diff --git a/src/ng/compile.js b/src/ng/compile.js
index 129be31f0b88..2eb47a6fc5dc 100644
--- a/src/ng/compile.js
+++ b/src/ng/compile.js
@@ -1997,9 +1997,12 @@ function $CompileProvider($provide, $$sanitizeUriProvider) {
           for (i in elementControllers) {
             controller = elementControllers[i];
             var controllerResult = controller();
+
             if (controllerResult !== controller.instance) {
+              // If the controller constructor has a return value, overwrite the instance
+              // from setupControllers and update the element data
               controller.instance = controllerResult;
-              $element.data('$' + directive.name + 'Controller', controllerResult);
+              $element.data('$' + i + 'Controller', controllerResult);
               if (controller === controllerForBindings) {
                 // Remove and re-install bindToController bindings
                 thisLinkFn.$$destroyBindings();
diff --git a/test/ng/compileSpec.js b/test/ng/compileSpec.js
index 8bd74c7353d7..d7c52d02bae5 100755
--- a/test/ng/compileSpec.js
+++ b/test/ng/compileSpec.js
@@ -4573,6 +4573,41 @@ describe('$compile', function() {
     });
 
 
+    it('should correctly assign controller return values for multiple directives', function() {
+      var directiveController, otherDirectiveController;
+      module(function() {
+
+        directive('myDirective', function(log) {
+          return {
+            scope: true,
+            controller: function($scope) {
+              return directiveController = {
+                foo: 'bar'
+              };
+            }
+          };
+        });
+
+        directive('myOtherDirective', function(log) {
+          return {
+            controller: function($scope) {
+              return otherDirectiveController = {
+                baz: 'luh'
+              };
+            }
+          };
+        });
+
+      });
+
+      inject(function(log, $compile, $rootScope) {
+        element = $compile('<my-directive my-other-directive></my-directive>')($rootScope);
+        expect(element.data('$myDirectiveController')).toBe(directiveController);
+        expect(element.data('$myOtherDirectiveController')).toBe(otherDirectiveController);
+      });
+    });
+
+
     it('should get required parent controller', function() {
       module(function() {
         directive('nested', function(log) {