diff --git a/src/select2.js b/src/select2.js
index 828032d..fb153c6 100644
--- a/src/select2.js
+++ b/src/select2.js
@@ -200,7 +200,9 @@ angular.module('ui.select2', []).value('uiSelect2Config', {}).directive('uiSelec
           elm.select2(opts);
 
           // Set initial value - I'm not sure about this but it seems to need to be there
-          elm.select2('data', controller.$modelValue);
+          if (controller.$viewValue) {
+            elm.select2('data', controller.$modelValue);
+          }
           // important!
           controller.$render();