diff --git a/src/ng/browser.js b/src/ng/browser.js
index 3ca4a7c0a86c..7cc38e807a9c 100644
--- a/src/ng/browser.js
+++ b/src/ng/browser.js
@@ -234,6 +234,13 @@ function Browser(window, document, $log, $sniffer) {
     return callback;
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Checks whether the url has changed outside of Angular.
+   * Needs to be exported to be able to check for changes that have been done in sync,
+   * as hashchange/popstate events fire in async.
+   */
+  self.$$checkUrlChangedOutsideAngular = fireUrlChange;
+
   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
   // Misc API
   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/ng/rootScope.js b/src/ng/rootScope.js
index 9938240a60e6..c4dc88a8209b 100644
--- a/src/ng/rootScope.js
+++ b/src/ng/rootScope.js
@@ -687,6 +687,8 @@ function $RootScopeProvider(){
             logIdx, logMsg, asyncTask;
 
         beginPhase('$digest');
+        // Check for changes to browser url that happened in sync with the call to $digest
+        $browser.$$checkUrlChangedOutsideAngular();
 
         lastDirtyWatch = null;
 
diff --git a/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js b/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
index ba9790539ff8..93aa5f8f463a 100644
--- a/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
+++ b/src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ angular.mock.$Browser = function() {
     return listener;
   };
 
+  self.$$checkUrlChangedOutsideAngular = angular.noop;
+
   self.cookieHash = {};
   self.lastCookieHash = {};
   self.deferredFns = [];
diff --git a/test/ng/locationSpec.js b/test/ng/locationSpec.js
index ff36ce42a888..a0d816df3550 100644
--- a/test/ng/locationSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/locationSpec.js
@@ -769,6 +769,60 @@ describe('$location', function() {
     });
 
 
+    it('should update url when location changed outside of Angular by changing hash', function() {
+      var fakeWindow = {
+        addEventListener: angular.noop,
+        location: {
+          replace: angular.noop,
+          href: '/hello'
+        },
+        history: {
+        }
+      };
+
+      module(function($windowProvider, $locationProvider, $browserProvider) {
+        $locationProvider.html5Mode(true);
+        $browserProvider.$get = function($document, $log, $sniffer) {
+          var b = new Browser(fakeWindow, $document, $log, $sniffer);
+          b.pollFns = [];
+          return b;
+        };
+      });
+
+      inject(function($rootScope, $location) {
+        fakeWindow.location.href = '/hello#goodbye';
+        expect(function() {
+          $rootScope.$digest();
+        }).not.toThrow();
+        expect($location.hash()).toBe('goodbye');
+        expect($location.url()).toBe('/hello#goodbye');
+      });
+    });
+
+
+    it('should update url when location changed outside of Angular with replaceState', function() {
+      if (window.history.replaceState) {
+        module(function($windowProvider, $locationProvider, $browserProvider) {
+          $locationProvider.html5Mode(true);
+          $browserProvider.$get = function($document, $window, $log, $sniffer) {
+            var b = new Browser($window, $document, $log, $sniffer);
+            b.pollFns = [];
+            return b;
+          };
+        });
+
+        inject(function($rootScope, $browser, $location, $sniffer){
+          window.history.replaceState(null, '', '/hello');
+          // Verify that infinite digest reported in #6976 no longer occurs
+          expect(function() {
+            $rootScope.$digest();
+          }).not.toThrow();
+          expect($location.path()).toBe('/hello');
+        });
+      }
+    });
+
+
     it('should rewrite when hashbang url given', function() {
       initService(true, '!', true);
       inject(