diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/directive_resolver.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/directive_resolver.ts
index 49819bfd08..53a70fec3e 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/directive_resolver.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/directive_resolver.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ import {
   HostBindingMetadata,
   HostListenerMetadata,
   ContentChildrenMetadata,
-  ViewChildrenMetadata
+  ViewChildrenMetadata,
+  ContentChildMetadata,
+  ViewChildMetadata
 } from 'angular2/src/core/metadata';
 import {reflector} from 'angular2/src/core/reflection/reflection';
 
-/**
+/*
  * Resolve a `Type` for {@link DirectiveMetadata}.
  *
  * This interface can be overridden by the application developer to create custom behavior.
@@ -86,6 +88,14 @@ export class DirectiveResolver {
         if (a instanceof ViewChildrenMetadata) {
           queries[propName] = a;
         }
+
+        if (a instanceof ContentChildMetadata) {
+          queries[propName] = a;
+        }
+
+        if (a instanceof ViewChildMetadata) {
+          queries[propName] = a;
+        }
       });
     });
     return this._merge(dm, properties, events, host, queries);
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/element_injector.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/element_injector.ts
index d3e8eb6d66..50051c1bd6 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/element_injector.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/compiler/element_injector.ts
@@ -967,7 +967,11 @@ export class QueryRef {
     // TODO delete the check once only field queries are supported
     if (isPresent(this.dirIndex)) {
       var dir = this.originator.getDirectiveAtIndex(this.dirIndex);
-      this.setter(dir, this.list);
+      if (this.query.first) {
+        this.setter(dir, this.list.length > 0 ? this.list.first : null);
+      } else {
+        this.setter(dir, this.list);
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.dart b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.dart
index 06df4f3fae..1301849f91 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.dart
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.dart
@@ -102,6 +102,14 @@ class ContentChildren extends ContentChildrenMetadata {
     : super(selector, descendants: descendants);
 }
 
+/**
+ * See: [ContentChildMetadata] for docs.
+ */
+class ContentChild extends ContentChildMetadata {
+  const ContentChild(dynamic /*Type | string*/ selector)
+    : super(selector);
+}
+
 /**
  * See: [ViewQueryMetadata] for docs.
  */
@@ -118,6 +126,14 @@ class ViewChildren extends ViewChildrenMetadata {
     : super(selector);
 }
 
+/**
+ * See: [ViewChildMetadata] for docs.
+ */
+class ViewChild extends ViewChildMetadata {
+  const ViewChild(dynamic /*Type | string*/ selector)
+    : super(selector);
+}
+
 /**
  * See: [PropertyMetadata] for docs.
  */
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.ts
index dd0070807c..75c596a459 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata.ts
@@ -6,9 +6,11 @@
 export {
   QueryMetadata,
   ContentChildrenMetadata,
+  ContentChildMetadata,
   ViewChildrenMetadata,
   ViewQueryMetadata,
-  AttributeMetadata,
+  ViewChildMetadata,
+  AttributeMetadata
 } from './metadata/di';
 
 export {
@@ -26,9 +28,11 @@ export {ViewMetadata, ViewEncapsulation} from './metadata/view';
 import {
   QueryMetadata,
   ContentChildrenMetadata,
+  ContentChildMetadata,
   ViewChildrenMetadata,
+  ViewChildMetadata,
   ViewQueryMetadata,
-  AttributeMetadata,
+  AttributeMetadata
 } from './metadata/di';
 
 import {
@@ -408,11 +412,22 @@ export interface ContentChildrenFactory {
   new (selector: Type | string, {descendants}?: {descendants?: boolean}): ContentChildrenMetadata;
 }
 
+export interface ContentChildFactory {
+  (selector: Type | string): any;
+  new (selector: Type | string): ContentChildFactory;
+}
+
 export interface ViewChildrenFactory {
   (selector: Type | string): any;
   new (selector: Type | string): ViewChildrenMetadata;
 }
 
+export interface ViewChildFactory {
+  (selector: Type | string): any;
+  new (selector: Type | string): ViewChildFactory;
+}
+
+
 /**
  * {@link PipeMetadata} factory for creating decorators.
  *
@@ -546,13 +561,23 @@ export var Query: QueryFactory = makeParamDecorator(QueryMetadata);
  */
 export var ContentChildren: ContentChildrenFactory = makePropDecorator(ContentChildrenMetadata);
 
+/**
+ * {@link ContentChildMetadata} factory function.
+ */
+export var ContentChild: ContentChildFactory = makePropDecorator(ContentChildMetadata);
+
 /**
  * {@link ViewChildrenMetadata} factory function.
  */
 export var ViewChildren: ViewChildrenFactory = makePropDecorator(ViewChildrenMetadata);
 
 /**
- * {@link ViewQueryMetadata} factory function.
+ * {@link ViewChildMetadata} factory function.
+ */
+export var ViewChild: ViewChildFactory = makePropDecorator(ViewChildMetadata);
+
+/**
+ * {@link di/ViewQueryMetadata} factory function.
  */
 export var ViewQuery: QueryFactory = makeParamDecorator(ViewQueryMetadata);
 
diff --git a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata/di.ts b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata/di.ts
index 85539047ef..13fdd8a258 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata/di.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/src/core/metadata/di.ts
@@ -170,11 +170,13 @@ export class QueryMetadata extends DependencyMetadata {
    * children (true).
    */
   descendants: boolean;
+  first: boolean;
 
   constructor(private _selector: Type | string,
-              {descendants = false}: {descendants?: boolean} = {}) {
+              {descendants = false, first = false}: {descendants?: boolean, first?: boolean} = {}) {
     super();
     this.descendants = descendants;
+    this.first = first;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -229,6 +231,32 @@ export class ContentChildrenMetadata extends QueryMetadata {
   }
 }
 
+// TODO: add an example after ContentChild and ViewChild are in master
+/**
+ * Configures a content query.
+ *
+ * Content queries are set before the `afterContentInit` callback is called.
+ *
+ * ### Example
+ *
+ * ```
+ * @Directive({
+ *   selector: 'someDir'
+ * })
+ * class SomeDir {
+ *   @ContentChild(ChildDirective) contentChild;
+ *
+ *   afterContentInit() {
+ *     // contentChild is set
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ */
+@CONST()
+export class ContentChildMetadata extends QueryMetadata {
+  constructor(_selector: Type | string) { super(_selector, {descendants: true, first: true}); }
+}
+
 /**
  * Similar to {@link QueryMetadata}, but querying the component view, instead of
  * the content children.
@@ -266,8 +294,9 @@ export class ContentChildrenMetadata extends QueryMetadata {
  */
 @CONST()
 export class ViewQueryMetadata extends QueryMetadata {
-  constructor(_selector: Type | string, {descendants = false}: {descendants?: boolean} = {}) {
-    super(_selector, {descendants: descendants});
+  constructor(_selector: Type | string,
+              {descendants = false, first = false}: {descendants?: boolean, first?: boolean} = {}) {
+    super(_selector, {descendants: descendants, first: first});
   }
 
   /**
@@ -302,3 +331,29 @@ export class ViewQueryMetadata extends QueryMetadata {
 export class ViewChildrenMetadata extends ViewQueryMetadata {
   constructor(_selector: Type | string) { super(_selector, {descendants: true}); }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Configures a view query.
+ *
+ * View queries are set before the `afterViewInit` callback is called.
+ *
+ * ### Example
+ *
+ * ```
+ * @Component({
+ *   selector: 'someDir'
+ * })
+ * @View({templateUrl: 'someTemplate', directives: [ItemDirective]})
+ * class SomeDir {
+ *   @ViewChild(ItemDirective) viewChild:ItemDirective;
+ *
+ *   afterViewInit() {
+ *     // viewChild is set
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ */
+@CONST()
+export class ViewChildMetadata extends ViewQueryMetadata {
+  constructor(_selector: Type | string) { super(_selector, {descendants: true, first: true}); }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/directive_resolver_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/directive_resolver_spec.ts
index f2550ba023..ef80e60a61 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/directive_resolver_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/directive_resolver_spec.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@ import {
   ContentChildren,
   ContentChildrenMetadata,
   ViewChildren,
-  ViewChildrenMetadata
+  ViewChildrenMetadata,
+  ContentChild,
+  ContentChildMetadata,
+  ViewChild,
+  ViewChildMetadata
 } from 'angular2/src/core/metadata';
 
 @Directive({selector: 'someDirective'})
@@ -80,6 +84,18 @@ class SomeDirectiveWithViewChildren {
   c;
 }
 
+@Directive({selector: 'someDirective', queries: {"c": new ContentChild("c")}})
+class SomeDirectiveWithContentChild {
+  @ContentChild("a") a: any;
+  c;
+}
+
+@Directive({selector: 'someDirective', queries: {"c": new ViewChild("c")}})
+class SomeDirectiveWithViewChild {
+  @ViewChild("a") a: any;
+  c;
+}
+
 class SomeDirectiveWithoutMetadata {}
 
 export function main() {
@@ -156,6 +172,18 @@ export function main() {
         expect(directiveMetadata.queries)
             .toEqual({"cs": new ViewChildren("c"), "as": new ViewChildren("a")});
       });
+
+      it('should append ContentChild', () => {
+        var directiveMetadata = resolver.resolve(SomeDirectiveWithContentChild);
+        expect(directiveMetadata.queries)
+            .toEqual({"c": new ContentChild("c"), "a": new ContentChild("a")});
+      });
+
+      it('should append ViewChild', () => {
+        var directiveMetadata = resolver.resolve(SomeDirectiveWithViewChild);
+        expect(directiveMetadata.queries)
+            .toEqual({"c": new ViewChild("c"), "a": new ViewChild("a")});
+      });
     });
   });
 }
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/query_integration_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/query_integration_spec.ts
index 00e22f6c2e..f2a45e11ed 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/query_integration_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/core/compiler/query_integration_spec.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   TestComponentBuilder,
 } from 'angular2/test_lib';
 
+import {isPresent} from 'angular2/src/core/facade/lang';
 
 import {
   Component,
@@ -27,8 +28,12 @@ import {
   ViewQuery,
   ContentChildren,
   ViewChildren,
+  ContentChild,
+  ViewChild,
   AfterContentInit,
-  AfterViewInit
+  AfterViewInit,
+  AfterContentChecked,
+  AfterViewChecked
 } from 'angular2/core';
 
 import {asNativeElements} from 'angular2/src/core/debug';
@@ -81,6 +86,63 @@ export function main() {
                });
          }));
 
+      it('should contain the first content child',
+         inject([TestComponentBuilder, AsyncTestCompleter], (tcb: TestComponentBuilder, async) => {
+           var template =
+               '<needs-content-child #q><div *ng-if="shouldShow" text="foo"></div></needs-content-child>';
+
+           tcb.overrideTemplate(MyComp, template)
+               .createAsync(MyComp)
+               .then((view) => {
+                 view.debugElement.componentInstance.shouldShow = true;
+                 view.detectChanges();
+
+                 var q = view.debugElement.componentViewChildren[0].getLocal('q');
+
+                 expect(q.log).toEqual([["setter", "foo"], ["init", "foo"], ["check", "foo"]]);
+
+                 view.debugElement.componentInstance.shouldShow = false;
+                 view.detectChanges();
+
+                 expect(q.log).toEqual([
+                   ["setter", "foo"],
+                   ["init", "foo"],
+                   ["check", "foo"],
+                   ["setter", null],
+                   ["check", null]
+                 ]);
+
+                 async.done();
+               });
+         }));
+
+      it('should contain the first view child',
+         inject([TestComponentBuilder, AsyncTestCompleter], (tcb: TestComponentBuilder, async) => {
+           var template = '<needs-view-child #q></needs-view-child>';
+
+           tcb.overrideTemplate(MyComp, template)
+               .createAsync(MyComp)
+               .then((view) => {
+                 view.detectChanges();
+                 var q = view.debugElement.componentViewChildren[0].getLocal('q');
+
+                 expect(q.log).toEqual([["setter", "foo"], ["init", "foo"], ["check", "foo"]]);
+
+                 q.shouldShow = false;
+                 view.detectChanges();
+
+                 expect(q.log).toEqual([
+                   ["setter", "foo"],
+                   ["init", "foo"],
+                   ["check", "foo"],
+                   ["setter", null],
+                   ["check", null]
+                 ]);
+
+                 async.done();
+               });
+         }));
+
       it('should contain all directives in the light dom when descendants flag is used',
          inject([TestComponentBuilder, AsyncTestCompleter], (tcb: TestComponentBuilder, async) => {
            var template = '<div text="1"></div>' +
@@ -598,32 +660,72 @@ class TextDirective {
   constructor() {}
 }
 
-@Component({
-  selector: 'needs-content-children',
-  queries: {'textDirChildren': new ContentChildren(TextDirective)}
-})
+@Component({selector: 'needs-content-children'})
 @View({template: ''})
 class NeedsContentChildren implements AfterContentInit {
-  textDirChildren: QueryList<TextDirective>;
+  @ContentChildren(TextDirective) textDirChildren: QueryList<TextDirective>;
   numberOfChildrenAfterContentInit: number;
 
   afterContentInit() { this.numberOfChildrenAfterContentInit = this.textDirChildren.length; }
 }
 
-@Component({
-  selector: 'needs-view-children',
-  queries: {
-    'textDirChildren': new ViewChildren(TextDirective),
-  }
-})
+@Component({selector: 'needs-view-children'})
 @View({template: '<div text></div>', directives: [TextDirective]})
 class NeedsViewChildren implements AfterViewInit {
-  textDirChildren: QueryList<TextDirective>;
+  @ViewChildren(TextDirective) textDirChildren: QueryList<TextDirective>;
   numberOfChildrenAfterViewInit: number;
 
   afterViewInit() { this.numberOfChildrenAfterViewInit = this.textDirChildren.length; }
 }
 
+@Component({selector: 'needs-content-child'})
+@View({template: ''})
+class NeedsContentChild implements AfterContentInit, AfterContentChecked {
+  _child: TextDirective;
+
+  @ContentChild(TextDirective)
+  set child(value) {
+    this._child = value;
+    this.log.push(['setter', isPresent(value) ? value.text : null]);
+  }
+
+  get child() { return this._child; }
+  log = [];
+
+  afterContentInit() { this.log.push(["init", isPresent(this.child) ? this.child.text : null]); }
+
+  afterContentChecked() {
+    this.log.push(["check", isPresent(this.child) ? this.child.text : null]);
+  }
+}
+
+@Component({selector: 'needs-view-child'})
+@View({
+  template: `
+    <div *ng-if="shouldShow" text="foo"></div>
+  `,
+  directives: [NgIf, TextDirective]
+})
+class NeedsViewChild implements AfterViewInit,
+    AfterViewChecked {
+  shouldShow: boolean = true;
+  _child: TextDirective;
+
+  @ViewChild(TextDirective)
+  set child(value) {
+    this._child = value;
+    this.log.push(['setter', isPresent(value) ? value.text : null]);
+  }
+
+  get child() { return this._child; }
+  log = [];
+
+  afterViewInit() { this.log.push(["init", isPresent(this.child) ? this.child.text : null]); }
+
+  afterViewChecked() { this.log.push(["check", isPresent(this.child) ? this.child.text : null]); }
+}
+
+
 @Directive({selector: '[dir]'})
 @Injectable()
 class InertDirective {
@@ -792,6 +894,8 @@ class NeedsTpl {
     NeedsViewQueryOrderWithParent,
     NeedsContentChildren,
     NeedsViewChildren,
+    NeedsViewChild,
+    NeedsContentChild,
     NeedsTpl,
     TextDirective,
     InertDirective,
diff --git a/modules/angular2/test/public_api_spec.ts b/modules/angular2/test/public_api_spec.ts
index 2a8a60dca6..ee9828f3d2 100644
--- a/modules/angular2/test/public_api_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/angular2/test/public_api_spec.ts
@@ -180,6 +180,30 @@ const NG_API = [
   'ComponentUrlMapper',
   'ComponentUrlMapper.getUrl',
 
+  'ContentChild',
+  'ContentChild.constructor',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.constructor',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.isViewQuery',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.selector',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.toString',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.token',
+  'ContentChild.constructor.varBindings',
+  'ContentChild.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ContentChild.isViewQuery',
+  'ContentChild.selector',
+  'ContentChild.toString',
+  'ContentChild.token',
+  'ContentChild.varBindings',
+  'ContentChildMetadata',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.constructor',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.isViewQuery',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.selector',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.toString',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.token',
+  'ContentChildMetadata.varBindings',
+
   'ContentChildren',
   'ContentChildren.constructor',
   'ContentChildren.constructor.constructor',
@@ -860,6 +884,30 @@ const NG_API = [
 
   'View',
 
+  'ViewChild',
+  'ViewChild.constructor',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.constructor',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.isViewQuery',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.selector',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.toString',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.token',
+  'ViewChild.constructor.varBindings',
+  'ViewChild.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ViewChild.isViewQuery',
+  'ViewChild.selector',
+  'ViewChild.toString',
+  'ViewChild.token',
+  'ViewChild.varBindings',
+  'ViewChildMetadata',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.constructor',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.isVarBindingQuery',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.isViewQuery',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.selector',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.toString',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.token',
+  'ViewChildMetadata.varBindings',
+
   'ViewChildren',
   'ViewChildren.constructor',
   'ViewChildren.constructor.constructor',