diff --git a/src/select.js b/src/select.js
index 3b81924b1..7b34c650a 100644
--- a/src/select.js
+++ b/src/select.js
@@ -630,7 +630,12 @@
 
         var searchInput = element.querySelectorAll('input.ui-select-search');
 
-        $select.multiple = (angular.isDefined(attrs.multiple)) ? (attrs.multiple === '') ? true : (attrs.multiple.toLowerCase() === 'true') : false;
+        $select.multiple = angular.isDefined(attrs.multiple) && (
+            attrs.multiple === '' ||
+            attrs.multiple.toLowerCase() === 'multiple' ||
+            attrs.multiple.toLowerCase() === 'true'
+        );
+
         $select.closeOnSelect = (angular.isDefined(attrs.closeOnSelect) && attrs.closeOnSelect.toLowerCase() === 'false') ? false : uiSelectConfig.closeOnSelect;
         $select.onSelectCallback = $parse(attrs.onSelect);
         $select.onRemoveCallback = $parse(attrs.onRemove);
diff --git a/test/select.spec.js b/test/select.spec.js
index 461ec3c13..f76c7fec8 100644
--- a/test/select.spec.js
+++ b/test/select.spec.js
@@ -1520,6 +1520,22 @@ describe('ui-select tests', function() {
          .toBe("Wladimir <wladimir@email.com>Samantha <samantha@email.com>Nicole <nicole@email.com>");
 
     });
+
+    it('should support multiple="multiple" attribute', function() {
+
+      var el = compileTemplate(
+          '<ui-select multiple="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.email as person in people | filter: $select.search"> \
+                <div ng-bind-html="person.name | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+                <div ng-bind-html="person.email | highlight: $select.search"></div> \
+              </ui-select-choices> \
+          </ui-select> \
+          '
+      );
+
+      expect(el.scope().$select.multiple).toBe(true);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('default configuration via uiSelectConfig', function() {