diff --git a/src/ng/httpBackend.js b/src/ng/httpBackend.js
index dcb15f77a7f6..aa9e3f217124 100644
--- a/src/ng/httpBackend.js
+++ b/src/ng/httpBackend.js
@@ -69,13 +69,19 @@ function createHttpBackend($browser, XHR, $browserDefer, callbacks, rawDocument,
       // always async
       xhr.onreadystatechange = function() {
         if (xhr.readyState == 4) {
-          var responseHeaders = xhr.getAllResponseHeaders();
+          var responseHeaders = null,
+              response = null;
+
+          if(!xhr.aborted) {
+            responseHeaders = xhr.getAllResponseHeaders();
+            response = xhr.responseType ? xhr.response : xhr.responseText;
+          }
 
           // responseText is the old-school way of retrieving response (supported by IE8 & 9)
           // response/responseType properties were introduced in XHR Level2 spec (supported by IE10)
           completeRequest(callback,
               status || xhr.status,
-              (xhr.responseType ? xhr.response : xhr.responseText),
+              response,
               responseHeaders);
         }
       };
@@ -101,7 +107,7 @@ function createHttpBackend($browser, XHR, $browserDefer, callbacks, rawDocument,
     function timeoutRequest() {
       status = -1;
       jsonpDone && jsonpDone();
-      xhr && xhr.abort();
+      xhr && (xhr.aborted = true) && xhr.abort();
     }
 
     function completeRequest(callback, status, response, headersString) {
diff --git a/test/ng/httpBackendSpec.js b/test/ng/httpBackendSpec.js
index f39e83eae139..dd23a07d9232 100644
--- a/test/ng/httpBackendSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/httpBackendSpec.js
@@ -118,6 +118,25 @@ describe('$httpBackend', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should not try to read response data when request is aborted', function() {
+    callback.andCallFake(function(status, response, headers) {
+      expect(status).toBe(-1);
+      expect(response).toBe(null);
+      expect(headers).toBe(null);
+    });
+    $backend('GET', '/url', null, callback, {}, 2000);
+    xhr = MockXhr.$$lastInstance;
+    spyOn(xhr, 'abort');
+
+    fakeTimeout.flush();
+    expect(xhr.abort).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+
+    xhr.status = 0;
+    xhr.readyState = 4;
+    xhr.onreadystatechange();
+    expect(callback).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+
   it('should abort request on timeout', function() {
     callback.andCallFake(function(status, response) {
       expect(status).toBe(-1);