-start');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1000).process();
       } else {
         expect(window.setTimeout.queue).toEqual([]);
       }
 
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-start');
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-setup');
+
     }));
   });
 
@@ -111,34 +120,43 @@ describe('ngShow / ngHide - ngAnimate', function() {
               '</div>'
       )($scope);
       $scope.$digest();
+      // initially no animation should be fired, lets check
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+
+      // lets fire show animation
+      $scope.off = false;
+      $scope.$digest();
 
       if ($sniffer.supportsTransitions) {
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-setup');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1).process();
-
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-start');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-start');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1000).process();
       } else {
         expect(window.setTimeout.queue).toEqual([]);
       }
 
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-start');
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-setup');
 
-      $scope.off = false;
+      // lets fire hide animation
+      $scope.off = true;
       $scope.$digest();
 
       if ($sniffer.supportsTransitions) {
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-setup');
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-setup');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1).process();
-        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-show-start');
+
+        expect(element.attr('class')).toContain('custom-hide-start');
         window.setTimeout.expect(1000).process();
       } else {
         expect(window.setTimeout.queue).toEqual([]);
       }
 
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-start');
-      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-show-setup');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-start');
+      expect(element.attr('class')).not.toContain('custom-hide-setup');
+
     }));
   });
 });