diff --git a/js/ext/angular/src/controller/ionicScrollController.js b/js/ext/angular/src/controller/ionicScrollController.js
index 59aa59c481..928e334cf4 100644
--- a/js/ext/angular/src/controller/ionicScrollController.js
+++ b/js/ext/angular/src/controller/ionicScrollController.js
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.scroll')
     scrollViewOptions.bouncing :
     !ionic.Platform.isAndroid();
 
+  var self = this;
+
   var element = this.element = scrollViewOptions.el;
-  var refresher = this.refresher = element.querySelector('.scroll-refresher');
   var scrollView = this.scrollView = new ionic.views.Scroll(scrollViewOptions);
 
   this.$element = angular.element(element);
@@ -23,16 +24,18 @@ angular.module('ionic.ui.scroll')
   $timeout(function() {
     scrollView.run();
 
+    self.refresher = element.querySelector('.scroll-refresher');
+
     // Activate pull-to-refresh
-    if(refresher) {
-      var refresherHeight = refresher.clientHeight || 0;
+    if(self.refresher) {
+      var refresherHeight = self.refresher.clientHeight || 0;
       scrollView.activatePullToRefresh(refresherHeight, function() {
-        refresher.classList.add('active');
+        self.refresher.classList.add('active');
       }, function() {
-        refresher.classList.remove('refreshing');
-        refresher.classList.remove('active');
+        self.refresher.classList.remove('refreshing');
+        self.refresher.classList.remove('active');
       }, function() {
-        refresher.classList.add('refreshing');
+        self.refresher.classList.add('refreshing');
         $scope.onRefresh && $scope.onRefresh();
         $scope.$parent.$broadcast('scroll.onRefresh');
       });
diff --git a/js/ext/angular/test/controller/ionicScrollController.unit.js b/js/ext/angular/test/controller/ionicScrollController.unit.js
index 67d42c0bbd..c8c93d030b 100644
--- a/js/ext/angular/test/controller/ionicScrollController.unit.js
+++ b/js/ext/angular/test/controller/ionicScrollController.unit.js
@@ -43,12 +43,21 @@ describe('$ionicScroll Controller', function() {
 
   it('should not setup if no child .scroll-refresher', function() {
     setup();
+    timeout.flush();
     expect(ctrl.refresher).toBeFalsy();
     spyOn(ctrl.scrollView, 'activatePullToRefresh');
-    timeout.flush();
     expect(ctrl.scrollView.activatePullToRefresh).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it('should not setup ctrl.refresher until after timeout', function() {
+    setup({
+      el: angular.element('<div><div class="scroll-refresher"></div></div>')[0]
+    });
+    expect(ctrl.refresher).toBeUndefined();
+    timeout.flush();
+    expect(ctrl.refresher).toBe(ctrl.element.children[0]);
+  });
+
   it('should work with .scroll-refresher child and proper refresher', function() {
     var startCb, refreshingCb, doneCb, refresherEl;
     setup({
@@ -59,12 +68,12 @@ describe('$ionicScroll Controller', function() {
       refreshingCb = refreshing;
       doneCb = done;
     });
-    
+
     scope.onRefresh = jasmine.createSpy('onRefresh');
     scope.$parent.$broadcast = jasmine.createSpy('$broadcast');
-    var refresher = ctrl.refresher;
 
     timeout.flush();
+    var refresher = ctrl.refresher;
 
     expect(refresher.classList.contains('active')).toBe(false);
     expect(refresher.classList.contains('refreshing')).toBe(false);