diff --git a/src/router-directive.es5.js b/src/router-directive.es5.js
index c19f120..7e8da96 100644
--- a/src/router-directive.es5.js
+++ b/src/router-directive.es5.js
@@ -125,10 +125,22 @@ function ngViewportDirective($animate, $compile, $controller, $templateRequest,
         return !ctrl || !ctrl.canActivate || ctrl.canActivate(instruction);
       },
       load: function (instruction) {
-        var componentTemplateUrl = $componentLoader(getComponentName(instruction)).template;
-        return $templateRequest(componentTemplateUrl).then(function(templateHtml) {
+        var componentTemplateUrl, $template;
+        if (ctrl.constructor.$template) {
+          $template = ctrl.constructor.$template
+          if ($template.inline) {
+            myCtrl.$$template = $template.inline;
+            return;
+          } else {
+            componentTemplateUrl = $template.url;
+          }
+        } else {
+          componentTemplateUrl = $componentLoader(getComponentName(instruction)).template;
+        }
+        $templateRequest(componentTemplateUrl).then(function(templateHtml) {
           myCtrl.$$template = templateHtml;
         });
+        return;
       },
       activate: function (instruction) {
         var componentName = getComponentName(instruction);
diff --git a/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js b/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
index a2bbbeb..dcc4f06 100644
--- a/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
+++ b/test/router-viewport.es5.spec.js
@@ -273,6 +273,38 @@ describe('ngViewport', function () {
     expect(elt.text()).toBe('hi');
   }));
 
+  it('should load a seperate template when a controller has a $template property', inject(function ($router) {
+    $templateCache.put('NonStandardDirectory/aNonStandardName.html', [200, 'hi', {}]);
+    $controllerProvider.register('TemplateController', TemplateController);
+    function TemplateController() {}
+    TemplateController.$template = {
+      url: 'NonStandardDirectory/aNonStandardName.html'
+    }
+    $router.config([
+      { path: '/t', component: 'template' }
+    ]);
+    compile('<div ng-viewport></div>');
+
+    $router.navigate('/t');
+    $rootScope.$digest();
+    expect(elt.text()).toBe('hi');
+  }));
+
+  it('should load a seperate template when a controller has a $template property', inject(function ($router) {
+    $controllerProvider.register('InlineTemplateController', InlineTemplateController);
+    function InlineTemplateController() {}
+    InlineTemplateController.$template = {
+      inline: 'hi'
+    }
+    $router.config([
+      { path: '/t', component: 'inlineTemplate' }
+    ]);
+    compile('<div ng-viewport></div>');
+
+    $router.navigate('/t');
+    $rootScope.$digest();
+    expect(elt.text()).toBe('hi');
+  }));
 
   it('should change location path', inject(function ($router, $location) {