diff --git a/bower.json b/bower.json
index fccd0e67..a5bdae9a 100644
--- a/bower.json
+++ b/bower.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aurelia-templating",
-  "version": "0.12.0",
+  "version": "0.12.1",
   "description": "An extensible HTML templating engine supporting databinding, custom elements, attached behaviors and more.",
   "keywords": [
     "aurelia",
diff --git a/dist/amd/html-behavior.js b/dist/amd/html-behavior.js
index ddaa9ed8..25e2f499 100644
--- a/dist/amd/html-behavior.js
+++ b/dist/amd/html-behavior.js
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ define(['exports', 'aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue',
       this.handlesUnbind = 'unbind' in proto;
       this.handlesAttached = 'attached' in proto;
       this.handlesDetached = 'detached' in proto;
-      this.apiName = (this.elementName || this.attributeName).replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
+      this.htmlName = this.elementName || this.attributeName;
+      this.apiName = this.htmlName.replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
         return w.toUpperCase();
       });
 
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ define(['exports', 'aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue',
         viewFactory = instruction.viewFactory || this.viewFactory;
 
         if (viewFactory) {
-          behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, behaviorInstance.executionContext, instruction);
+          behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, executionContext, instruction);
         }
 
         if (element) {
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ define(['exports', 'aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue',
 
             if (instruction.anchorIsContainer) {
               if (this.childExpression) {
-                behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+                behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, executionContext));
               }
 
               behaviorInstance.view.appendNodesTo(host);
@@ -264,23 +265,29 @@ define(['exports', 'aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue',
               behaviorInstance.view.insertNodesBefore(host);
             }
           } else if (this.childExpression) {
-            bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+            bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
           }
         } else if (behaviorInstance.view) {
           behaviorInstance.view.owner = behaviorInstance;
 
           if (this.childExpression) {
-            behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+            behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
           }
         } else if (this.childExpression) {
-          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
         }
       } else if (this.childExpression) {
-        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
       }
 
-      if (element && !(this.apiName in element)) {
-        element[this.apiName] = behaviorInstance.executionContext;
+      if (element) {
+        if (!(this.apiName in element)) {
+          element[this.apiName] = executionContext;
+        }
+
+        if (!(this.htmlName in element)) {
+          element[this.htmlName] = behaviorInstance;
+        }
       }
 
       return behaviorInstance;
diff --git a/dist/commonjs/html-behavior.js b/dist/commonjs/html-behavior.js
index 8acc311d..91caabee 100644
--- a/dist/commonjs/html-behavior.js
+++ b/dist/commonjs/html-behavior.js
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ var HtmlBehaviorResource = (function () {
     this.handlesUnbind = 'unbind' in proto;
     this.handlesAttached = 'attached' in proto;
     this.handlesDetached = 'detached' in proto;
-    this.apiName = (this.elementName || this.attributeName).replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
+    this.htmlName = this.elementName || this.attributeName;
+    this.apiName = this.htmlName.replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
       return w.toUpperCase();
     });
 
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ var HtmlBehaviorResource = (function () {
       viewFactory = instruction.viewFactory || this.viewFactory;
 
       if (viewFactory) {
-        behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, behaviorInstance.executionContext, instruction);
+        behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, executionContext, instruction);
       }
 
       if (element) {
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ var HtmlBehaviorResource = (function () {
 
           if (instruction.anchorIsContainer) {
             if (this.childExpression) {
-              behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+              behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, executionContext));
             }
 
             behaviorInstance.view.appendNodesTo(host);
@@ -281,23 +282,29 @@ var HtmlBehaviorResource = (function () {
             behaviorInstance.view.insertNodesBefore(host);
           }
         } else if (this.childExpression) {
-          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
         }
       } else if (behaviorInstance.view) {
         behaviorInstance.view.owner = behaviorInstance;
 
         if (this.childExpression) {
-          behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+          behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
         }
       } else if (this.childExpression) {
-        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
       }
     } else if (this.childExpression) {
-      bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+      bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
     }
 
-    if (element && !(this.apiName in element)) {
-      element[this.apiName] = behaviorInstance.executionContext;
+    if (element) {
+      if (!(this.apiName in element)) {
+        element[this.apiName] = executionContext;
+      }
+
+      if (!(this.htmlName in element)) {
+        element[this.htmlName] = behaviorInstance;
+      }
     }
 
     return behaviorInstance;
diff --git a/dist/es6/html-behavior.js b/dist/es6/html-behavior.js
index 819ffc82..b00b0945 100644
--- a/dist/es6/html-behavior.js
+++ b/dist/es6/html-behavior.js
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ export class HtmlBehaviorResource {
     this.handlesUnbind = ('unbind' in proto);
     this.handlesAttached = ('attached' in proto);
     this.handlesDetached = ('detached' in proto);
-    this.apiName = (this.elementName || this.attributeName).replace(/-([a-z])/g, (m, w) => w.toUpperCase());
+    this.htmlName = this.elementName || this.attributeName;
+    this.apiName = this.htmlName.replace(/-([a-z])/g, (m, w) => w.toUpperCase());
 
     if(attributeName !== null){
       if(properties.length === 0){ //default for custom attributes
@@ -223,8 +224,8 @@ export class HtmlBehaviorResource {
       viewFactory = instruction.viewFactory || this.viewFactory;
 
       if(viewFactory){
-        //TODO: apply element instructions? var results = viewFactory.applyElementInstructions(container, behaviorInstance.executionContext, element);
-        behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, behaviorInstance.executionContext, instruction);
+        //TODO: apply element instructions? var results = viewFactory.applyElementInstructions(container, executionContext, element);
+        behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, executionContext, instruction);
         //TODO: register results with view
       }
 
@@ -254,7 +255,7 @@ export class HtmlBehaviorResource {
 
           if(instruction.anchorIsContainer){
             if(this.childExpression){
-              behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+              behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, executionContext));
             }
 
             behaviorInstance.view.appendNodesTo(host);
@@ -262,26 +263,32 @@ export class HtmlBehaviorResource {
             behaviorInstance.view.insertNodesBefore(host);
           }
         }else if(this.childExpression){
-          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+          bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
         }
       }else if(behaviorInstance.view){
         //dynamic element with view
         behaviorInstance.view.owner = behaviorInstance;
 
         if(this.childExpression){
-          behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+          behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
         }
       }else if(this.childExpression){
         //dynamic element without view
-        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+        bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
       }
     } else if(this.childExpression){
       //custom attribute
-      bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+      bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
     }
 
-    if(element && !(this.apiName in element)){
-      element[this.apiName] = behaviorInstance.executionContext;
+    if(element){
+      if(!(this.apiName in element)){
+        element[this.apiName] = executionContext;
+      }
+
+      if(!(this.htmlName in element)){
+        element[this.htmlName] = behaviorInstance;
+      }
     }
 
     return behaviorInstance;
diff --git a/dist/system/html-behavior.js b/dist/system/html-behavior.js
index b5cb18c0..33e23dcb 100644
--- a/dist/system/html-behavior.js
+++ b/dist/system/html-behavior.js
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ System.register(['aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue', '.
           this.handlesUnbind = 'unbind' in proto;
           this.handlesAttached = 'attached' in proto;
           this.handlesDetached = 'detached' in proto;
-          this.apiName = (this.elementName || this.attributeName).replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
+          this.htmlName = this.elementName || this.attributeName;
+          this.apiName = this.htmlName.replace(/-([a-z])/g, function (m, w) {
             return w.toUpperCase();
           });
 
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ System.register(['aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue', '.
             viewFactory = instruction.viewFactory || this.viewFactory;
 
             if (viewFactory) {
-              behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, behaviorInstance.executionContext, instruction);
+              behaviorInstance.view = viewFactory.create(container, executionContext, instruction);
             }
 
             if (element) {
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ System.register(['aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue', '.
 
                 if (instruction.anchorIsContainer) {
                   if (this.childExpression) {
-                    behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+                    behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(host, executionContext));
                   }
 
                   behaviorInstance.view.appendNodesTo(host);
@@ -285,23 +286,29 @@ System.register(['aurelia-metadata', 'aurelia-binding', 'aurelia-task-queue', '.
                   behaviorInstance.view.insertNodesBefore(host);
                 }
               } else if (this.childExpression) {
-                bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+                bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
               }
             } else if (behaviorInstance.view) {
               behaviorInstance.view.owner = behaviorInstance;
 
               if (this.childExpression) {
-                behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+                behaviorInstance.view.addBinding(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
               }
             } else if (this.childExpression) {
-              bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+              bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(instruction.host, executionContext));
             }
           } else if (this.childExpression) {
-            bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, behaviorInstance.executionContext));
+            bindings.push(this.childExpression.createBinding(element, executionContext));
           }
 
-          if (element && !(this.apiName in element)) {
-            element[this.apiName] = behaviorInstance.executionContext;
+          if (element) {
+            if (!(this.apiName in element)) {
+              element[this.apiName] = executionContext;
+            }
+
+            if (!(this.htmlName in element)) {
+              element[this.htmlName] = behaviorInstance;
+            }
           }
 
           return behaviorInstance;
diff --git a/doc/CHANGELOG.md b/doc/CHANGELOG.md
index a40daff2..55ae14ed 100644
--- a/doc/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/doc/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+### 0.12.1 (2015-06-09)
+
+
+#### Bug Fixes
+
+* **html-behavior:** add htmlName to element with behavior instance reference ([6e224d78](http://github.com/aurelia/templating/commit/6e224d785306c818143c6aab4589717862c154f8))
+
+
 ## 0.12.0 (2015-06-08)
 
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 535a0deb..c505b4ff 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aurelia-templating",
-  "version": "0.12.0",
+  "version": "0.12.1",
   "description": "An extensible HTML templating engine supporting databinding, custom elements, attached behaviors and more.",
   "keywords": [
     "aurelia",
diff --git a/src/html-behavior.js b/src/html-behavior.js
index 7ab47f37..b00b0945 100644
--- a/src/html-behavior.js
+++ b/src/html-behavior.js
@@ -282,11 +282,11 @@ export class HtmlBehaviorResource {
     }
 
     if(element){
-      if(!(this.apiName in element){
+      if(!(this.apiName in element)){
         element[this.apiName] = executionContext;
       }
 
-      if(!(this.htmlName in element){
+      if(!(this.htmlName in element)){
         element[this.htmlName] = behaviorInstance;
       }
     }