diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts b/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
index 93724af3ee..f45799de15 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio-button.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {Component, Optional, Input, Output, HostListener, EventEmitter} from 'angular2/core';
 
 import {Form} from '../../util/form';
-import {isTrueProperty, isDefined} from '../../util/util';
+import {isTrueProperty, isDefined, isBlank} from '../../util/util';
 import {Item} from '../item/item';
 import {ListHeader} from '../list/list';
 import {RadioGroup} from './radio-group';
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ export class RadioButton {
   private _checked: any = false;
   private _disabled: any = false;
   private _labelId: string;
+  private _value = null;
 
   id: string;
 
-  @Input() value: string = '';
   @Output() select: EventEmitter<RadioButton> = new EventEmitter();
 
   constructor(
@@ -63,21 +63,28 @@ export class RadioButton {
   ) {
     _form.register(this);
 
+    if (_group) {
+      // register with the radiogroup
+      this.id = 'rb-' + _group.register(this);
+    }
+
     if (_item) {
+      // register the input inside of the item
+      // reset to the item's id instead of the radiogroup id
       this.id = 'rb-' + _item.registerInput('radio');
       this._labelId = 'lbl-' + _item.id;
       this._item.setCssClass('item-radio', true);
     }
-
-    console.log(this.value);
-
-    if (_group) {
-      _group.register(this);
-    }
   }
 
-  check() {
-    this.checked = true;
+  @Input()
+  get value() {
+    // if the value is not defined then use it's unique id
+    return isBlank(this._value) ? this.id : this._value;
+  }
+
+  set value(val) {
+    this._value = val;
   }
 
   @Input()
@@ -85,11 +92,28 @@ export class RadioButton {
     return this._checked;
   }
 
-  set checked(val) {
+  set checked(isChecked) {
     if (!this._disabled) {
-      this._checked = isTrueProperty(val);
-      this.select.emit(this);
-      this._item && this._item.setCssClass('item-radio-checked', this._checked);
+      // only check/uncheck if it's not disabled
+
+      // emit the select event for the radiogroup to catch
+      this._checked = isTrueProperty(isChecked);
+      this.select.emit(this.value);
+
+      // if it's a stand-alone radiobutton nothing else happens
+      // if it was within a radiogroup then updateAsChecked will
+      // get called again
+      this.updateAsChecked(this._checked);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @private
+   */
+  updateAsChecked(val: boolean) {
+    this._checked = val;
+    if (this._item) {
+      this._item.setCssClass('item-radio-checked', val);
     }
   }
 
@@ -103,14 +127,6 @@ export class RadioButton {
     this._item && this._item.setCssClass('item-radio-disabled', this._disabled);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * @private
-   */
-  setChecked(val: boolean) {
-    this._checked = isTrueProperty(val);
-    this._item && this._item.setCssClass('item-radio-checked', val);
-  }
-
   /**
    * @private
    */
@@ -119,7 +135,7 @@ export class RadioButton {
     console.debug('radio, select', this.id);
     ev.preventDefault();
     ev.stopPropagation();
-    this.check();
+    this.checked = true;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts b/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
index a358a54702..a475b347f0 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio-group.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {Directive, ElementRef, Renderer, Optional, Input, Output, ContentChild, EventEmitter} from 'angular2/core';
+import {Directive, ElementRef, Renderer, Optional, Input, Output, HostListener, ContentChild, EventEmitter} from 'angular2/core';
 import {NgControl} from 'angular2/common';
 
 import {RadioButton} from './radio-button';
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ import {isDefined} from '../../util/util';
 })
 export class RadioGroup {
   private _buttons: Array<RadioButton> = [];
+  private _ids: number = -1;
+  private _init: boolean = false;
 
   id;
   value;
@@ -84,43 +86,67 @@ export class RadioGroup {
    * the checked value.
    * https://github.com/angular/angular/blob/master/modules/angular2/src/forms/directives/shared.ts#L34
    */
-  writeValue(value) {
-    this.value = isDefined(value) ? value : '';
-    this._buttons.forEach(button => {
-      let isChecked = button.checked;
-      button.setChecked(isChecked);
-      if (isChecked) {
-        this._renderer.setElementAttribute(this._elementRef.nativeElement, 'aria-activedescendant', button.id);
+  writeValue(val) {
+    if (val !== null) {
+      let oldVal = this.value;
+
+      // set the radiogroup's value
+      this.value = val || '';
+
+      this.updateValue();
+
+      // only emit change when it...changed
+      if (this.value !== oldVal && this._init) {
+        this.change.emit(this.value);
       }
-    });
-  }
 
-  register(button: RadioButton) {
-    this._buttons.push(button);
-
-    button.select.subscribe(() => {
-      this.writeValue(button.value);
-      this.onChange(button.value);
-      this.change.emit(this);
-    });
+      this._init = true;
+    }
   }
 
   ngAfterContentInit() {
-    this._buttons.forEach(button => {
-
-      if (isDefined(this.value)) {
-        let isChecked = (button.value === this.value) || button.checked;
-        button.setChecked(isChecked);
-        if (isChecked) {
-          this.writeValue(button.value);
-          //this.onChange(button.value);
-          this._renderer.setElementAttribute(this._elementRef.nativeElement, 'aria-activedescendant', button.id);
-        }
-      }
-
+    // in a setTimeout to prevent
+    // Expression '_checked in RadioButton@0:24' has changed after
+    // it was checked. Previous value: 'true'. Current value: 'false'
+    // should be available in future versions of ng2
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      this.updateValue();
     });
   }
 
+  private updateValue() {
+    if (isDefined(this.value)) {
+      // loop through each of the radiobuttons
+      this._buttons.forEach(radioButton => {
+
+        // check this radiobutton if its value is
+        // the same as the radiogroups value
+        let isChecked = (radioButton.value === this.value);
+
+        radioButton.updateAsChecked(isChecked);
+
+        if (isChecked) {
+          // if this button is checked, then set it as
+          // the radiogroup's active descendant
+          this._renderer.setElementAttribute(this._elementRef.nativeElement, 'aria-activedescendant', radioButton.id);
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  register(button: RadioButton): string {
+    this._buttons.push(button);
+
+    // listen for radiobutton select events
+    button.select.subscribe(() => {
+      // this radiobutton has been selected
+      this.writeValue(button.value);
+      this.onChange(button.value);
+    });
+
+    return this.id + '-' + (++this._ids);
+  }
+
   @ContentChild(ListHeader)
   private set _header(header) {
     if (header) {
@@ -134,16 +160,12 @@ export class RadioGroup {
   /**
    * @private
    */
-  onChange(val) {
-    // TODO: figure the whys and the becauses
-  }
+  onChange(val) {}
 
   /**
    * @private
    */
-  onTouched(val) {
-    // TODO: figure the whys and the becauses
-  }
+  onTouched(val) {}
 
   /**
    * @private
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio.ios.scss b/ionic/components/radio/radio.ios.scss
index 2854b80f8d..3a252316d8 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio.ios.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio.ios.scss
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ $radio-ios-icon-border-style:      solid !default;
 $radio-ios-disabled-opacity:       0.4 !default;
 
 
+ion-radio {
+  position: relative;
+  display: inline-block;
+}
+
+
 // iOS Radio Circle: Unchecked
 // -----------------------------------------
 
@@ -56,6 +62,7 @@ $radio-ios-disabled-opacity:       0.4 !default;
 // -----------------------------------------
 
 .item ion-radio {
+  position: static;
   display: block;
   margin: $item-ios-padding-media-top ($item-ios-padding-right / 2) $item-ios-padding-media-bottom ($item-ios-padding-left / 2);
 }
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/radio.md.scss b/ionic/components/radio/radio.md.scss
index ff1d51139f..e2f0c42fff 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/radio.md.scss
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/radio.md.scss
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ $radio-md-transition-easing:      cubic-bezier(.4, 0, .2, 1) !default;
 $radio-md-disabled-opacity:       0.4 !default;
 
 
+ion-radio {
+  position: relative;
+  display: inline-block;
+}
+
+
 // Material Design Radio Outer Circle: Unchecked
 // -----------------------------------------
 
@@ -82,6 +88,7 @@ $radio-md-disabled-opacity:       0.4 !default;
 // -----------------------------------------
 
 .item ion-radio {
+  position: static;
   display: block;
   margin: $item-md-padding-media-top ($item-md-padding-right / 2) $item-md-padding-media-bottom 0;
 }
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/index.ts b/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/index.ts
index 566d380a24..87116f9695 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/index.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/index.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class E2EApp {
     this.currencies = ['USD', 'EUR'];
     this.selectedCurrency = 'EUR';
 
-    this.relationship = 'friends';
+    this.relationship = 'enemies';
 
   }
 
@@ -52,4 +52,20 @@ class E2EApp {
     console.log('Submitting form', this.fruitsForm.value);
     event.preventDefault();
   }
+
+  petChange(ev) {
+    console.log('petChange', ev);
+  }
+
+  dogSelect(ev) {
+    console.log('dogSelect', ev);
+  }
+
+  catSelect(ev) {
+    console.log('catSelect', ev);
+  }
+
+  turtleSelect(ev) {
+    console.log('turtleSelect', ev);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/main.html b/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/main.html
index 16f3fb2dcd..5000028ecb 100644
--- a/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/main.html
+++ b/ionic/components/radio/test/basic/main.html
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 
-<ion-toolbar><ion-title>Radio Group</ion-title></ion-toolbar>
+<ion-toolbar>
+  <ion-title>Radio Group</ion-title>
+</ion-toolbar>
 
 
 <ion-content>
@@ -78,20 +80,20 @@
     <code><b>relationship:</b> {{relationship}}</code>
   </div>
 
-  <ion-list radio-group>
-    <ion-item>
-      <ion-label>Dogs</ion-label>
-      <ion-radio checked></ion-radio>
-    </ion-item>
-    <ion-item>
-      <ion-label>Cats</ion-label>
-      <ion-radio></ion-radio>
-    </ion-item>
-    <ion-item>
-      <ion-label>Turtles</ion-label>
-      <ion-radio></ion-radio>
-    </ion-item>
-  </ion-list>
+  <div radio-group [(ngModel)]="pet" (change)="petChange($event)">
+    <p>
+      <ion-radio checked (select)="dogSelect($event)"></ion-radio>
+      Dogs
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <ion-radio (select)="catSelect($event)"></ion-radio>
+      Cats
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <ion-radio (select)="turtleSelect($event)"></ion-radio>
+      Turtles
+    </p>
+  </div>
 
   <div padding>
     <code><b>pet:</b> {{pet}}</code>