diff --git a/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js b/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
index e5c3680e6b..759364516b 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
@@ -112,15 +112,15 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
   };
 
 
-  self.alignTitle = function(align) {
+  self.align = function(textAlign) {
     var titleEle = getEle(TITLE);
 
-    align = align || $attrs.alignTitle || $ionicConfig.navBar.alignTitle();
+    textAlign = textAlign || $attrs.alignTitle || $ionicConfig.navBar.alignTitle();
 
-    var widths = self.calcWidths(align, false);
+    var widths = self.calcWidths(textAlign, false);
 
     if (isBackShown && previousTitleText && $ionicConfig.backButton.previousTitleText()) {
-      var previousTitleWidths = self.calcWidths(align, true);
+      var previousTitleWidths = self.calcWidths(textAlign, true);
 
       var availableTitleWidth = $element[0].offsetWidth - previousTitleWidths.titleLeft - previousTitleWidths.titleRight;
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
   };
 
 
-  self.calcWidths = function(align, isPreviousTitle) {
+  self.calcWidths = function(textAlign, isPreviousTitle) {
     var titleEle = getEle(TITLE);
     var backBtnEle = getEle(BACK_BUTTON);
     var x, y, z, b, c, d, childSize, bounds;
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
 
     // Size and align the header titleEle based on the sizes of the left and
     // right children, and the desired alignment mode
-    if (align == 'left') {
+    if (textAlign == 'left') {
       updateCss = 'title-left';
       if (buttonsLeft) {
         updateTitleLeft = buttonsLeft + 15;
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
         updateTitleRight = buttonsRight + 15;
       }
 
-    } else if (align == 'right') {
+    } else if (textAlign == 'right') {
       updateCss = 'title-right';
       if (buttonsLeft) {
         updateTitleLeft = buttonsLeft + 15;
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
index 2e00cd245c..71fd2a1254 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
 
     navBarTransition.run(0);
 
-    $timeout(enteringHeaderBarCtrl.alignTitle, 16);
+    $timeout(enteringHeaderBarCtrl.align, 16);
 
     queuedTransitionStart = function() {
       if (latestTransitionId !== transitionId) return;
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
     headerBar = headerBar || getOnScreenHeaderBar();
     headerBar && headerBar.showBack(show);
     $scope.$isBackButtonShown = !!show;
+    return !!show;
   };
 
 
@@ -341,6 +342,12 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
   };
 
 
+  self.align = function(val, headerBar) {
+    headerBar = headerBar || getOnScreenHeaderBar();
+    headerBar && headerBar.controller().align(val);
+  };
+
+
   function createNavElement(type) {
     if (navElementHtml[type]) {
       return jqLite(navElementHtml[type]);
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/headerFooterBar.js b/js/angular/directive/headerFooterBar.js
index b7269bc510..2db0f6e5d7 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/headerFooterBar.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/headerFooterBar.js
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ function headerFooterBarDirective(isHeader) {
               delete $scope.$hasHeader;
               delete $scope.$hasSubheader;
             });
-            ctrl.alignTitle();
+            ctrl.align();
             $scope.$emit('ionHeaderBar.init');
 
           } else {
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/directive/navBar.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/directive/navBar.unit.js
index e2e087574e..117830f400 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/directive/navBar.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/directive/navBar.unit.js
@@ -125,6 +125,46 @@ describe('ionNavBar', function() {
       expect(deregisterSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
     }));
 
+    it('should align title w/ $ionicNavBarDelegate', inject(function($ionicNavBarDelegate) {
+      var el = setup('delegate-handle="theBestHandle"');
+      var instance = $ionicNavBarDelegate.$getByHandle('theBestHandle');
+      instance.align('right');
+      expect(el[0].querySelector('[nav-bar="active"] .title').classList.contains('title-right')).toEqual(true);
+    }));
+
+    it('should showBackButton w/ $ionicNavBarDelegate', inject(function($ionicNavBarDelegate) {
+      var el = setup('delegate-handle="theBestHandle"');
+      var instance = $ionicNavBarDelegate.$getByHandle('theBestHandle');
+      instance.showBackButton(true);
+      instance.showBackButton(false);
+    }));
+
+    it('should showBar w/ $ionicNavBarDelegate', inject(function($ionicNavBarDelegate) {
+      var el = setup('delegate-handle="theBestHandle"');
+      var instance = $ionicNavBarDelegate.$getByHandle('theBestHandle');
+      instance.showBar(true);
+      expect(el.hasClass('hide')).toBe(false);
+      instance.showBar(false);
+      expect(el.hasClass('hide')).toBe(true);
+    }));
+
+    it('should set title w/ $ionicNavBarDelegate', inject(function($ionicNavBarDelegate) {
+      var el = setup('delegate-handle="theBestHandle"');
+      var instance = $ionicNavBarDelegate.$getByHandle('theBestHandle');
+      expect(el[0].querySelector('[nav-bar="active"] .title').innerText).toEqual('');
+      instance.title('Night Ranger')
+      expect(el[0].querySelector('[nav-bar="active"] .title').innerText).toEqual('Night Ranger');
+    }));
+
+    it('should update w/ $ionicNavBarDelegate', inject(function($ionicNavBarDelegate) {
+      var el = setup('delegate-handle="theBestHandle"');
+      var instance = $ionicNavBarDelegate.$getByHandle('theBestHandle');
+      instance.update({
+        showBar: false
+      });
+      expect(el.hasClass('hide')).toBe(true);
+    }));
+
   });
 
 });