diff --git a/src/ngAria/aria.js b/src/ngAria/aria.js
index 8c136676d4ad..11eece27f097 100644
--- a/src/ngAria/aria.js
+++ b/src/ngAria/aria.js
@@ -115,9 +115,7 @@ function $AriaProvider() {
       var ariaCamelName = attr.$normalize(ariaAttr);
       if (config[ariaCamelName] && !attr[ariaCamelName]) {
         scope.$watch(attr[attrName], function(boolVal) {
-          if (negate) {
-            boolVal = !boolVal;
-          }
+          boolVal = negate ? !boolVal : !!boolVal;
           elem.attr(ariaAttr, boolVal);
         });
       }
diff --git a/test/ngAria/ariaSpec.js b/test/ngAria/ariaSpec.js
index 8bfe301123e6..67c76afcfa9e 100644
--- a/test/ngAria/ariaSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngAria/ariaSpec.js
@@ -57,6 +57,31 @@ describe('$aria', function() {
       scope.$apply('val = true');
       expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('userSetValue');
     });
+
+    it('should always set aria-hidden to a boolean value', function() {
+      compileElement('<div ng-hide="val"></div>');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = "test angular"');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('true');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = null');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('false');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = {}');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('true');
+
+
+      compileElement('<div ng-show="val"></div>');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = "test angular"');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('false');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = null');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('true');
+
+      scope.$apply('val = {}');
+      expect(element.attr('aria-hidden')).toBe('false');
+    });
   });