diff --git a/src/ngMessages/messages.js b/src/ngMessages/messages.js
index 8805eea81945..6ed575da879c 100644
--- a/src/ngMessages/messages.js
+++ b/src/ngMessages/messages.js
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ function ngMessageDirectiveFactory() {
           },
           attach: function() {
             if (!currentElement) {
-              $transclude(scope, function(elm) {
+              $transclude(function(elm, newScope) {
                 $animate.enter(elm, null, element);
                 currentElement = elm;
 
@@ -700,6 +700,7 @@ function ngMessageDirectiveFactory() {
                     ngMessagesCtrl.deregister(commentNode);
                     messageCtrl.detach();
                   }
+                  newScope.$destroy();
                 });
               });
             }
diff --git a/test/ngMessages/messagesSpec.js b/test/ngMessages/messagesSpec.js
index 79457fa0276b..5bfbb0898c0d 100644
--- a/test/ngMessages/messagesSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngMessages/messagesSpec.js
@@ -609,6 +609,34 @@ describe('ngMessages', function() {
     });
   });
 
+
+  it('should clean-up the ngMessage scope when a message is removed',
+    inject(function($compile, $rootScope) {
+
+      var html =
+          '<div ng-messages="items">' +
+            '<div ng-message="a">{{forA}}</div>' +
+          '</div>';
+
+      element = $compile(html)($rootScope);
+      $rootScope.$apply(function() {
+        $rootScope.forA = 'A';
+        $rootScope.items = {a: true};
+      });
+
+      expect(element.text()).toBe('A');
+      var watchers = $rootScope.$countWatchers();
+
+      $rootScope.$apply('items.a = false');
+
+      expect(element.text()).toBe('');
+      // We don't know exactly how many watchers are on the scope, only that there should be
+      // one less now
+      expect($rootScope.$countWatchers()).toBe(watchers - 1);
+    })
+  );
+
+
   describe('when including templates', function() {
     they('should work with a dynamic collection model which is managed by ngRepeat',
       {'<div ng-messages-include="...">': '<div ng-messages="item">' +