diff --git a/src/alert/alert.js b/src/alert/alert.js
index 3bb79c4437..23d3aa592f 100644
--- a/src/alert/alert.js
+++ b/src/alert/alert.js
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 angular.module('ui.bootstrap.alert', [])
 
-.controller('AlertController', ['$scope', '$attrs', function($scope, $attrs) {
+.controller('AlertController', ['$scope', '$attrs', '$timeout', function($scope, $attrs, $timeout) {
   $scope.closeable = !!$attrs.close;
-  this.close = $scope.close;
+
+  if (angular.isDefined($attrs.dismissOnTimeout)) {
+    $timeout(function() {
+      $scope.close();
+    }, parseInt($attrs.dismissOnTimeout, 10));
+  }
 }])
 
 .directive('alert', function() {
@@ -19,15 +24,4 @@ angular.module('ui.bootstrap.alert', [])
       close: '&'
     }
   };
-})
-
-.directive('dismissOnTimeout', ['$timeout', function($timeout) {
-  return {
-    require: 'alert',
-    link: function(scope, element, attrs, alertCtrl) {
-      $timeout(function() {
-        alertCtrl.close();
-      }, parseInt(attrs.dismissOnTimeout, 10));
-    }
-  };
-}]);
+});
diff --git a/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js b/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
index 74514565fc..7f87de81da 100644
--- a/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
+++ b/src/alert/test/alert.spec.js
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 describe('alert', function() {
-  var scope, $compile, $templateCache;
-  var element;
+  var element, scope, $compile, $templateCache, $timeout;
 
   beforeEach(module('ui.bootstrap.alert'));
   beforeEach(module('template/alert/alert.html'));
 
-  beforeEach(inject(function($rootScope, _$compile_, _$templateCache_) {
+  beforeEach(inject(function($rootScope, _$compile_, _$templateCache_, _$timeout_) {
     scope = $rootScope;
     $compile = _$compile_;
     $templateCache = _$templateCache_;
+    $timeout = _$timeout_;
 
     element = angular.element(
       '<div>' +
@@ -128,4 +128,12 @@ describe('alert', function() {
     expect(element).toHaveClass('alert-info');
   });
 
+  it('should close automatically if dismiss-on-timeout is defined on the element', function() {
+    scope.removeAlert = jasmine.createSpy();
+    $compile('<alert close="removeAlert()" dismiss-on-timeout="500">Default alert!</alert>')(scope);
+    scope.$digest();
+
+    $timeout.flush();
+    expect(scope.removeAlert).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/alert/test/dismissOnTimeout.spec.js b/src/alert/test/dismissOnTimeout.spec.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d6d8796e5..0000000000
--- a/src/alert/test/dismissOnTimeout.spec.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-describe('dismissOnTimeout', function() {
-  var scope, $compile, $timeout;
-
-  beforeEach(module('ui.bootstrap.alert'));
-  beforeEach(module('template/alert/alert.html'));
-  beforeEach(inject(function($rootScope, _$compile_, _$timeout_) {
-    scope = $rootScope;
-    $compile = _$compile_;
-    $timeout = _$timeout_;
-  }));
-
-  it('should close automatically if auto-dismiss is defined on the element', function() {
-    scope.removeAlert = jasmine.createSpy();
-    $compile('<alert close="removeAlert()" dismiss-on-timeout="500">Default alert!</alert>')(scope);
-    scope.$digest();
-
-    $timeout.flush();
-    expect(scope.removeAlert).toHaveBeenCalled();
-  });
-});