diff --git a/text/formatted-string-common.ts b/text/formatted-string-common.ts
index 76a71d618..c57ecf861 100644
--- a/text/formatted-string-common.ts
+++ b/text/formatted-string-common.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,17 @@ export class FormattedString extends observable.Observable implements definition
     private _underline: number;
     private _strikethrough: number;
     private _fontAttributes: number;
+    private _parent: view.View;
+
+    get parent(): view.View {
+        return this._parent;
+    }
+
+    set parent(value: view.View) {
+        if (this._parent !== value) {
+            this._parent = value;
+        }
+    }
 
     get fontFamily(): string {
         return this._fontFamily;
diff --git a/text/formatted-string.d.ts b/text/formatted-string.d.ts
index c43536a03..19b7ef2cd 100644
--- a/text/formatted-string.d.ts
+++ b/text/formatted-string.d.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ declare module "text/formatted-string" {
     import observable = require("data/observable");
     import observableArray = require("data/observable-array");
     import colorModule = require("color");
+    import view = require("ui/core/view");
 
     /**
      * A class used to create a formatted (rich text) string.
@@ -66,5 +67,10 @@ declare module "text/formatted-string" {
          * @param newBindingContext The value of the newly set binding context.
          */
         public updateSpansBindingContext(newBindingContext: any): void
+
+        /**
+         * Gets the parent view of the formatted string.
+         */
+        public parent: view.View;
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/text/span.android.ts b/text/span.android.ts
index 3498b7f72..02d2fc870 100644
--- a/text/span.android.ts
+++ b/text/span.android.ts
@@ -13,18 +13,27 @@ export class Span extends spanCommon.Span {
         if (realFontFamily) {
             this.spanModifiers.push(new android.text.style.TypefaceSpan(realFontFamily));
         }
-        var realFontSize = this.fontSize || (parent ? parent.fontSize : undefined);
+        var realFontSize = this.fontSize ||
+            (parent ? parent.fontSize : undefined) ||
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.fontSize : undefined);
         if (realFontSize) {
             this.spanModifiers.push(new android.text.style.AbsoluteSizeSpan(realFontSize * utils.layout.getDisplayDensity()));
         }
-        var realForegroundColor = this.foregroundColor || (parent ? parent.foregroundColor : undefined);
+
+        var realForegroundColor = this.foregroundColor ||
+            (parent ? parent.foregroundColor : undefined) ||
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.color : undefined);
         if (realForegroundColor) {
             this.spanModifiers.push(new android.text.style.ForegroundColorSpan(realForegroundColor.android));
         }
-        var realBackgroundColor = this.backgroundColor || (parent ? parent.backgroundColor : undefined);
+
+        var realBackgroundColor = this.backgroundColor ||
+            (parent ? parent.backgroundColor : undefined) ||
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.backgroundColor : undefined);
         if (realBackgroundColor) {
             this.spanModifiers.push(new android.text.style.BackgroundColorSpan(realBackgroundColor.android));
         }
+
         var realFontAttributes = this.fontAttributes || (parent ? parent.fontAttributes : undefined);
         if (realFontAttributes) {
             if ((realFontAttributes & enums.FontAttributes.Bold) && (realFontAttributes & enums.FontAttributes.Italic)) {
diff --git a/text/span.ios.ts b/text/span.ios.ts
index 867b67066..70935fb90 100644
--- a/text/span.ios.ts
+++ b/text/span.ios.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ export class Span extends spanCommon.Span {
     public updateSpanModifiers(parent: formattedString.FormattedString) {
         super.updateSpanModifiers(parent);
         var realFontFamily = this.fontFamily || (parent ? parent.fontFamily : undefined);
-        var realFontSize = this.fontSize || (parent ? parent.fontSize : undefined);
+        var realFontSize = this.fontSize || 
+            (parent ? parent.fontSize : undefined) || 
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.fontSize : undefined);
+
         var realFontAttributes = this.fontAttributes || (parent ? parent.fontAttributes : undefined);
         if (realFontAttributes || realFontFamily || realFontSize) {
             var font;
@@ -37,20 +40,27 @@ export class Span extends spanCommon.Span {
                 });
             }
         }
-        var realForegroundColor = this.foregroundColor || (parent ? parent.foregroundColor : undefined);
+
+        var realForegroundColor = this.foregroundColor || 
+            (parent ? parent.foregroundColor : undefined) ||
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.color : undefined);
         if (realForegroundColor) {
             this.spanModifiers.push({
                 key: NSForegroundColorAttributeName,
                 value: realForegroundColor.ios
             });
         }
-        var realBackgroundColor = this.backgroundColor || (parent ? parent.backgroundColor : undefined);
+
+        var realBackgroundColor = this.backgroundColor || 
+            (parent ? parent.backgroundColor : undefined) ||
+            (parent && parent.parent ? parent.parent.style.backgroundColor : undefined);
         if (realBackgroundColor) {
             this.spanModifiers.push({
                 key: NSBackgroundColorAttributeName,
                 value: realBackgroundColor.ios
             });
         }
+
         var realUnderline = this.underline || (parent ? parent.underline : undefined);
         if (realUnderline) {
             this.spanModifiers.push({
diff --git a/ui/button/button-common.ts b/ui/button/button-common.ts
index e07caa612..4c4cf291d 100644
--- a/ui/button/button-common.ts
+++ b/ui/button/button-common.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ export class Button extends view.View implements definition.Button {
     }
 
     public _onFormattedTextPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        if (data.newValue) {
+            (<formattedString.FormattedString>data.newValue).parent = this;
+        }
         this.setFormattedTextPropertyToNative(data.newValue);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/text-base/text-base.ts b/ui/text-base/text-base.ts
index 95d1c224e..3a0cb322a 100644
--- a/ui/text-base/text-base.ts
+++ b/ui/text-base/text-base.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ export class TextBase extends view.View implements definition.TextBase {
     }
 
     public _onFormattedTextPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        if (data.newValue) {
+            (<formattedString.FormattedString>data.newValue).parent = this;
+        }
         this.setFormattedTextPropertyToNative(data.newValue);
     }