diff --git a/ionic/components/icon/icon.ts b/ionic/components/icon/icon.ts
index 31f4962a96..04ea84e87a 100644
--- a/ionic/components/icon/icon.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/icon/icon.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ export class Icon {
     this.mode = config.get('iconMode');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @private
+   */
+  addClass(className) {
+    this._renderer.setElementClass(this._elementRef, className, true);
+  }
+
   /**
    * @private
    */
diff --git a/ionic/components/item/item.ts b/ionic/components/item/item.ts
index 64c17654d5..390beeee74 100644
--- a/ionic/components/item/item.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/item/item.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {Component, ContentChildren} from 'angular2/core';
 
 import {Button} from '../button/button';
+import {Icon} from '../icon/icon';
 
 
 /**
@@ -65,4 +66,11 @@ export class Item {
   set _buttons(buttons) {
     Button.setRoles(buttons, 'item-button');
   }
+
+  @ContentChildren(Icon)
+  set _icons(icons) {
+    icons.toArray().forEach(icon => {
+      icon.addClass('item-icon');
+    });
+  }
 }