diff --git a/src/ng/animate.js b/src/ng/animate.js
index 963673cec022..142de7b87d01 100644
--- a/src/ng/animate.js
+++ b/src/ng/animate.js
@@ -40,6 +40,19 @@ function splitClasses(classes) {
   return obj;
 }
 
+// if any other type of options value besides an Object value is
+// passed into the $animate.method() animation then this helper code
+// will be run which will ignore it. While this patch is not the
+// greatest solution to this, a lot of existing plugins depend on
+// $animate to either call the callback (< 1.2) or return a promise
+// that can be changed. This helper function ensures that the options
+// are wiped clean incase a callback function is provided.
+function prepareAnimateOptions(options) {
+  return isObject(options)
+      ? options
+      : {};
+}
+
 var $$CoreAnimateRunnerProvider = function() {
   this.$get = ['$q', '$$rAF', function($q, $$rAF) {
     function AnimateRunner() {}
@@ -420,7 +433,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
         after = after && jqLite(after);
         parent = parent || after.parent();
         domInsert(element, parent, after);
-        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'enter', options);
+        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'enter', prepareAnimateOptions(options));
       },
 
       /**
@@ -446,7 +459,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
         after = after && jqLite(after);
         parent = parent || after.parent();
         domInsert(element, parent, after);
-        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'move', options);
+        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'move', prepareAnimateOptions(options));
       },
 
       /**
@@ -463,7 +476,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
        */
       leave: function(element, options) {
-        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'leave', options, function() {
+        return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'leave', prepareAnimateOptions(options), function() {
           element.remove();
         });
       },
@@ -487,7 +500,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
        */
       addClass: function(element, className, options) {
-        options = options || {};
+        options = prepareAnimateOptions(options);
         options.addClass = mergeClasses(options.addclass, className);
         return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'addClass', options);
       },
@@ -511,7 +524,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
        */
       removeClass: function(element, className, options) {
-        options = options || {};
+        options = prepareAnimateOptions(options);
         options.removeClass = mergeClasses(options.removeClass, className);
         return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'removeClass', options);
       },
@@ -536,7 +549,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
        */
       setClass: function(element, add, remove, options) {
-        options = options || {};
+        options = prepareAnimateOptions(options);
         options.addClass = mergeClasses(options.addClass, add);
         options.removeClass = mergeClasses(options.removeClass, remove);
         return $$animateQueue.push(element, 'setClass', options);
@@ -564,7 +577,7 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
        * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
        */
       animate: function(element, from, to, className, options) {
-        options = options || {};
+        options = prepareAnimateOptions(options);
         options.from = options.from ? extend(options.from, from) : from;
         options.to   = options.to   ? extend(options.to, to)     : to;
 
diff --git a/test/ng/animateSpec.js b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
index 543806bfd07f..4c3365fe5ca2 100644
--- a/test/ng/animateSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/animateSpec.js
@@ -242,6 +242,82 @@ describe("$animate", function() {
         expect(element[0].previousSibling).toBe(after);
       });
     });
+
+    they('$prop() should operate using a native DOM element',
+      ['enter', 'move', 'leave', 'addClass', 'removeClass', 'setClass', 'animate'], function(event) {
+
+      var captureSpy = jasmine.createSpy();
+
+      module(function($provide) {
+        $provide.value('$$animateQueue', {
+          push: captureSpy
+        });
+      });
+
+      inject(function($animate, $rootScope, $document, $rootElement) {
+        var element = jqLite('<div></div>');
+        var parent2 = jqLite('<div></div>');
+        var parent = $rootElement;
+        parent.append(parent2);
+
+        if (event !== 'enter' && event !== 'move') {
+          parent.append(element);
+        }
+
+        var fn, invalidOptions = function() { };
+
+        switch (event) {
+          case 'enter':
+          case 'move':
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate[event](element, parent, parent2, invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+
+          case 'addClass':
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate.addClass(element, 'klass', invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+
+          case 'removeClass':
+            element.className = 'klass';
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate.removeClass(element, 'klass', invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+
+          case 'setClass':
+            element.className = 'two';
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate.setClass(element, 'one', 'two', invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+
+          case 'leave':
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate.leave(element, invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+
+          case 'animate':
+            var toStyles = { color: 'red' };
+            fn = function() {
+              $animate.animate(element, {}, toStyles, 'klass', invalidOptions);
+            };
+            break;
+        }
+
+        expect(function() {
+          fn();
+          $rootScope.$digest();
+        }).not.toThrow();
+
+        var optionsArg = captureSpy.mostRecentCall.args[2];
+        expect(optionsArg).not.toBe(invalidOptions);
+        expect(isObject(optionsArg)).toBeTruthy();
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('CSS class DOM manipulation', function() {