diff --git a/src/uiSelectMatchDirective.js b/src/uiSelectMatchDirective.js
index 2f723eaad..81645389e 100644
--- a/src/uiSelectMatchDirective.js
+++ b/src/uiSelectMatchDirective.js
@@ -8,10 +8,12 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMatch', ['uiSelectConfig', function(uiSelectConfig) {
       // Needed so the uiSelect can detect the transcluded content
       tElement.addClass('ui-select-match');
 
+      var parent = tElement.parent();
       // Gets theme attribute from parent (ui-select)
-      var theme = tElement.parent().attr('theme') || uiSelectConfig.theme;
-      var multi = tElement.parent().attr('multiple');
-      return theme + (multi ? '/match-multiple.tpl.html' : '/match.tpl.html');
+      var theme = getAttribute(parent, 'theme') || uiSelectConfig.theme;
+      var multi = angular.isDefined(getAttribute(parent, 'multiple'));
+
+      return theme + (multi ? '/match-multiple.tpl.html' : '/match.tpl.html');      
     },
     link: function(scope, element, attrs, $select) {
       $select.lockChoiceExpression = attrs.uiLockChoice;
@@ -32,4 +34,15 @@ uis.directive('uiSelectMatch', ['uiSelectConfig', function(uiSelectConfig) {
 
     }
   };
+
+  function getAttribute(elem, attribute) {
+    if (elem[0].hasAttribute(attribute))
+      return elem.attr(attribute);
+
+    if (elem[0].hasAttribute('data-' + attribute))
+      return elem.attr('data-' + attribute);
+
+    if (elem[0].hasAttribute('x-' + attribute))
+      return elem.attr('x-' + attribute);
+  }
 }]);
diff --git a/test/select.spec.js b/test/select.spec.js
index 5bc460549..e93467755 100644
--- a/test/select.spec.js
+++ b/test/select.spec.js
@@ -1603,6 +1603,44 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function() {
         expect(el.find('.ui-select-match-item').length).toBe(0);
     });
 
+    it('should render intial state with data-multiple attribute', function () {
+      // ensure match template has been loaded by having more than one selection
+      scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[0], scope.people[1]];
+
+      var el = compileTemplate(
+        '<ui-select data-multiple ng-model="selection.selectedMultiple" theme="bootstrap" style="width: 800px;"> \
+            <ui-select-match placeholder="Pick one...">{{$item.name}} &lt;{{$item.email}}&gt;</ui-select-match> \
+            <ui-select-choices repeat="person in people | filter: $select.search"> \
+              <div ng-bind-html="person.name | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+              <div ng-bind-html="person.email | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+            </ui-select-choices> \
+        </ui-select>'
+            );
+
+      expect(el).toHaveClass('ui-select-multiple');
+      expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(2);
+      expect(el.find('.ui-select-match-item').length).toBe(2);
+    });
+
+    it('should render intial state with x-multiple attribute', function () {
+      // ensure match template has been loaded by having more than one selection
+      scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [scope.people[0], scope.people[1]];
+
+      var el = compileTemplate(
+        '<ui-select x-multiple ng-model="selection.selectedMultiple" theme="bootstrap" style="width: 800px;"> \
+            <ui-select-match placeholder="Pick one...">{{$item.name}} &lt;{{$item.email}}&gt;</ui-select-match> \
+            <ui-select-choices repeat="person in people | filter: $select.search"> \
+              <div ng-bind-html="person.name | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+              <div ng-bind-html="person.email | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+            </ui-select-choices> \
+        </ui-select>'
+            );
+
+      expect(el).toHaveClass('ui-select-multiple');
+      expect(el.scope().$select.selected.length).toBe(2);
+      expect(el.find('.ui-select-match-item').length).toBe(2);
+    });
+
     it('should set model as an empty array if ngModel isnt defined after an item is selected', function () {
 
       // scope.selection.selectedMultiple = [];