diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/src/animate.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/src/animate.ts
index 2044716dd1..e171b5bf61 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/src/animate.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/src/animate.ts
@@ -1,19 +1,21 @@
-import {Component, trigger, state, animate, transition, style} from '@angular/core';
+import {AUTO_STYLE, Component, trigger, state, animate, transition, style} from '@angular/core';
 
 @Component({
   selector: "animate-cmp",
   animations: [
     trigger('openClose', [
+      state("*", style({ height: AUTO_STYLE, color: 'black', borderColor: 'black' })),
       state('closed, void',
         style({ height:"0px", color: "maroon", borderColor: "maroon" })),
       state('open',
-        style({ height:"*", borderColor:"green", color:"green" })),
+        style({ height: AUTO_STYLE, borderColor:"green", color:"green" })),
       transition("* => *", animate(500))
     ])
   ],
   template: `
     <button (click)="setAsOpen()">Open</button>
     <button (click)="setAsClosed()">Closed</button>
+    <button (click)="setAsSomethingElse()">Something Else</button>
     <hr />
     <div @openClose="stateExpression">
       Look at this box
@@ -25,6 +27,9 @@ export class AnimateCmp {
   constructor() {
     this.setAsClosed();
   }
+  setAsSomethingElse() {
+    this.stateExpression = 'something';
+  }
   setAsOpen() {
     this.stateExpression = 'open';
   }
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/animate_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/animate_spec.ts
index 8c2f8ed1ca..dca2e41e37 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/animate_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/animate_spec.ts
@@ -8,15 +8,19 @@ import {AUTO_STYLE, ReflectiveInjector, DebugElement, getDebugNode} from '@angul
 import {browserPlatform, BROWSER_APP_PROVIDERS} from '@angular/platform-browser';
 
 describe("template codegen output", () => {
+  function findTargetElement(elm: DebugElement): DebugElement {
+    // the open-close-container is a child of the main container
+    // if the template changes then please update the location below
+    return elm.children[4];
+  }
+
   it("should apply the animate states to the element", (done) => {
     const appInjector = ReflectiveInjector.resolveAndCreate(BROWSER_APP_PROVIDERS,
       browserPlatform().injector);
     var comp = AnimateCmpNgFactory.create(appInjector);
     var debugElement = <DebugElement>getDebugNode(comp.location.nativeElement);
 
-    // the open-close-container is a child of the main container
-    // if the template changes then please update the location below
-    var targetDebugElement = <DebugElement>debugElement.children[3];
+    var targetDebugElement = findTargetElement(<DebugElement>debugElement);
 
     comp.instance.setAsOpen();
     comp.changeDetectorRef.detectChanges();
@@ -37,4 +41,32 @@ describe("template codegen output", () => {
       }, 0);
     }, 0);
   });
+
+  it("should apply the default animate state to the element", (done) => {
+    const appInjector = ReflectiveInjector.resolveAndCreate(BROWSER_APP_PROVIDERS,
+      browserPlatform().injector);
+    var comp = AnimateCmpNgFactory.create(appInjector);
+    var debugElement = <DebugElement>getDebugNode(comp.location.nativeElement);
+
+    var targetDebugElement = findTargetElement(<DebugElement>debugElement);
+
+    comp.instance.setAsSomethingElse();
+    comp.changeDetectorRef.detectChanges();
+
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      expect(targetDebugElement.styles['height']).toEqual(AUTO_STYLE);
+      expect(targetDebugElement.styles['borderColor']).toEqual('black');
+      expect(targetDebugElement.styles['color']).toEqual('black');
+
+      comp.instance.setAsClosed();
+      comp.changeDetectorRef.detectChanges();
+
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        expect(targetDebugElement.styles['height']).not.toEqual(AUTO_STYLE);
+        expect(targetDebugElement.styles['borderColor']).not.toEqual('grey');
+        expect(targetDebugElement.styles['color']).not.toEqual('grey');
+        done();
+      }, 0);
+    }, 0);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/core_private.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/core_private.ts
index 388b313161..e2c57ae7ad 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/core_private.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/core_private.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ export var AnimationKeyframe: typeof t.AnimationKeyframe = r.AnimationKeyframe;
 export type AnimationStyles = t.AnimationStyles;
 export var AnimationStyles: typeof t.AnimationStyles = r.AnimationStyles;
 export var ANY_STATE = r.ANY_STATE;
+export var DEFAULT_STATE = r.DEFAULT_STATE;
 export var EMPTY_STATE = r.EMPTY_STATE;
 export var FILL_STYLE_FLAG = r.FILL_STYLE_FLAG;
 export var balanceAnimationStyles: typeof t.balanceAnimationStyles = r.balanceAnimationStyles;
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/animation/animation_compiler.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/animation/animation_compiler.ts
index c75900a15f..e1d23badaf 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/animation/animation_compiler.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/animation/animation_compiler.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {Identifiers} from '../identifiers';
 import * as o from '../output/output_ast';
 
 import {AUTO_STYLE} from '@angular/core';
-import {ANY_STATE, EMPTY_STATE} from '../../core_private';
+import {DEFAULT_STATE, ANY_STATE, EMPTY_STATE} from '../../core_private';
 
 import {
   AnimationParseError,
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export class AnimationCompiler {
 }
 
 var _ANIMATION_FACTORY_ELEMENT_VAR = o.variable('element');
+var _ANIMATION_DEFAULT_STATE_VAR = o.variable('defaultStateStyles');
 var _ANIMATION_FACTORY_VIEW_VAR = o.variable('view');
 var _ANIMATION_FACTORY_RENDERER_VAR = _ANIMATION_FACTORY_VIEW_VAR.prop('renderer');
 var _ANIMATION_CURRENT_STATE_VAR = o.variable('currentState');
@@ -212,6 +213,9 @@ class _AnimationBuilder implements AnimationAstVisitor {
     //visit each of the declarations first to build the context state map
     ast.stateDeclarations.forEach(def => def.visit(this, context));
 
+    //this should always be defined even if the user overrides it
+    context.stateMap.registerState(DEFAULT_STATE, {});
+
     var statements = [];
     statements.push(
       _ANIMATION_FACTORY_VIEW_VAR.callMethod('cancelActiveAnimation', [
@@ -223,6 +227,11 @@ class _AnimationBuilder implements AnimationAstVisitor {
     statements.push(_ANIMATION_COLLECTED_STYLES.set(EMPTY_MAP).toDeclStmt());
     statements.push(_ANIMATION_PLAYER_VAR.set(o.NULL_EXPR).toDeclStmt());
 
+    statements.push(
+      _ANIMATION_DEFAULT_STATE_VAR.set(
+        this._statesMapVar.key(o.literal(DEFAULT_STATE))
+      ).toDeclStmt());
+
     statements.push(
       _ANIMATION_START_STATE_STYLES_VAR.set(
         this._statesMapVar.key(_ANIMATION_CURRENT_STATE_VAR)
@@ -230,7 +239,7 @@ class _AnimationBuilder implements AnimationAstVisitor {
 
     statements.push(
       new o.IfStmt(_ANIMATION_START_STATE_STYLES_VAR.equals(o.NULL_EXPR), [
-        _ANIMATION_START_STATE_STYLES_VAR.set(EMPTY_MAP).toStmt()
+        _ANIMATION_START_STATE_STYLES_VAR.set(_ANIMATION_DEFAULT_STATE_VAR).toStmt()
       ]));
 
     statements.push(
@@ -240,7 +249,7 @@ class _AnimationBuilder implements AnimationAstVisitor {
 
     statements.push(
       new o.IfStmt(_ANIMATION_END_STATE_STYLES_VAR.equals(o.NULL_EXPR), [
-        _ANIMATION_END_STATE_STYLES_VAR.set(EMPTY_MAP).toStmt()
+        _ANIMATION_END_STATE_STYLES_VAR.set(_ANIMATION_DEFAULT_STATE_VAR).toStmt()
       ]));
 
 
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/private_export.ts b/modules/@angular/core/private_export.ts
index 77906c4817..b331a22798 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/private_export.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/private_export.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {AnimationStyles as AnimationStyles_} from './src/animation/animation_sty
 import * as animationUtils from './src/animation/animation_style_util';
 import {
   ANY_STATE as ANY_STATE_,
+  DEFAULT_STATE as DEFAULT_STATE_,
   EMPTY_STATE as EMPTY_STATE_,
   FILL_STYLE_FLAG as FILL_STYLE_FLAG_
 } from './src/animation/animation_constants';
@@ -130,6 +131,7 @@ export declare namespace __core_private_types__ {
   export type AnimationStyles = AnimationStyles_;
   export var AnimationStyles: typeof AnimationStyles_;
   export var ANY_STATE: typeof ANY_STATE_;
+  export var DEFAULT_STATE: typeof DEFAULT_STATE_;
   export var EMPTY_STATE: typeof EMPTY_STATE_;
   export var FILL_STYLE_FLAG: typeof FILL_STYLE_FLAG_;
 }
@@ -199,6 +201,7 @@ export var __core_private__ = {
   collectAndResolveStyles: animationUtils.collectAndResolveStyles,
   AnimationStyles: AnimationStyles_,
   ANY_STATE: ANY_STATE_,
+  DEFAULT_STATE: DEFAULT_STATE_,
   EMPTY_STATE: EMPTY_STATE_,
   FILL_STYLE_FLAG: FILL_STYLE_FLAG_
 };
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/animation_constants.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/animation_constants.ts
index 9a6a330d54..236e86afd0 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/animation_constants.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/animation_constants.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 export const FILL_STYLE_FLAG = 'true'; // TODO (matsko): change to boolean
 export const ANY_STATE = '*';
+export const DEFAULT_STATE = '*';
 export const EMPTY_STATE = 'void';
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/metadata.ts b/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/metadata.ts
index 577d1138b2..a1148cc4e7 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/metadata.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/src/animation/metadata.ts
@@ -292,6 +292,10 @@ export function style(tokens: string|{[key: string]: string | number}|Array<stri
  * of the application anymore (e.g. when an `ngIf` evaluates to false then the state of the associated element
  * is void).
  *
+ * #### The `*` (default) state
+ *
+ * The `*` state (when styled) is a fallback state that will be used if
+ * the state that is being animated is not declared within the trigger.
  *
  * ### Usage
  *
diff --git a/modules/@angular/core/test/animation/animation_integration_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/core/test/animation/animation_integration_spec.ts
index 7e4244af0b..ba8dde4f63 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/core/test/animation/animation_integration_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/core/test/animation/animation_integration_spec.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
 import {isPresent, isArray, IS_DART} from '../../src/facade/lang';
 
 import {Component} from '../../index';
+import {DEFAULT_STATE} from '../../src/animation/animation_constants';
 
 import {NgIf} from '@angular/common';
 
@@ -702,6 +703,57 @@ function declareTests() {
                    });
              })));
 
+      it('should animate to and retain the default animation state styles once the animation is complete if defined',
+         inject([TestComponentBuilder, AnimationDriver], fakeAsync((tcb: TestComponentBuilder, driver: MockAnimationDriver) => {
+                    makeAnimationCmp(tcb, '<div class="target" @status="exp"></div>', [
+                        trigger('status', [
+                          state(DEFAULT_STATE, style({ "background": 'grey' })),
+                          state('green', style({ "background": 'green' })),
+                          state('red', style({ "background": 'red' })),
+                          transition('* => *', [ animate(1000) ])
+                        ])
+                    ], (fixture) => {
+                     tick();
+
+                     var cmp = fixture.debugElement.componentInstance;
+                     var node = getDOM().querySelector(fixture.debugElement.nativeElement, '.target');
+                     cmp.exp = 'green';
+                     fixture.detectChanges();
+                     flushMicrotasks();
+
+                     var animation = driver.log.pop();
+                     var keyframes = animation['keyframeLookup'];
+                     expect(keyframes[1]).toEqual([1, {'background': 'green' }]);
+
+                     cmp.exp = 'blue';
+                     fixture.detectChanges();
+                     flushMicrotasks();
+
+                     animation = driver.log.pop();
+                     keyframes = animation['keyframeLookup'];
+                     expect(keyframes[0]).toEqual([0, {'background': 'green' }]);
+                     expect(keyframes[1]).toEqual([1, {'background': 'grey' }]);
+
+                     cmp.exp = 'red';
+                     fixture.detectChanges();
+                     flushMicrotasks();
+
+                     animation = driver.log.pop();
+                     keyframes = animation['keyframeLookup'];
+                     expect(keyframes[0]).toEqual([0, {'background': 'grey' }]);
+                     expect(keyframes[1]).toEqual([1, {'background': 'red' }]);
+
+                     cmp.exp = 'orange';
+                     fixture.detectChanges();
+                     flushMicrotasks();
+
+                     animation = driver.log.pop();
+                     keyframes = animation['keyframeLookup'];
+                     expect(keyframes[0]).toEqual([0, {'background': 'red' }]);
+                     expect(keyframes[1]).toEqual([1, {'background': 'grey' }]);
+                   });
+             })));
+
       it('should seed in the origin animation state styles into the first animation step',
          inject([TestComponentBuilder, AnimationDriver], fakeAsync((tcb: TestComponentBuilder, driver: MockAnimationDriver) => {
                     makeAnimationCmp(tcb, '<div class="target" @status="exp"></div>', [
diff --git a/modules/playground/src/animate/app/animate-app.ts b/modules/playground/src/animate/app/animate-app.ts
index 871bda9dd4..604de904c4 100644
--- a/modules/playground/src/animate/app/animate-app.ts
+++ b/modules/playground/src/animate/app/animate-app.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ import {
     <div @backgroundAnimation="bgStatus">
       <button (click)="state='start'">Start State</button>
       <button (click)="state='active'">Active State</button>
+      |
       <button (click)="state='void'">Void State</button>
+      <button (click)="state='default'">Unhandled (default) State</button>
       <button style="float:right" (click)="bgStatus='blur'">Blur Page</button>
       <hr />
       <div *ngFor="let item of items" class="box" @boxAnimation="state">
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ import {
       ])
     ]),
     trigger("boxAnimation", [
+      state("*", style({ "height": "*", "background-color": "#dddddd", "color":"black" })),
       state("void, hidden", style({ "height": 0, "opacity": 0 })),
       state("start", style({ "background-color": "red", "height": "*" })),
       state("active", style({ "background-color": "orange", "color": "white", "font-size":"100px" })),
@@ -65,15 +68,15 @@ export class AnimateApp {
   get state() { return this._state; }
   set state(s) {
     this._state = s;
-    if (s == 'start' || s == 'active') {
+    if (s == 'void') {
+      this.items = [];
+    } else {
       this.items = [
         1,2,3,4,5,
         6,7,8,9,10,
         11,12,13,14,15,
         16,17,18,19,20
       ];
-    } else {
-      this.items = [];
     }
   }
 }