diff --git a/src/ng/directive/select.js b/src/ng/directive/select.js
index 838846405818..66e48bc0ef9d 100644
--- a/src/ng/directive/select.js
+++ b/src/ng/directive/select.js
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ var SelectController =
       if (value === '') self.emptyOption.prop('selected', true); // to make IE9 happy
     } else {
       if (isUndefined(value) && self.emptyOption) {
+        self.removeUnknownOption();
         $element.val('');
       } else {
         self.renderUnknownOption(value);
diff --git a/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js b/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
index 725c87ddec97..af6262a56166 100644
--- a/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/directive/selectSpec.js
@@ -237,6 +237,23 @@ describe('select', function() {
       });
 
 
+      it('should remove unknown option when model is undefined', function() {
+        scope.robot = 'other';
+        compile('<select ng-model="robot">' +
+                  '<option value="">--select--</option>' +
+                  '<option value="x">robot x</option>' +
+                  '<option value="y">robot y</option>' +
+                '</select>');
+
+        expect(element).toEqualSelect([unknownValue('other')], '', 'x', 'y');
+
+        scope.robot = undefined;
+        scope.$digest();
+
+        expect(element).toEqualSelect([''], 'x', 'y');
+      });
+
+
       describe('interactions with repeated options', function() {
 
         it('should select empty option when model is undefined', function() {