diff --git a/src/form.js b/src/form.js
index 206f11dd..9ba22709 100644
--- a/src/form.js
+++ b/src/form.js
@@ -131,10 +131,9 @@ _.extend(Thorax.View.prototype, {
         if (!_.isUndefined(value)) {
           //will only execute if we have a name that matches the structure in attributes
           var isBinary = type === 'checkbox' || type === 'radio';
-          if (isBinary && _.isBoolean(value)) {
-            $element.attr('checked', value);
-          } else if (isBinary) {
-            $element.attr('checked', value == $element.val());
+          if (isBinary) {
+            value = _.isBoolean(value) ? value : value === $element.val();
+            $element[value ? 'attr' : 'removeAttr']('checked', 'checked');
           } else {
             $element.val(value);
           }
diff --git a/test/src/form.js b/test/src/form.js
index 7d5acb06..eb832dcb 100644
--- a/test/src/form.js
+++ b/test/src/form.js
@@ -294,4 +294,60 @@ describe('form', function() {
     view.render();
     expect(view.serialize()).to.eql({foo: true});
   });
+  
+  describe( "populate checked", function() {
+    var view;
+    
+    function renderedFormView(type, inputValue, attrValue) {
+      var newView = new FormView({
+        template: function() {
+          return '<input type="'+type+'" name="bat" value="'+inputValue+'">';
+        }
+      });
+
+      var attributes = { bat: attrValue };
+      var model = new Thorax.Model(attributes);
+      newView.setModel(model);
+      newView.render();
+      return newView;
+    }
+    
+    function viewCheckedAttr() {
+      return view.$('input[name="bat"]').eq(0).attr('checked');
+    }
+    
+    function expectChecked() {
+      expect(viewCheckedAttr()).to.equal('checked');
+    }
+
+    function expectNotChecked() {
+      // don't be the string 'false', instead be boolean false, since the attr is non-existent
+      expect(viewCheckedAttr()).to.not.equal('false').and.to.be['false'];
+    }
+    
+    describe( "checkbox", function() {
+      it( "should populate input attribute 'checked' with value 'checked' if set", function() {
+        view = renderedFormView('checkbox', 'man', 'man');
+        expectChecked();
+      });
+
+      it( "should not populate input attribute 'checked' if not set", function() {
+        view = renderedFormView('checkbox', 'man', 'woman');
+        expectNotChecked();
+      });
+    });
+    
+    describe( "radio", function() {
+      // this is currently broken on fruit-loops. see here: https://github.com/kpdecker/cheerio/blob/master/lib/api/attributes.js#L143
+      xit( "should populate input attribute 'checked' with value 'checked' if set", function() {
+        view = renderedFormView('radio', 'man', 'man');
+        expectChecked();
+      });
+
+      it( "should not populate input attribute 'checked' if not set", function() {
+        view = renderedFormView('radio', 'man', 'woman');
+        expectNotChecked();
+      });
+    });
+  });
 });