diff --git a/src/ng/animate.js b/src/ng/animate.js
index e5de88c96fa3..f404eccc5461 100644
--- a/src/ng/animate.js
+++ b/src/ng/animate.js
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
             ? after.after(element)
             : parent.prepend(element);
         async(done);
+        return noop;
       },
 
       /**
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
       leave : function(element, done) {
         element.remove();
         async(done);
+        return noop;
       },
 
       /**
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
       move : function(element, parent, after, done) {
         // Do not remove element before insert. Removing will cause data associated with the
         // element to be dropped. Insert will implicitly do the remove.
-        this.enter(element, parent, after, done);
+        return this.enter(element, parent, after, done);
       },
 
       /**
@@ -183,13 +185,14 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        *   className value has been added to the element
        */
       addClass : function(element, className, done) {
-        className = isString(className) ?
-                      className :
-                      isArray(className) ? className.join(' ') : '';
+        className = !isString(className)
+                        ? (isArray(className) ? className.join(' ') : '')
+                        : className;
         forEach(element, function (element) {
           jqLiteAddClass(element, className);
         });
         async(done);
+        return noop;
       },
 
       /**
@@ -213,6 +216,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
           jqLiteRemoveClass(element, className);
         });
         async(done);
+        return noop;
       },
 
       /**
@@ -235,6 +239,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
           jqLiteRemoveClass(element, remove);
         });
         async(done);
+        return noop;
       },
 
       enabled : noop
diff --git a/src/ngAnimate/animate.js b/src/ngAnimate/animate.js
index 2e67aa89e330..d0056b9859b9 100644
--- a/src/ngAnimate/animate.js
+++ b/src/ngAnimate/animate.js
@@ -425,6 +425,16 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
         element.data(NG_ANIMATE_STATE, data);
       }
 
+      function runAnimationPostDigest(fn) {
+        var cancelFn;
+        $rootScope.$$postDigest(function() {
+          cancelFn = fn();
+        });
+        return function() {
+          cancelFn && cancelFn();
+        };
+      }
+
       function lookup(name) {
         if (name) {
           var matches = [],
@@ -648,6 +658,7 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          * @param {DOMElement} parentElement the parent element of the element that will be the focus of the enter animation
          * @param {DOMElement} afterElement the sibling element (which is the previous element) of the element that will be the focus of the enter animation
          * @param {function()=} doneCallback the callback function that will be called once the animation is complete
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
         */
         enter : function(element, parentElement, afterElement, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
@@ -656,9 +667,8 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
 
           blockElementAnimations(element);
           $delegate.enter(element, parentElement, afterElement);
-          $rootScope.$$postDigest(function() {
-            element = stripCommentsFromElement(element);
-            performAnimation('enter', 'ng-enter', element, parentElement, afterElement, noop, doneCallback);
+          return runAnimationPostDigest(function() {
+            return performAnimation('enter', 'ng-enter', stripCommentsFromElement(element), parentElement, afterElement, noop, doneCallback);
           });
         },
 
@@ -691,13 +701,16 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          *
          * @param {DOMElement} element the element that will be the focus of the leave animation
          * @param {function()=} doneCallback the callback function that will be called once the animation is complete
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
         */
         leave : function(element, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
+
           cancelChildAnimations(element);
           blockElementAnimations(element);
-          $rootScope.$$postDigest(function() {
-            performAnimation('leave', 'ng-leave', stripCommentsFromElement(element), null, null, function() {
+          this.enabled(false, element);
+          return runAnimationPostDigest(function() {
+            return performAnimation('leave', 'ng-leave', stripCommentsFromElement(element), null, null, function() {
               $delegate.leave(element);
             }, doneCallback);
           });
@@ -735,6 +748,7 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          * @param {DOMElement} parentElement the parentElement element of the element that will be the focus of the move animation
          * @param {DOMElement} afterElement the sibling element (which is the previous element) of the element that will be the focus of the move animation
          * @param {function()=} doneCallback the callback function that will be called once the animation is complete
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
         */
         move : function(element, parentElement, afterElement, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
@@ -744,9 +758,8 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
           cancelChildAnimations(element);
           blockElementAnimations(element);
           $delegate.move(element, parentElement, afterElement);
-          $rootScope.$$postDigest(function() {
-            element = stripCommentsFromElement(element);
-            performAnimation('move', 'ng-move', element, parentElement, afterElement, noop, doneCallback);
+          return runAnimationPostDigest(function() {
+            return performAnimation('move', 'ng-move', stripCommentsFromElement(element), parentElement, afterElement, noop, doneCallback);
           });
         },
 
@@ -778,11 +791,12 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          * @param {DOMElement} element the element that will be animated
          * @param {string} className the CSS class that will be added to the element and then animated
          * @param {function()=} doneCallback the callback function that will be called once the animation is complete
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
         */
         addClass : function(element, className, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
           element = stripCommentsFromElement(element);
-          performAnimation('addClass', className, element, null, null, function() {
+          return performAnimation('addClass', className, element, null, null, function() {
             $delegate.addClass(element, className);
           }, doneCallback);
         },
@@ -815,11 +829,12 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          * @param {DOMElement} element the element that will be animated
          * @param {string} className the CSS class that will be animated and then removed from the element
          * @param {function()=} doneCallback the callback function that will be called once the animation is complete
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
         */
         removeClass : function(element, className, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
           element = stripCommentsFromElement(element);
-          performAnimation('removeClass', className, element, null, null, function() {
+          return performAnimation('removeClass', className, element, null, null, function() {
             $delegate.removeClass(element, className);
           }, doneCallback);
         },
@@ -848,13 +863,14 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
          *   removed from it
          * @param {string} add the CSS classes which will be added to the element
          * @param {string} remove the CSS class which will be removed from the element
-         * @param {Function=} done the callback function (if provided) that will be fired after the
+         * @param {function=} done the callback function (if provided) that will be fired after the
          *   CSS classes have been set on the element
+         * @return {function} the animation cancellation function
          */
         setClass : function(element, add, remove, doneCallback) {
           element = angular.element(element);
           element = stripCommentsFromElement(element);
-          performAnimation('setClass', [add, remove], element, null, null, function() {
+          return performAnimation('setClass', [add, remove], element, null, null, function() {
             $delegate.setClass(element, add, remove);
           }, doneCallback);
         },
@@ -905,13 +921,14 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
       */
       function performAnimation(animationEvent, className, element, parentElement, afterElement, domOperation, doneCallback) {
 
+        var noopCancel = noop;
         var runner = animationRunner(element, animationEvent, className);
         if(!runner) {
           fireDOMOperation();
           fireBeforeCallbackAsync();
           fireAfterCallbackAsync();
           closeAnimation();
-          return;
+          return noopCancel;
         }
 
         className = runner.className;
@@ -945,7 +962,7 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
           fireBeforeCallbackAsync();
           fireAfterCallbackAsync();
           closeAnimation();
-          return;
+          return noopCancel;
         }
 
         var skipAnimation = false;
@@ -993,7 +1010,7 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
           fireBeforeCallbackAsync();
           fireAfterCallbackAsync();
           fireDoneCallbackAsync();
-          return;
+          return noopCancel;
         }
 
         if(animationEvent == 'leave') {
@@ -1046,6 +1063,8 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
           }
         });
 
+        return runner.cancel;
+
         function fireDOMCallback(animationPhase) {
           var eventName = '$animate:' + animationPhase;
           if(elementEvents && elementEvents[eventName] && elementEvents[eventName].length > 0) {
diff --git a/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js b/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
index a6c8c7872e33..f91bb1006c05 100644
--- a/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
+++ b/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ angular.mock.animate = angular.module('ngAnimateMock', ['ng'])
             element : arguments[0],
             args : arguments
           });
-          $delegate[method].apply($delegate, arguments);
+          return $delegate[method].apply($delegate, arguments);
         };
       });
 
diff --git a/test/ng/animateSpec.js b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
index 30e4273b12cf..7ab12b08f244 100644
--- a/test/ng/animateSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
@@ -57,6 +57,20 @@ describe("$animate", function() {
       expect(element).toBeHidden();
     }));
 
+    it("should run each method and return a noop function", inject(function($animate, $document) {
+      var element = jqLite('<div></div>');
+      var move   = jqLite('<div></div>');
+      var parent = jqLite($document[0].body);
+      parent.append(move);
+
+      expect($animate.enter(element, parent)).toBe(noop);
+      expect($animate.move(element, move)).toBe(noop);
+      expect($animate.addClass(element, 'on')).toBe(noop);
+      expect($animate.addClass(element, 'off')).toBe(noop);
+      expect($animate.setClass(element, 'on', 'off')).toBe(noop);
+      expect($animate.leave(element)).toBe(noop);
+    }));
+
     it("should add and remove classes on SVG elements", inject(function($animate) {
       if (!window.SVGElement) return;
       var svg = jqLite('<svg><rect></rect></svg>');
diff --git a/test/ngAnimate/animateSpec.js b/test/ngAnimate/animateSpec.js
index 737d2f1d0323..6399ad3d8f20 100644
--- a/test/ngAnimate/animateSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngAnimate/animateSpec.js
@@ -590,6 +590,99 @@ describe("ngAnimate", function() {
         }));
 
 
+        it("should trigger a cancellation when the return function is called upon any animation", function() {
+          var captures = {};
+
+          module(function($animateProvider) {
+            $animateProvider.register('.track-me', function() {
+              return {
+                enter       : track('enter'),
+                leave       : track('leave'),
+                move        : track('move'),
+                addClass    : track('addClass'),
+                removeClass : track('removeClass'),
+                setClass    : track('setClass')
+              };
+
+              function track(type) {
+                return function(element, add, remove, done) {
+                  done = done || remove || add;
+                  return function(cancelled) {
+                    captures[type]=cancelled;
+                  };
+                };
+              }
+            });
+          });
+          inject(function($animate, $sniffer, $rootScope, $timeout) {
+
+            var fn;
+            $animate.enabled(true);
+            $rootScope.$digest();
+            element[0].removeChild(child[0]);
+            child.addClass('track-me');
+
+            //enter
+            fn = $animate.enter(child, element);
+            $rootScope.$digest();
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+            expect(captures.enter).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.enter).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+
+            //move
+            element.append(after);
+            fn = $animate.move(child, element, after);
+            $rootScope.$digest();
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+            expect(captures.move).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.move).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+
+            //addClass
+            fn = $animate.addClass(child, 'ng-hide');
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+            expect(captures.addClass).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.addClass).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+
+            //removeClass
+            fn = $animate.removeClass(child, 'ng-hide');
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+            expect(captures.removeClass).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.removeClass).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+
+            //setClass
+            child.addClass('red');
+            fn = $animate.setClass(child, 'blue', 'red');
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+            expect(captures.setClass).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.setClass).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+
+            //leave
+            fn = $animate.leave(child);
+            $rootScope.$digest();
+
+            expect(captures.leave).toBeUndefined();
+            fn();
+            expect(captures.leave).toBeTruthy();
+            $animate.triggerCallbacks();
+          });
+        });
+
+
         it("should not run if animations are disabled",
           inject(function($animate, $rootScope, $timeout, $sniffer) {