diff --git a/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js b/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
index 759364516b..b4221fd578 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/headerBarController.js
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
   var titleLeft = 0;
   var titleRight = 0;
   var titleCss = '';
-  var isBackShown;
+  var isBackEnabled = false;
+  var isBackShown = false;
   var titleTextWidth = 0;
 
 
@@ -40,13 +41,25 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
   };
 
 
+  self.enableBack = function(shouldEnable) {
+    // whether or not the back button show be visible, according
+    // to the navigation and history
+    if (arguments.length && shouldEnable !== isBackEnabled) {
+      var backBtnEle = getEle(BACK_BUTTON);
+      backBtnEle && backBtnEle.classList[ shouldEnable ? 'remove' : 'add' ](HIDE);
+      isBackEnabled = shouldEnable;
+    }
+    return isBackEnabled;
+  };
+
+
   self.showBack = function(shouldShow) {
+    // different from enableBack() because this will always have the back
+    // visually hidden if false, even if the history says it should show
     if (arguments.length && shouldShow !== isBackShown) {
       var backBtnEle = getEle(BACK_BUTTON);
-      if (backBtnEle) {
-        backBtnEle.classList[ shouldShow ? 'remove' : 'add' ](HIDE);
-        isBackShown = shouldShow;
-      }
+      if (backBtnEle) backBtnEle.style.display = (shouldShow ? '' : 'none');
+      isBackShown = shouldShow;
     }
     return isBackShown;
   };
@@ -109,6 +122,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $q, $ionicConfig, $ionicHistory) {
         defaultTitleEle.classList.remove(HIDE);
       }
     }
+    self.showBack(true);
   };
 
 
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
index 53b90d9654..12b5670ef2 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/navBarController.js
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
 
     var headerBarInstance = {
       isActive: isActive,
+      enableBack: function(shouldEnable) {
+        headerBarCtrl.enableBack(shouldEnable);
+      },
       showBack: function(shouldShow) {
         headerBarCtrl.showBack(shouldShow);
       },
@@ -209,6 +212,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
     var leavingHeaderBar = self.isInitialized ? getOnScreenHeaderBar() : null;
 
     // update if the entering header should show the back button or not
+    self.enableBackButton(viewData.enableBack, enteringHeaderBar);
     self.showBackButton(viewData.showBack, enteringHeaderBar);
 
     // update the entering header bar's title
@@ -326,11 +330,17 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $timeout, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $io
   };
 
 
-  self.showBackButton = function(show, headerBar) {
+  self.enableBackButton = function(shouldEnable, headerBar) {
     headerBar = headerBar || getOnScreenHeaderBar();
-    headerBar && headerBar.showBack(show);
-    $scope.$isBackButtonShown = !!show;
-    return !!show;
+    headerBar && headerBar.enableBack(shouldEnable);
+  };
+
+
+  self.showBackButton = function(shouldShow, headerBar) {
+    headerBar = headerBar || getOnScreenHeaderBar();
+    headerBar && headerBar.showBack(shouldShow);
+    $scope.$isBackButtonShown = !!shouldShow;
+    return !!shouldShow;
   };
 
 
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/navViewController.js b/js/angular/controller/navViewController.js
index bb393da0d9..ebdc93aec3 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/navViewController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/navViewController.js
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $ionicHistory, $ionicVi
       // the view is now compiled, in the dom and linked, now lets transition the views.
       // this uses a callback incase THIS nav-view has a nested nav-view, and after the NESTED
       // nav-view links, the NESTED nav-view would update which direction THIS nav-view should use
-      switcher.transition(self.direction(), registerData.showBack);
+      switcher.transition(self.direction(), registerData.enableBack);
     });
 
   };
@@ -111,9 +111,15 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $ionicNavBarDelegate, $ionicHistory, $ionicVi
   };
 
 
-  self.showBackButton = function(val) {
+  self.enableBackButton = function(shouldEnable) {
     var associatedNavBarCtrl = getAssociatedNavBarCtrl();
-    associatedNavBarCtrl && associatedNavBarCtrl.showBackButton(val);
+    associatedNavBarCtrl && associatedNavBarCtrl.enableBackButton(shouldEnable);
+  };
+
+
+  self.showBackButton = function(shouldShow) {
+    var associatedNavBarCtrl = getAssociatedNavBarCtrl();
+    associatedNavBarCtrl && associatedNavBarCtrl.showBackButton(shouldShow);
   };
 
 
diff --git a/js/angular/controller/viewController.js b/js/angular/controller/viewController.js
index 3be14b5a80..b1223d1fbe 100644
--- a/js/angular/controller/viewController.js
+++ b/js/angular/controller/viewController.js
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $ionicViewSwitcher) {
         transition: transData.transition,
         transitionId: transData.transitionId,
         shouldAnimate: transData.shouldAnimate,
-        showBack: transData.showBack && !attrTrue('hideBackButton'),
+        enableBack: transData.enableBack,
+        showBack: !attrTrue('hideBackButton'),
         buttons: buttons,
         navBarDelegate: navBarDelegateHandle || null,
         showNavBar: !attrTrue('hideNavBar'),
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ function($scope, $element, $attrs, $compile, $ionicViewSwitcher) {
 
 
   function attrTrue(key) {
-    return $attrs[key] == 'true' || $attrs[key] === '';
+    return !!$scope.$eval($attrs[key]);
   }
 
 
diff --git a/js/angular/directive/menuToggle.js b/js/angular/directive/menuToggle.js
index 9079311cb1..41aee9bfb8 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/menuToggle.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/menuToggle.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ IonicModule
     restrict: 'AC',
     link: function($scope, $element, $attr) {
       $scope.$on('$ionicView.beforeEnter', function(ev, viewData) {
-        if (viewData.showBack) {
+        if (viewData.enableBack) {
           var sideMenuCtrl = $element.inheritedData('$ionSideMenusController');
           if (!sideMenuCtrl.enableMenuWithBackViews()) {
             $element.addClass('hide');
diff --git a/js/angular/service/history.js b/js/angular/service/history.js
index 15f3fdd3fe..08ed93bada 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/history.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/history.js
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ function($rootScope, $state, $location, $window, $ionicViewSwitcher) {
         action: action,
         direction: direction,
         historyId: historyId,
-        showBack: !!(viewHistory.backView && viewHistory.backView.historyId === viewHistory.currentView.historyId),
+        enableBack: !!(viewHistory.backView && viewHistory.backView.historyId === viewHistory.currentView.historyId),
         isHistoryRoot: (viewHistory.currentView.index === 0),
         ele: ele
       };
diff --git a/js/angular/service/navBarDelegate.js b/js/angular/service/navBarDelegate.js
index 60ddbeadde..503b7c850f 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/navBarDelegate.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/navBarDelegate.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ IonicModule
    * @name $ionicNavBarDelegate#showBackButton
    * @description
    * Set/get whether the {@link ionic.directive:ionNavBackButton} is shown
-   * (if it exists).
+   * (if it exists and there is a previous view that can be navigated to).
    * @param {boolean=} show Whether to show the back button.
    * @returns {boolean} Whether the back button is shown.
    */
diff --git a/js/angular/service/viewSwitcher.js b/js/angular/service/viewSwitcher.js
index 6f315a0866..c2cac698ea 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/viewSwitcher.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/viewSwitcher.js
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ function($timeout, $compile, $controller, $document, $ionicClickBlock, $ionicCon
     return locals && locals.$$state && locals.$$state.self || {};
   }
 
-  function getTransitionData(viewLocals, enteringEle, direction, showBack, view) {
+  function getTransitionData(viewLocals, enteringEle, direction, enableBack, view) {
     // Priority
     // 1) attribute directive on the button/link to this view
     // 2) entering element's attribute
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ function($timeout, $compile, $controller, $document, $ionicClickBlock, $ionicCon
       transition: transition,
       direction: direction,
       shouldAnimate: (transition !== 'none' && direction !== 'none'),
-      showBack: !!showBack
+      enableBack: !!enableBack
     });
   }
 
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ function($timeout, $compile, $controller, $document, $ionicClickBlock, $ionicCon
           $timeout(callback, 16);
         },
 
-        transition: function(direction, showBack) {
-          var enteringData = getTransitionData(viewLocals, enteringEle, direction, showBack, enteringView);
+        transition: function(direction, enableBack) {
+          var enteringData = getTransitionData(viewLocals, enteringEle, direction, enableBack, enteringView);
           var leavingData = extend(extend({}, enteringData), getViewData(leavingView));
           enteringData.transitionId = leavingData.transitionId = transitionId;
           enteringData.fromCache = !!alreadyInDom;
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/directive/view.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/directive/view.unit.js
index 1f32d21aca..110f5e12c4 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/directive/view.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/directive/view.unit.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ describe('ionView directive', function() {
         beforeEnter: function(d) { beforeEnterData = d; },
         title: jasmine.createSpy('title'),
         showBar: jasmine.createSpy('showBar'),
+        enableBackButton: jasmine.createSpy('enableBackButton'),
         showBackButton: jasmine.createSpy('showBackButton')
       });
       content && el.html(content);
@@ -47,19 +48,13 @@ describe('ionView directive', function() {
     expect(el.html()).toBe('<b>some</b> html');
   });
 
-  it('should call ionNavViewController.beforeEnter with showNavBar=false and hide-nav-bar=true attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
+  it('should call ionNavViewController.beforeEnter with showNavBar=false w/ hide-nav-bar="true" attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
     var el = setup('hide-nav-bar="true"');
     $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {});
     expect( beforeEnterData.showNavBar ).toBe(false);
   }));
 
-  it('should call ionNavViewController.beforeEnter with showNavBar=false and hide-nav-bar="" attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
-    var el = setup('hide-nav-bar');
-    $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {});
-    expect( beforeEnterData.showNavBar ).toBe(false);
-  }));
-
-  it('should call ionNavViewController.beforeEnter with showNavBar=true and hide-nav-bar=false attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
+  it('should call ionNavViewController.beforeEnter with showNavBar=true and hide-nav-bar="false" attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
     var el = setup('hide-nav-bar="false"');
     $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {});
     expect( beforeEnterData.showNavBar ).toBe(true);
@@ -83,27 +78,27 @@ describe('ionView directive', function() {
     expect( beforeEnterData.title ).toBe('my title');
   }));
 
-  it('should not showBack with hide-back-button attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
+  it('should not enableBack with hide-back-button attr', inject(function($rootScope) {
     var el = setup('hide-back-button="true"');
     $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {
-      showBack: true
+      enableBack: true
     });
     expect( beforeEnterData.showBack ).toBe(false);
 
     $rootScope.shouldShowBack = false;
     var el = setup('hide-back-button="shouldShowBack"');
     $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {
-      showBack: true
+      enableBack: true
     });
     expect( beforeEnterData.showBack ).toBe(false);
   }));
 
-  it('should showBack without hide-back-button but no showBack from transition', inject(function($rootScope) {
+  it('should enableBack without hide-back-button but no enableBack from transition', inject(function($rootScope) {
     var el = setup();
     $rootScope.$broadcast('$ionicView.beforeEnter', {
-      showBack: false
+      enableBack: false
     });
-    expect( beforeEnterData.showBack ).toBe(false);
+    expect( beforeEnterData.enableBack ).toBe(false);
   }));
 
   it('should be receive delegateHandle from child ionNavBar', inject(function($rootScope) {
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
index 885849fb79..71d349f84c 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/service/history.unit.js
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ describe('Ionic History', function() {
     rootScope.$apply();
     var infoReg = ionicHistory.register({}, false);
     expect(infoReg.direction).toEqual('none');
-    expect(infoReg.showBack).toEqual(true);
+    expect(infoReg.enableBack).toEqual(true);
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().histories[infoReg.historyId].stack.length).toEqual(2);
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().backView.viewId).toBe(homeReg.viewId);
   }));
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ describe('Ionic History', function() {
     $state.go('info');
     rootScope.$apply();
     var infoReg = ionicHistory.register({}, false);
-    expect(infoReg.showBack).toEqual(false);
+    expect(infoReg.enableBack).toEqual(false);
     expect(infoReg.direction).toEqual('forward');
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().histories[infoReg.historyId].stack.length).toEqual(2);
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().backView).toBe(null);
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@ describe('Ionic History', function() {
     $state.go('info');
     rootScope.$apply();
     var infoReg = ionicHistory.register({}, false);
-    expect(infoReg.showBack).toEqual(false);
+    expect(infoReg.enableBack).toEqual(false);
     expect(infoReg.direction).toEqual('forward');
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().histories[infoReg.historyId].stack.length).toEqual(1);
     expect(ionicHistory.viewHistory().backView).toBe(null);
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/service/viewSwitcher.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/service/viewSwitcher.unit.js
index 4082e45493..590f53baaf 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/service/viewSwitcher.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/service/viewSwitcher.unit.js
@@ -79,15 +79,15 @@ describe('Ionic View Switcher', function() {
     expect(d.direction).toEqual('forward');
   }));
 
-  it('should set showBack when the view data sets it', inject(function($ionicViewSwitcher) {
+  it('should set enableBack when the view data sets it', inject(function($ionicViewSwitcher) {
     var d = $ionicViewSwitcher.getTransitionData(null, null, null, true);
-    expect(d.showBack).toEqual(true);
+    expect(d.enableBack).toEqual(true);
 
     d = $ionicViewSwitcher.getTransitionData(null, null, null, false);
-    expect(d.showBack).toEqual(false);
+    expect(d.enableBack).toEqual(false);
 
     d = $ionicViewSwitcher.getTransitionData(null, null, null, null);
-    expect(d.showBack).toEqual(false);
+    expect(d.enableBack).toEqual(false);
   }));
 
   it('should get an empty entering element with an empty navViewElement', inject(function($ionicViewSwitcher) {