diff --git a/src/Cleave.angular.js b/src/Cleave.angular.js
index e8763adf..bbc333d2 100644
--- a/src/Cleave.angular.js
+++ b/src/Cleave.angular.js
@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ angular.module('cleave.js', [])
             require:  'ngModel',
 
             scope: {
-                cleave:        '=',
+                cleave:        '&',
                 onValueChange: '&?'
             },
 
             compile: function () {
                 return {
                     pre: function ($scope, $element, attrs, ngModelCtrl) {
-                        $scope.cleave = new window.Cleave($element[0], $scope.cleave);
+                        $scope.cleave = new window.Cleave($element[0], $scope.cleave() );
 
                         ngModelCtrl.$formatters.push(function (val) {
-                            $scope.cleave.setRawValue(val);
+                            $scope.cleave.setRawValue(val ? val : '');
 
                             return $scope.cleave.getFormattedValue();
                         });