diff --git a/js/angular/service/popup.js b/js/angular/service/popup.js
index 6e37defd345..84a00cc5dd8 100644
--- a/js/angular/service/popup.js
+++ b/js/angular/service/popup.js
@@ -464,8 +464,13 @@ function($ionicTemplateLoader, $ionicBackdrop, $q, $timeout, $rootScope, $docume
   function showPrompt(opts) {
     var scope = $rootScope.$new(true);
     scope.data = {};
+    var text = '';
+    if(opts.template && /<[a-z][\s\S]*>/i.test(opts.template) === false){
+      text = '<span>'+opts.template+'</span>';
+      delete opts.template;
+    }
     return showPopup( extend({
-      template: '<input ng-model="data.response" type="' + (opts.inputType || 'text') +
+      template: text+'<input ng-model="data.response" type="' + (opts.inputType || 'text') +
         '" placeholder="' + (opts.inputPlaceholder || '') + '">',
       scope: scope,
       buttons: [{
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/service/popup.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/service/popup.unit.js
index 0a4e8e6fa1f..1d072fa87ab 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/service/popup.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/service/popup.unit.js
@@ -277,5 +277,16 @@ describe('$ionicPopup service', function() {
       $timeout.flush();
       expect($ionicBackdrop.release).toHaveBeenCalled();
     }));
+    it('template should only overwrite prompt input if it includes html', inject(function($timeout) {
+      spyOn($ionicPopup, '_createPopup');
+      $ionicPopup.prompt({template: "Tacos!"});
+      params = $ionicPopup._createPopup.mostRecentCall.args;
+      expect(params[0].template.indexOf('<span>Tacos!</span>')).toEqual(0);
+      expect(params[0].template.indexOf('<input')).toBeGreaterThan(6);
+
+      $ionicPopup.prompt({template: '<input type="email" />'});
+      params = $ionicPopup._createPopup.mostRecentCall.args;
+      expect(params[0].template.indexOf('<input type="email" />')).toEqual(0);
+    }));
   });
 });